Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

4 Company Bn structure


James Brown

Recommended Posts

On 12/01/2019 at 20:24, Derek Black said:


If you can find reference to men and their company in newspaper reports from early in their time abroad, as they often use their traditional designations for a while after merger in letters home, then compare them with those that have newer company details on CWGC, you may see a pattern, showing which companies merged.

 

The 5th Black Watch went to France on 1st November, 1914, there's no records of when they reorganised into 4 companies, but it was within a month of landing.


In their case it was a change to four numbered companies: A+B= No.1, B+C= No.2,.... and so on.

Cheers,

Derek.

Thanks derek that sounds logical I'll defo go over that

JB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for your feedback

 

It is complicated and individually different for each regimental battalion. 

 

War diaries and official histories amy in some cases explain the mergers, other sources will be as ron said looking through the Newspapers, others have a reference on the CWGC as to their new Company. So would hopefully have to go back to the papers and maybe gather some info in the obituries or letters from other men. geographically in my case the 1/5th Bn RSF the older Company structure was identified by town and village as it states here

 

Newspaper - Ayrshire Post June 1914

Having given you the serious and technical side of affairs let me dwell a little on the fun at the camp. There are “wags” in every corps. These humorous Gents have styled each of the Companies by the various callings. Here they are: --

 

“A” Co.—The Ayr Jockeys.

“B” Co.—The Catrine Weavers.

“C” Co.—The Maybole Spriggers.

“D” Co.—The Stranraer Drovers.

“E” Co.—The Cumnock Coal Squad.

“F” Co.—The Troon Black Squad.

“G” Co.—The Muirkirk Howkers.

“H” Co.—The Dalmellington Mountaineers.

 

Catrine, Maybole, Stranraer, Cumnock, Troon, Muirkirk and Dalmellington were all towns and villages of Ayrshire

 

Thanks to all 

JB

Edited by James Brown
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Muerrisch said:


In their case it was a change to four numbered companies: A+B= No.1, B+C= No.2,.... and so on.

 

Really?

oops...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, James Brown said:

Thank you all for your feedback

 

It is complicated and individually different for each regimental battalion.


The 19/12/1914 edition of the Sphere has a nice clear group photograph of the officers and men of the football team of No.2 Company the 5th RSF.
 

The officers are named: Capt. H.R. Haddow, Major John Russell, Lt. G. Brotherstone, 2nd Lt. H. Grierson.

 

Cheers,

Derek.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Derek Black said:


The 19/12/1914 edition of the Sphere has a nice clear group photograph of the officers and men of the football team of No.2 Company the 5th RSF.
 

The officers are named: Capt. H.R. Haddow, Major John Russell, Lt. G. Brotherstone, 2nd Lt. H. Grierson.

 

Cheers,

Derek.

 

Out of interest, and given that we're talkig officers, is that an Association or a Union football team?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Battalion/Regimental Histories are a great help in our regimental research, but sometimes you just can't beat a good old Army Order to show you exactly what was going on.

269815653_AO54Feb15-a.jpg.3396c27fb1c0a6ff1effad17dcb0da16.jpg

370891783_AO54Feb15-b.jpg.08531fb171cf44a321cb35ceff3a8f6d.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Steven Broomfield said:

 

Out of interest, and given that we're talkig officers, is that an Association or a Union football team?


Association.
Unfortunately only the officers, in uniforms and not kits, posing with the players get named.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ta. I asked because I recalled the bit in The First Hundred Thousand where the officers played 'football' and the o.r.s were confused by the fact that the game didn't represent football as they understood it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
On 14/01/2019 at 19:51, Steven Broomfield said:

This I must share. On 24th November, 1914, the London Rifle Brigade (at that time in France) reorganised as below:

 

A & D Companies became No. 1 Coy

 

E & O - No. 2

 

G & P - No. 3

 

H & Q - No. 4

 

I have absolutely no idea where the Dickens their 8-Company lettering system came fro. All I can say is that they were posh boys and probably did what they wanted. The numerical system was utilised to avoid confusion with the old lettering (which makes sense), but was changed back to lettering after 2nd Ypres.

 

It seems, as we go on, that all we are finding as a theme here is that the British Army, in all its glory, did what it wanted. There may have been rhyme and reason; there may not. But it seems to work .. probably despite, not because!

Just reading K W Mitchinson's social history of the LRB "Gentlemen and Officers: The Impact and Experience of War on a Territorial Regiment 1914-1918". It provides the answer to this mysterious company lettering conundrum. 

"When the TF was created the battalion had been reduced to eight companies - the strongest of the original sixteen survived, hence the somewhat bizarre lettering of A, D, E, G, H, O, P and Q."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slightly worryingly, it's logical.

 

Thanks for sharing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...