Recruitment: Attestation > Posted

[fwwjournal]

I am trying to understand the recruitment process a little further. I have service records for a relative which include:

Attested: 1/12/15

To Army Reserve: ditto

Mobilized: 15/6/16

Posted: 19/6/16

What would be happening in the 6 month period between Attested/To Army Reserve and Mobilized?

Searching other soliders records this period varies significantly from days to weeks to months.

Thanks.

David

[ss002d6252]

He was released back to civilian life until required. The army would call a man as and when they decided he was needed.

Craig

[fwwjournal]

Thanks for the prompt reply!

So the short period between 'mobilisation' and 'posted' was all the notice given to get affairs in order and join a regiment for training? (4 days in the above case but others I have seen have just been a day).

David

[ss002d6252]

Thanks for the prompt reply!

So the short period between 'mobilisation' and 'posted' was all the notice given to get affairs in order and join a regiment for training? (4 days in the above case but others I have seen have just been a day).

David

The mobilization to posting period would have given the army time to sort the paperwork when the man reported and then dispatch them as needed (they may well have held men at the depot for a few days and sent them along in batches).

Off the top of my head, I seem to remember they would receive notification of a date around a month before they were required to report for service.

Craig

[fwwjournal]

Thanks again. That's helpful.

David

[clive_hughes]

Your relative enlisted during the period of Lord Derby's Scheme, October-15th December 1915. It was advertised as a last-ditch attempt to "save" the Voluntary system of recruiting, and relied on sufficient men coming forward so that conscription wouldn't be needed. The idea was that the men would complete their attestation at the recruiting office (or out-station), being sworn in as a member of Army Reserve Class "B" and receive their first day day's Army pay plus allowances (2 shillings and 9 pence). They then went back home and awaited a notification of mobilisation from the Army. Meantime they followed their usual occupation, but were given a khaki armband bearing a red felt crown as a mark of their reserve status.

They would have been allocated to a numerical Group dependent on their age and marital status: the unmarried men aged 18 were in Group 1, 19-year-olds in Group 2 and so on up to the 41-year-olds in Group 23. The married men aged 18 were then Group 24, and so on to the 41-year-old marrieds of Group 46. your relative's Group should be shown on his attestation papers.

Many men attested under the Scheme in order to appeal against their mobilisation notice before a local Tribunal. The Tribunal was supposed to weigh the grounds for exemption (already doing work of national importance; having dependent relatives; conscientious objection etc.) and decide on either a full exemption; a temporary one; or to reject the application - in which case unless the man tried further appeals, he would be expected to present himself for service on the due date.

The single men were called on first, Groups 2-5 being mobilised by Proclamation on 20th December and ordered to report to their depots four weeks later. The last of these single Groups were called on 25th February, to serve from 28th March. Before then, the (inevitable) failure of sufficient men to attest had resulted in the Military Service Act being passed in January 1916, after which conscription came into force for single men. The Scheme was immediately reopened so as to encourage the remaining unmarried men to attest voluntarily before conscription came into force on 2nd March. The younger married Derby Scheme Groups were called up beginning on 3rd March, while the oldest ones (and the 18-year-old married) were called on 13th May, all expected to begin serving a month later unless they successfully appealed meantime. In May 1916 a second Military Service Act extended compulsion to the unattested married men.

You will likely know the age, marital status and Group of your relative and should therefore be able to deduce whether he joined "on time" when called, or had managed to obtain a deferral of call-up. When he reported for service he would be given a full medical (this was usually skipped at the attestation), then sent (posted) to his new unit.

Hope this helps.

Clive

[kenf48]

Your man attested under th Derby or Group Scheme. After attestation, usually but not necessarily, at the local drill hall, they were often advertised in the local press. After attestation he was placed in a Group dependent on age and marital status. There was a 'Proclamation in the national an local press advising when they would be mobilised or 'called up'.

See LLT for relevant dates http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/enlisting-into-the-army/the-group-scheme-derby-scheme/

It was possible to secure a deferment through the local tribunal under the Scheme, usually in 3 month blocks.

On mobilisation he would report as directed, usually to the local Depot. It was considered impractical to have everyone in the Group to report the same day as the Depot would be overwhelmed, he would have a medical and other admin tasks and then, at that stage of the war be posted to the Reserve or Training Battalion which may or may not have been at the Depot.

One of the advantages of enlisting under the Derby Scheme was that there was still an element of choice, though the exigencies of the service meant this was not always adhered to.

Your man was mobilised on a Thursday and was posted to the training Bn the following Monday.

Ken

I see Clive posted while checking dates!

[fwwjournal]

Thanks for the very helpful and informative responses. The person I have been researching was single and born in 1881, so based on the LLT page info. he could have been mobilised as early as 18 March 1916 - Although attesting on 1 December 1915 he was not mobilised until 15 June 1916 and posted on 19 June. His occupation was watch and clock maker. Is there any way of searching if he appealed for a later call up or is this perhaps just a case of 'luck' on his part in that it was deferred until June?

For another soldier I research but whose records do not survive I had looked at records for those within the same regiment and close serial numbers and noted attestation / mobilisation dates. From this I had worked out a likely key dates, and the above information on the Derby Scheme corroborates that nicely.

David

[Donald D]

My Grandfather, Frederick Davie 33489 KSLI 10th Battalion, attested under the Derby Scheme in Liverpool in December 1915 at the Town Hall. He was mobilised in April 1917. He was part of a batch of men who were directed into the KSLI, rather than the more obvious Kings Liverpool Regiment. His occupation was as a ships printer on passenger ships, so I would think this may have some bearing on the much later date of his mobilisation.

[fwwjournal]

That's a coincidence, my grandfather Thomas Minshall served with the 10th Battalion KSLI!

He enlisted with the Cheshire Yeomanry in 1914, was on coastal defence duties in Norfolk until March 1916 when they were posted to Egypt. March 1917 the 10th (Shropshire & Chesire Yeomanry) Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry was formed. Late October 1917 though Thomas was in Cadet Class in Cairo and granted a commision in December 1917 as 2nd Lieutenant and transferred to the 15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion Suffolk Regiment.

David

[Donald D]

Thats why I posted my comments, but also to point out that although he enlisted in December 1915, via derby Scheme, he wasn't called up until April 1917.

[fwwjournal]

Yes, sorry I don't acknowledge it, but I did note long period you identified between enlistment and mobilisation.

David