14th TR Battn

[Cockayne]

My Grandfather served during WW1 with the 1st Battn North Staffs. He sent two letters whilst he was training in Staffordshire, Brocton Camp (Cannock Chase ????). The letters are dated Dec 1916 and March 1917. The thing that puzzles me is that the letters state he is in the 14th TR Battn and his service number is different is both letters, also he has moved from C to A company.

From this would I be right to assume he would have trained with soldiers destined for various other regiments before he joined the North Staffs on completion of his training.

Or was the 14th TR Battn part of the North Staffs Regiment.

[Chris_Baker]

From memory, the reserve battalions of the North Staffords became the 3rd and 4th TR Battalions in 1916. They were at Brocton, which is indeed part of the Cannock Chase camp complex. I can't remember the origins of the 14th. I'll come back on this one.

[charlesmessenger]

14 TR Battalion was formed from the 14th Manchesters at Brocton on 1 September 1916 and was part of 3rd TR Brigade. It was retitled 278th Infantry Battalion in late summer 1917 and then became 52nd (Graduated) Bn Notts and Derby (Sherwood Foresters).

The TR Battalions were not dedicated to supplying men for a particular regiment, and your Grandfather would have been posted to 1st North Staffs once he arrived in France.

Charles

[Cockayne]

Charles

Thanks for your response. You comments prompted me to read one of my Grandfather's letters from Brocton Camp (21 December 1916) again. There is a passage in the letter that may tie in with what you say about the Manchesters.

The passage is as follows :-

The cap badge I have in my cap is that of all training reserves, It is a German idea. It is just a simple tunic button fastened in the cap, with a bit of round red cloth as a background. Of course I put the Manchester's badge in my cap when on leave like last week-end. This is a fine badge , Manchester coat of arms.

Paul

[charlesmessenger]

Paul

This is very interesting. First, because 14 TR Bn seems to have tried to maintain its Manchester Regt traditions, but also because it answers a query that I have been puzzling over for some time, namely what capbadge the TR Bn recruits wore. I assume that their tunic buttons had the Royal Coat of Arms, which was the General Service capbadge.

Charles

[Cockayne]

Does anyone know if the TR Battalions keep War diaries ?

Thanks

Paul