TF Members at the start of WW1

[taylorsearcher]

My Great Grandfather joined the Volunteer Force circa 1884.  When the Boar War broke out he attested for the 2 Battalion Royal Fusiliers , first in 1900 being discharged in 1901; then again in 1901, being discharged in 1902.  It appears that he was absorbed into the Territorial Force after the 1908 Army Act.  My question is, would he have had to attest / formally sign up again for service at the start of WW1, as he had done for the Boar War ?

 

The point I am leading to is this:-

I understand that an application for separation allowance had to be made by soldier at the time of recruitment.  If that was the case and he would need to give details of his wife and children in 1914.  I have seen a letter from the Regimental Paymaster (Army Form 3038) to his widow (he died in 1918) stating that her separation allowance would continue to be paid for a further 26 weeks, thereafter a pension payable.  So she must have already been receiving the monies.

The thing is, he is thought to have left his wife (and 5 children) circa 1912/13 for another woman, having already had an illigitimate child with her in 1912, and, by the start of the war, two more in 1913 and 1914.  Subsquently, his soldiers effects were all paid to his widow, as the sole executrix.  However, we have now found that both woman later claimed a dependant's pension.

 

So, is it possible that he had already notified details of the next of kin / dependants, i.e. his wife and children, during his pre-war service, rather than the situation as at the outbreak of the war? 

 

[PRC]

As to the first part of your question, the standard term for a Territorial Force man was 4 years. So if he signed up in 1908 - and it was a choice, many volunteers chose not to join the new organisation -  then he would have had to sign up for another four years in 1912. As a serving member of the Territorial Force he would then have been mobilsed on the outbreak of war as his unit was embodied. He would have reported to his drill hall and from there moved to a concentration location. Remember at that point the Territorial Force is only for UK defence - he may, given his previous experience, have previously signed up for Imperial Service as well, but that wasn't France and Belgium.

 

The form he would have been asked to sign in September 1914, a month into the war and after he had been mobilised, was whether he agreed to serve overseas. This was what precipiated the split into First Line Battalions, (men who'd agreed to serve overseas) and Second Line Battalions, (Home Service only).

 

Of course if he let membership lapse in 1912 he would have had to sign up as a new recruit in August 1914 and then he would have had to state on his enlistment form the people he was legally responsible for.

 

Perhaps a partial answer to your point is that for the first time he is probably having to face the issue of where his separation allowance gets paid to, the money for his wife and children. If he has abandoned them then she may well have a court order forcing him to pay maintenance. If he goes to jail for non-payment then he could be out of the army, so the choice is probably made for him.

 

As a "common-law" wife his new partner would have no legal claim on him, however if he acknowledges fatherhood of the children he had with her then certainly they might be entitled to a Dependants pension as a result of his death.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[ss002d6252]

Quote

My Great Grandfather joined the Volunteer Force circa 1884.  When the Boar War broke out he attested for the 2 Battalion Royal Fusiliers , first in 1900 being discharged in 1901; then again in 1901, being discharged in 1902.  It appears that he was absorbed into the Territorial Force after the 1908 Army Act.  My question is, would he have had to attest / formally sign up again for service at the start of WW1, as he had done for the Boar War ?

Who was he and what was his service number ?

Craig

[rolt968]

May I ask where the term "executrix" comes from? It often implies that there was a will, although someone could apply to be appointed executor/executrix.

RM

[kenf48]

1 hour ago, ss002d6252 said:

Who was he and what was his service number ?

Craig

 

This bloke

You answered on this thread yesterday, elsewhere a year ago 

Ken

[ss002d6252]

14 minutes ago, kenf48 said:

 

This bloke

You answered on this thread yesterday, elsewhere a year ago 

Ken

Thanks Ken, I hadn't paid attention to who posted !

 

Craig

[taylorsearcher]

Peter and Craig

Thanks for your information and suggestions.

Although I have his papers for his two Boar War periods, nothing exists or survives any activity subsequently, so we cannot be sure of events and his service, save for those identified in my other Topic - Alfred Nelson Baker - that you two have contributed to.  I suppose that it is possible that he allotted some of his pay directly to the second ‘wife’ ?  In relation to later claims, all the illegitimate children’s birth ( and one death) certificates show the woman as Mrs Baker, nee Brew; and Alfred as the father, so that would substantiate responsibility.  Alfred and Alice were never divorced and Alfred and Mary never actually got formally married, so he was not a bigamist , as well !