What does 1/4 Royal Scots Guards mean?

[Guest]

When someone is described as being in the "1/4 Royal Scots Guards " what does the 1/4 mean? Does it mean 4trh Battalion of the 1st Brigade?

[rolt968]

28 minutes ago, SPICKERI said:

When someone is described as being in the "1/4 Royal Scots Guards " what does the 1/4 mean? Does it mean 4trh Battalion of the 1st Brigade?

Do you mean 1/4 Royal Scots? The Royal Scots and the Scots Guards are different regiments.

 

4 Royal Scots (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) was a Territorial Force Battalion of the Royal Scots. TF soldier's had enlisted to serve as a defence of the UK not to serve overseas (although some had). When the Territorial Force battalions were mobilised in August 1914, the men were asked if they would serve overseas. Many did but others didn't. Most TF infantry battalions were split into two battalions: one of which was to serve overseas and the other to serve as home defence and training. The battalion which went overseas had its battalion number prefixed by "1" and the home battalion had its battalion number prefixed by "2": hence 1/4 Royal Scots and 2/4 Royal Scots.

This Long Long Trail link will tell you more about 4 Royal Scots.

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-scots-lothian-regiment/

 

There were for a while also third line TF battalions (3/4) which trained the men who enlisted in the TF battalions.

In some densely populated areas there were enough recruits and enough men willing to serve overseas for the second line (2/ ) battalion to serve overseas as well.

 

RM

Also see here:

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/the-territorial-force/

 

Edited 7 January , 2018 by rolt968

[Guest]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Yes, its 1/4 Royal Scots.

 

Regards