MGC 35th - company or battalion ?

[Mac657]

Hello all,  i'm having a bit of trouble getting my head around which MGC unit my Gt-uncle served with.

 

"MGC 35th" - company or Battalion ?

 

I'm guessing that it denotes battalion as the 35th company amalgamated in March 1918 and this is a post war pension card.

 

A definite answer would be appreciated as it's the only hint of a unit i've had for him and would like to research further.

 

Thanks,

 

Mac.

[jay dubaya]

Your guess is correct Mac, 35th Battalion MGC it is.

[Mac657]

Thanks Jay, much appreciated.  At last a starting point !

[kenf48]

According to a fragment on Find My Past Pte. 57264 E.A.H. Godding was serving in 73 Coy 73 Brigade 24th Division when admitted to Tooting Military Hospital on the 4th November 1917. He was 'Sick Slt', (or slightly sick but enough to be hospitalised).

 

You are probably aware he was discharged and granted a Silver War Badge on the 14th January 1919, also due to sickness.  The SWB record shows he enlisted/attested 9th December 1915 which indicates he was a Derby Scheme Recruit.  He did not serve overseas with any other unit before joining the MGC and as that was his last unit only served in F & F with the MGC, initially it would appear with 73 Company.

 

He was probably called up for service in his age group in 1916 and posted to the MGC at Grantham on the 14/15 September 1916.  On average it took six weeks to train a machine gunner at Grantham so we're looking at joining the BEF at the earliest end of October then to the Base Depot at Camiers for a couple of weeks and from there being posted to an active service unit in the field.  The earliest posting of men from the Depot (as opposed to attachments from Brigade Regiments) was of 4 other ranks on the 6th December 1916.

 

He would on recovery have taken a similar route, i.e. Depot in UK - posted back to BEF and Camiers - from Camiers to an active service Battalion.

We don't know how long he remained in the UK but as the Divisional MG Battalions were formed from Brigade MG Companies for the most part on the 2nd March 1918 I would agree the '35th' above would appear to be 35th Battalion MGC.

 

1 hour ago, Mac657 said:

A definite answer would be appreciated

Without a service record  I don't do 'definite'.

 

My interpretation and based on extant records is:-

9.12.1915  Attested Derby Scheme (SWB Record) - b. 1896 (SWB Record) places him in Group 2.  Derby men were placed in the Army Reserve prior to mobilisation.

Mobilisation Date (Group 2) from 20 January 1916 it appears he had a longer deferment but I can't account for the 13716 number unless it is a TR Number

Posted to one of the 14th or 15th Reserve Battalions of the Rifle Brigade (in all probability the 14th) on the 8th June 1916 (S/21229).

These became 19th and 20th Training Reserve Battalions on formation of the TR on 1st September 1916 (LLT)

Transferred to MGC 14/15 September 1916 (numbered 57264)

To BEF and 73 Company (no earlier than November 1916)  I you have access to Ancestry war diary here or at TNA WO95/2219/3

Repatriated to UK November 1917

On recovery posted back to BEF and 35th Battalion MGC unfortunately the war diary does not appear to show reinforcement drafts.

14 January 1919 discharged in UK (no longer physically fit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mac657]

Thanks very much for your reply Ken, i really appreciate it. I've attributed units to all of my ancestors who served during WW1 and this one eluded me !

 

Plenty of detail to work on there ! I have the documents that you've listed but unfortunately his service record has not survived.  The only additional document i have is his marriage certificate which list him as a private in the Rifle Brigade at Seaford on 23 July 16, which ties in with your thoughts. 

 

At least i now have a unit(s) to start looking at.

 

Thanks again.