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

Remembered Today:

Coloured Platoon AIF


stevenbecker

Recommended Posts

Mates,

 

I found this in our Assoc Mag "Friends and Families of the First AIF".

 

"Memories of Digger days
Found on Trove.
Freak platoon
One AIF battalion had a ‘colour platoon’, probably a mere accident in the first instance, but later maintained as an institution by the transfer into it of all the available Browns, Whites, and so on. At the time I made a note of its membership, the platoon contained four Browns (all unrelated), three each of Blacks, Greens, and Whites, two Dunns, two Scarletts, a Gold, Goldman, and Goldstein, the balance being made up of Reddy, Hugh, Salmon, Pink, Rainbow, Silver, Blue, Dark, Crimson, Dunn-Brown, Whiteman, Yelloman, and, strangely enough (besides Lieut Gray, the OC), only one Grey. So keen was the desire to maintain the platoon’s colour strength that the CO, when a shortage was threatened, actually made inquiries of other battalion commanders concerning the possibility of an exchange of men in order to secure colours who would make up strength. My own battalion at one time transferred a Blackie and two Greens. I acted as escorting NCO and remember the incident more particularly because of the extraordinary names of the men I brought back – Woofitt, Ackanoy, and Rabbits. Their name initials make WAR; and there was something like war after we took a day to get back to camp, having found an estaminet with plentiful and cheap liquor on the way.
– Spare Corp. Source: ‘The World’s News’, 25 March, 1936. [I have been unable to verify all names – Ed.]

 

Cheers

 

S.B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All, and Steve,

The AIF 'Colour Platoon' under Lieut. Gray, reminded me of a letter written to a lady friend by the aristocratic cavalry officer Alan Lascelles:-

To Guendolen Osborme. 

2 April 1916, B. E. F.

'I forget if I told you of my amazing good fortune in having three corporals in my troop called respectively Parrott, Peacock and Swann?

It has become almost an obsession with me; and when Corporal Parrott came and told me the other morning that Corporal Peacock was sick, I said quite naturally, "Ah, moulting I suppose", which shocked Corp. Parrott, who, apart from his nose and his name, has no bird-like qualities, least of all the levity one would expect.'

("End of an Era: Letters and Journals of Sir Alan Lascelles", Ed. Duff Hart-Davis; Hamish Hamilton, London 1986.)

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The late Lord Mancroft once recounted a story of how, when he was in charge of allocating new members to units in WW2, managed to secure men for his own unit with particularly useful skills, such as a chef from a London restaurant and a coachbuilder from a well-known garage. This was noticed by one of his colleagues who demanded similar preference for his own unit. Lord M duly obliged, and showed his colleague the occupations of the men he had selected. His colleague was satisfied - until he discovered that all seventeen were named Smith.

 

Ron

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...