Terms of Service

[Parrettd]

Can anyone help me understand the terms of service for William Wallace 27982 RFA?

 

He sign up on 18 Nov 1902

He transferred to the Reserves on 17 Nov 1910 after 8 yrs service.

 

On the attached document it says his ToS was 3+9 yrs.

 

On the 20 Nov 1915 he was sent to England for discharge on termination of engagement.

 

Does this mean he extended his service in Nov 1914, If so why is the ToS not 4+8yrs?

[ss002d6252]

For a period they changed the standard enlistment terms to 3&9 to try and get more in to the reserves faster than the 7&5 service allowed. There were various options available over the later years to extend and decrease the colour part of the enlistment for serving soldiers.

Part of the standard enlistment terms (and the same for Territorial Force) was that on declaration of War your service was automatically extended by a period 1 year before you could be discharged (if you were due to become time-expired). He became time-expired Nov 14 which meant that his service was extended to Nov 15 before he became eligible for discharge.

Craig

[Parrettd]

Thanks Craig, so was his service 12 or 13 years.

[ss002d6252]

Thanks David.

Craig

[Parrettd]

2 hours ago, Muerrisch said:

The army had to respond to wars and the consequences of wars. Part of this was by adjusting Terms. In addition to the attached table, from time to time soldiers were offered an early bath [with inducement to go to the reserve but not reduce their total contract] or the opportunity to extend their service. A man due to do 9 and 3 who was offered a chance to go at 8 years would spend 4 years on the reserve therefore. If he was still a reservist in August 1914 he would be called to the colours and held to serve his extra 13th year. This "extra year for King George" also caught a fair number of soldiers in peace-time who, for one reason or another "missed the boat" back to UK from India [or colony] on their due date.

 

My tabulation is for regular line infantry only.

 

TERMS of Engagement, Line Infantry [not necessarily complete] 1806 to 1947

 

 

 

Year	Terms	Source
1806 until 1829	Life, or ‘limited service’, of seven years with up to two of seven year extensions up to 21 years	Bulletin MHS No.237, Philip Haythornthwaite
1837 at least	For life or until medical discharge  but end service by purchase up to 7 years £20, thereafter sliding scale to 14 years £5, thereafter free, with pay enhancements for “distinguishing marks” ie. Good Conduct badges.	KR 1837 and The Victorian Army at Home (VAH)
1847	10* years, re-engage to 21 years for pension	VAH * or 11
1870	12 years, but normally split 6 years colours and 6 years reserve	VAH
1870	6 years colours and 6 years reserve	The Late Victorian Army
1873	6 years colours and 6 years on reserve or 12 years and no reserve … one or the other	Through the Ranks to a Commission
1881	7 years colours and 5 years on reserve	VAH
1902 May	3 years colours and 9 on reserve.	Army Orders (AO) 117/02
1902 Jul	Extensions for those on 3 years or 7 years initial engagement, can extend to 8 years or 12 years	AO 159/02
1904	Proposed, not implemented: a ‘2 years with colours plus 6 years reserve’ engagement for Home, or ‘ 9 years with colours plus 3 year reserve’ for general service	The Development of the British Army
1904 Nov	Terms of service 9 years with colours and 3 years reserve	AO 189/04
1905	2 years with colours and 10 years reserve for certain large regiments tentatively examined	AO/204/05
1906 Sep to 1914	7 years with colours and 5 years reserve for all. Extensions to 7 years allowed	AO 209/06
War	3 years or the duration, and also as above
1918/19	Various expedients to keep Army of Rhine up to strength
1922	Long service = 12 years
1924	7 and 5, [or 3 and 9 Guards]	AO 446 Dec Aled Jones
1932	[Guards 7 and 5 or 4 and 8]	AO 142 August Aled Jones
1938	Long Service 12 years option 9 more for pension   1947	May Aled Jones
1947	“normal” is 12 years, or 5 and 7 [sic]	Army estimates Aled Jones

 

 

Note that Foot Guards for long periods used 3 and 9, as they had no reserve formations. These are not annotated above.

 

Thank both for your help I think I understand

[Keith_history_buff]

This thread is bookmarked, as I have made good use of the table. I have taken the time to go through some surviving service records as of late. All of these men served with the South Wales Borderers.

Since the Cardwell reforms of 1881, service was 7 years with the colours, and 5 with the reserve. 

Army Order 117 of 1902, in the May 1902 compendium, changed this to 3 and 9
7246 Carl Bowditch enlisted on Wednesday 26 March 1902, his original terms of service were 7 years with the colours, and 5 with the reserve.

7251 Harry Jones enlisted on Monday 07 April 1902, his original terms of service were 3 years with the colours, and 9 with the reserve.

 

Army Order 189 of 1904, in the November 1904 compendium, changed this to 9 and 3  

8580 James Wills enlisted on Tuesday 11 October 1904, his original terms of service were 3 years with the colours, and 9 with the reserve.

8584 Leonard Thomas Knott enlisted on Friday 21 October 1904, his original terms of service were 9 years with the colours, and 3 with the reserve.

 

Army Order 209 of 1906, in the September 1906 compendium, changed this to 7 and 5  

9349 William Purse enlisted on Saturday 10 August 1906, his original terms of service were 9 years with the colours, and 3 with the reserve.

9361 William Bateman Lewis enlisted on Tuesday 14 August 1906, his original terms of service were 7 years with the colours, and 5 with the reserve.

[ss002d6252]

Just looking at some of those date, very useful.

It's interesting that there were also 8+4 and 2+10 actually implemented (and which would still be in effect by 1914). Don't see many in the wild though.

1905 Army Return for comparison.

 

 

Craig

[ss002d6252]

3 hours ago, Muerrisch said:

Interesting. My notes on the 2 and 10 say:

 

2 years with colours and 10 years reserve for certain large regiments tentatively examined

AO/204/05

 

I did not know that any were implemented so two questions: was there an "implementation Order" after 204, and were the few soldiers with those terms indeed in "large regiments", which I take to be four regular battalions.

 

Hansard seems to have no record ........ Colonel Blimp usually had something to say ...................

Just checked. The Oct 1903 army return doesn't mention which AO implemented it but mentions the 2&10 was in respect of ASC drivers.

 

The 8&4 was introduced for the household cavalry.

 

Craig

[Keith_history_buff]

I believe that the following county infantry regiments would be "large regiments" but do not have a source to support this assertion

'third and fourth regular battalions were added to the Northumberland Fusiliers, Warwickshire Regiment, Royal Fusiliers, King's (Liverpool Regiment), Lancashire Fusiliers, Worcestershire Regiment, Middlesex Regiment and the Manchester Regiment'
 

[Keith_history_buff]

I do find this a useful thread, which I have frequently referred to in the past. I thought it would be good to take a further look at the genesis of the terms of service.

The concept of "short service" was introduced by the Cardwell reforms, whereby an infantryman would serve six years with the colours, then see out the remainder of his time served in the Army Reserve. Whilst the size of the reserve was fixed by the Army Enlistment Act of 1870, the Regulation of the Forces Act of 1871 did contain clause 9 did facilitate subsequent changes as 'shall consist respectively of such number of men as may from time to time be provided by Parliament.'

When the changes were being debated in Parliament in 1870, Lord Northbrook states that the time is to be 'specified in the attestation paper in Army service'. Sure enough, on an example of an attestation form that I looked at, the six and six split was explicitly stated in the top left of the attestation table of questions. When the change to seven years with the colours and five with the reserve was introduced in 1881, the older attestations were to be destroyed.

Interestingly, when the ratio of colour service to reserve service changed between 1902 and 1906, they did not destroy the forms, but struck through the old number, and next to it inserted the extant numbers. This is seen in a lot of the "Burnt records" for pre-war enlistments.





 

[Keith_history_buff]

The Act passed on 9 August 1870 did give the Secretary of State for War the right to amend the years served with the colours. It also gave the army the right to discharge men from the colours to the Army Reserve after three years service.

From a 1914 perspective, what we would know as Section A and Section B Army Reserve men have now come into existence. Whilst such an Army Reserve had been created in 1867, the army had failed to persuade enough men to sign up for it.
 

Army Enlistment Act, 1870

(33 & 34 Vict.) CHAP. 67.

 

An Act to shorten the time of Active Service in the Army, and to amend in certain respects the Law of Enlistment.

[9th August 1870]

 

WHEREAS it is expedient to shorten the period of army service of soldiers enlisted to serve in Her Majesty's army, and to establish a reserve force which may be called into active service in a time of emergency; and also to amend in certain respects the law of enlistment in Her Majesty's army:

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

 

as follows:

1 Short title.

This Act may be cited as ‘The Army Enlistment Act, 1870.’ *

2 Twelve years the limit of enlistment.

From and after the passing of this Act, no person shall be enlisted for the first term of his engagement to serve Her Majesty as a soldier for a longer period than twelve years, to be reckoned from the day on which the recruit is attested for service.

3 Terms of enlistments.

Enlistments under this Act shall be as follows: either

(1.) For the whole of the said period, in army service; or

(2.) For a portion of the said period, to be fixed from time to time by the Secretary of State and specified in the attestation paper, in army service, and for the residue thereof in the first class of the reserve force established under the provisions of the Reserve Force Act, 1867; but nothing in this clause shall interfere with the power of Her Majesty to enlist men for a less period than twelve years in army service alone.

4. Change of service.

The Secretary of State may from time to time by general or special regulations vary the conditions of service so as to permit a soldier who has served not less than three years in army service, with such soldier's free assent, either

(1.) To enter the reserve force at once for the residue unexpired of his term of twelve years; or

(2.) To extend his army service for the residue unexpired of his term of twelve years.

5 In imminent national danger, Her Majesty may continue soldiers in army service.
6 Enlistment for general service, &c.

From and after the passing of this Act, all enlistments, except as herein-after mentioned, shall be for general service; and it shall be lawful for the military authorities to post any recruit so enlisted to any regiment or corps, and at any time within fifteen months after his attestation to direct him to be attached to any regiment or corps; but the Secretary of State may, from time to time, by any general or special regulations, permit recruits to be enlisted for particular regiments, and in such case they shall at once be attached to such regiments.
7 Effect of attachment to a regiment
8 Re-engagement of soldiers.
9 Limit of number.

The number of men serving in the militia reserve under the Militia Reserve Act, 1867, and in the army reserve, first class, under the Reserve Force Act, 1867, and this Act, shall not exceed in the whole sixty thousand.
10 Continuance in Her Majesty's service after twenty-one years therein.
11 Prolongation of enlistment in certain cases.

Any soldier whose period of army service or whose whole period of enlistment, as the case may be, expires while a state of war exists between Her Majesty and any foreign power, or while he is serving on foreign service, or on any colonial or Indian station, may be detained and his service may be prolonged for such further period not exceeding twelve months as the Secretary of State or the commanding officer at the station may direct; but at the expiration of such prolonged service, or sooner, if the said Secretary of State or commanding officer see fit, such soldier shall be transferred to the reserve force or discharged, as the case may be, and if serving abroad he shall, unless he desires to remain at the place where he is serving, be sent home at the public charge, with all convenient speed, and after his arrival he shall be transferred to the reserve force or discharged, as the case may be.
12 Rules for reckoning service.
13 Discharge on completion of service.
14 Provisions in Reserve Force Act, 1867, and Militia Reserve Act, 1867, as to calling reserve and militia into active service extended to cases of imminent national danger.
15 Soldiers who have exceeded the first term of their engagement may be enrolled in reserve.
From and after the passing of this Act any soldier who is serving or has served in any of Her Majesty's regular forces, and whose service (or past service) has exceeded the first term of his enlistment, may be enrolled to serve in the first class of the reserve force established under the Army Reserve Act, 1867; provided that no such soldier is when so enrolled above the age of thirty-four years.
16 Power of Secretary of State to issue orders and forms.

The Secretary of State may from time to time issue such orders and forms for enlisting recruits and for otherwise carrying into effect this Act as he thinks expedient, and any orders and forms so issued shall be of the same force as if expressly enacted in this Act.
17 Saving of provisions of Acts relating to enlistment.
18 Application of Act to men under Army Enlistment Act, 1867.
19 Training of first class of reserve force. 
20 Service of notices on reserve force.
21 Repeal. 
22 Definition of Secretary of State.

[Keith_history_buff]

Regarding the change to 7 years with the colours and 5 with the reserve for the infantry, Skelley mentions this in his book. His primary source given is as follows:

Revised Memorandum on the principle changes in Army Organisation LVIII (c.2922)
Effective 1 July 1881

In theory, this should be enclosure 824 of the War Office memoranda in the WO 32 series.
In actual fact, there is a placeholder (image below), but there is no copy of said item, which I presume is within parliamentary papers.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C6216602

WO 33/36/1881/824                  1881

Memorandum on army organization.

Missing at transfer

 

[Keith_history_buff]

'In the second place we propose that the term of enlistment should remain 12 years, as now, but that the period with the Colours should be 7 instead of 6 years.'

Whilst the "Revised Memorandum" is not on file, it appears the original memorandum is. The aforementioned text is taken from part of that document

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C6216600
WO 33/36/1881/8221881

Papers on main recommendations of the government as to changes in army organization

 

[Keith_history_buff]

It could well be that the "revised memorandum" forms the bulk of the following transcription from Hansard, dated 3 March 1881.
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1881/mar/03/statement

[Keith_history_buff]

In addition to the change to 7 and 5, the creation of what would be known in 1914 as Section D of the Army Reserve was brought into being by Childers.

Regulation of the Forces Act (bill 193) Passed 27 Aug 1881

10 Provision for Supplemental Reserve

For the purpose of establishing a Supplemental Reserve it shall be lawful for Her Majesty to authorise men to be enrolled in the first class of the army reserve force under the condition that they are not called out for permanent service until the whole of the remainder of the said first class have been called out for permanent service, and regulations may from time to time be made under the Reserve Force Act 1876 for carrying into effect this section.

 

 

[Keith_history_buff]

To conclude, as already mentioned, the duration of service with the colours for the line infantry changed three times between 1902 and 1906, when it resumed the legacy of seven years with the colours and five with the reserve, for those enlisting from mid-August 1906 onwards.

Below is the Army Order that communicated this change.