Who Completed 1911 Military Census Forms?

[rolt968]

Does anyone know who in a military unit completed the 1911 Census Form? Where did they get the information from?

I've now found what I think are two men I am looking for in 2 Black Watch in India, but the age is wrong (but not too far out) and although born in rural Angus the place of birth is given as Dundee in both cases.

If the form was filled in using the information from the soldier's records these are the wrong men. On the other hand if (for example) someone called the roll and asked how old they were and where they were born, these are likely answers.

Roger M

[David_Underdown]

I'd imagine it would fall to the adjutant and regimental clerks and would be largley based on the records - there's often an occupation given (rather than just private or whatever) which seems to reflect what was stated whe a man enlisted. It must have been done fairly locally as if a man was sick he'll normally be listed in the hospital rather than under his unit.

[rolt968]

That's what I originally thought. If they used the attestation form from the soldier's record. the age and birthplace should be correct or at least as given on the form.

A couple of thoughts occurred to me:

What records would they have with them of they were in India?

For a full battalion consulting all the records would be very time consuming for the adjutant and regimental clerks.

Roger M

[Keith_history_buff]

I came across a soldier with a misheard place of birth recorded on his attestation. This was duplicated on the census. At this time, Enlistment Books were in operation centrally, but those for the time period 1900-1920 went up in flames at Arnside Street. (In most instances, the description books which pre-dated them have not survived.)

I would presume the battalion adjutant had a similar book, and every time a new soldier joined the battalion, these salient details were added.

So, in answer to your question, I think the salient info was being copied from a book, rather than a clerk asking each person for their details. I got the impression that census returns were done in company order, based on what I have read. On one census return, all the places of birth were one row above the line where they should have appeared, which again suggests copying from a written source, rather than asking each soldier individually.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/295340-1921-census-army-order-96-covering-arrangements-for-enumeration/

[rolt968]

52 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

I came across a soldier with a misheard place of birth recorded on his attestation. This was duplicated on the census. At this time, Enlistment Books were in operation centrally, but those for the time period 1900-1920 went up in flames at Arnside Street. (In most instances, the description books which pre-dated them have not survived.)

I would presume the battalion adjutant had a similar book, and every time a new soldier joined the battalion, these salient details were added.

So, in answer to your question, I think the salient info was being copied from a book, rather than a clerk asking each person for their details. I got the impression that census returns were done in company order, based on what I have read. On one census return, all the places of birth were one row above the line where they should have appeared, which again suggests copying from a written source, rather than asking each soldier individually.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/295340-1921-census-army-order-96-covering-arrangements-for-enumeration/

Many thanks for this Keith.

I had forgotten about this thread. I think (I will need to consult my notes) I had decided that the two men in the census were the men I was looking for, not least since they were in that particular battalion at the time.

I have since discovered an additional complication in some cases, although I don't think it applied to 2 Black Watch. In some cases in India at least, some battalions were stationed as detachments in different places when the census was taken.

RM