War Establishment - Infantry Battalions (Officers)

[Guest]

The assault was carried out by the 6th Black Watch on the right and 7th battalions Black Watch on the left and a battalion of the 29th Division on the right of the 6th Black Watch.

Mike

[Guest]

Here's 153rd Infantry Brigade for June 1916

Mike

[Muerrisch]

More information on War Establishments.

The War History of the Royal West Kents confirms the thrust of the WOI 62 of 10th Aug 1914 by stating that:

" ........... on Aug 7th Capt Snow and Lts Anstruther and Snelgrove with 15 NCOs ....... detailed to form nucleus of 6th [service} battalion ...... while five days later Captain Lynch White and 2nd Lt Dawson were ordered to the Depot on the reduction of the War Establishment to 25 officers".

They then name 26 who embarked! This excludes the RMO.

As further illustration of the ups and downs of WE, the Suffolks' history notes 16 Jan 1915 that the 28th Div WE was 26 to a battalion This excludes RMO.

Finally, billeting raises its head [suffolks again] .......................15th Jan 1915 an advance billeting party under Lt Wood left Winchester for France.

Never say never, it is the British Army after all!

[Guest]

By way of cross-referencing, here is the relevant War Diary which alludes to 26. This may of course include an MO and therefore be open to interpretation.

11th Aug 1914. 10:00 am The Battalion took part in a Brigade route march of about 8 miles. All Battalions were accompanied by the whole of their transport, but we were unable to put the four GS Wagons on the road owing to the non-arrival of the harness. No men fell out. The day was hot and the roads dusty, but the men marched well.

7:00 pm Orders were received from the War Office that the following numbers of Officers of Infantry Battalions proceeding on active service were not to be exceeded

Proceeding with Battalion - 26

First reinforcement - 1

Duty with details remaining at peace station - 3

4:00 pm Harness for the heavy duty draught horses was purchased from Messrs Guinness, DUBLIN. This completed the mobilisation of the Battalion. (See diary of 7th August)

7:00 pm Capt W C O PHILLIPS left for SOUTHAMPTON. He was detailed for duty as a Billeting Officer. It was understood that he is to proceed to FRANCE, but instructions in this point were not received.

[Guest]

2nd Manchesters sent two Officers back to the Depot on 12th Aug. No reason given....departed overseas with 26 plus MO two days later.

1st KORLR

17th Aug 1914: 13th Day of mobilisation. In accordance with WD letter MD 10 8 14 following Officers left the Battalion and were posted to Depot;

2 Lt J A BEVAN

Lts C E B STEVENS

Lt J H C COULSTON

Lt J P JAMIESON.

Battalion took part in Brigade Field Day in neighbourhood of DRAYTON. 4:00 pm. Brigade received orders to move to HARROW.

1st reinforcements under Capt A G JOINER to remain behind. They entrained for DOVER on 18th Aug 1914

Note that the reduction is greater than the three required for training K1 implying a limit. The battalion disembarked with 26 Officers on 23rd Aug 1914..

[Muerrisch]

Martin the 26 RWK EXCLUDED the RMO.

So another reference in addition to the WOI of 10th Aug is WD letter MD 10 8 14.

[Guest]

Martin the 26 RWK EXCLUDED the RMO.

So another reference in addition to the WOI of 10th Aug is WD letter MD 10 8 14.

Grumpy

"The King's Own: The Story of a Royal Regiment" records on pages 6

"Authority was given on August 9th for one Battalion of the King's Own to be raised in Kitchener's First Army, commonly called K1. Of the thirty six Officers on the peace establishment of a regular battalion only twenty-six went overseas with it; one was allotted to first-line reinforcements and three to the Depot to assist in the formation of Kitchener's battalions, those in the King's Own who did so being Capt T D Jackson MVO DSO, and Lt B L Birley, and Lt G A BLackburn"

on page 7

"...four Officers who were surplus to requirements were sent to the Depot..."

A footnote names them as:

Lt C E B Stevens

Lt J H C Coulston

Lt J P Jamieson

2 Lt J A Bevan

So we know for sure the further reduction in establishment was not conflated with the three Officers sent for training Kitchener's Army. It is worth considering that most Battalions were initially short of Officers and many would not have had surpluses - so we might not see much evidence of this reduction. I have checked the Brigade Diary and the diaries and histories of the other Battalions in the same Brigade but nothing is mentioned of this further reduction.

[Muerrisch]

Thank you.

The sub-text of sending 26 officers to war was that some sergeants were inevitably platoon commanders from the outset, regardless of whether a battalion had a nominal officer shortage.

A battalion "needed" 16 platoon commanders, 8 majors/captains as i/c and 2/i/c companies, and one each of CO, senior major, adjutant, QM and Machine-gun officer.

Of these 29, one subaltern had to be double-hatted as Transport Officer.

These sergeants as platoon commanders seem to receive little mention, even in the early days of conflict. One wonders if their platoon commands were by deliberate choice, as sergeants and men were, by doctrine, not to be moved around more than necessary.