Dclot Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 Trying to find out what battalion he served in and where he fought. All I have is his service number from his medal roll and pension. All they state is that he was in the Seaforth Highlanders and then the Labour Corps. Is there anyway to find out his battalion from his service number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 23 March , 2021 Admin Share Posted 23 March , 2021 His Labour Corps Service Number 7323 indicates he was in the Seaforths Labour Company, which predates the formation of the Labour Corps and became the 13th Labour Company. See https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-labour-corps-of-1917-1918/labour-companies-of-the-labour-corps/ He enlisted on the 14th February 1916. The difficulty is he may have served in another Scottish Regiment prior to overseas posting to the BEF, it's clear for example a number were in Home Service Battalions of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. (e.g. 7321 Seggie; 7348 Mackay; you will note these numbers bracket 7323 Short. Their Seaforth numbers were S/18910 - S/18908 - S/19282 respectively.) Surviving records indicate transfer to the Seaforths 9th March 1917 and posted to the BEF 17th March and then into 13th Labour Company 14th May 1917 as above. It therefore appears all their active service was with the Labour Corps. These were men who would have been considered unfit for front line service and would have principally been employed on lines of communication in F & F. In early 1917 there was a realisation of a 'manpower crisis' in the BEF and many would have been posted to the BEF who previously would have been considered unfit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner 87 Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 Hi Dclot, there is a pension index card held on Fold3 that records service in the Royal Scots before the Seaforth Highlanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner 87 Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 (edited) In addition, I note on Thomas's SWB Medal Roll it lists the 'Unit discharged from' as C.O: ex L.C, the latter obviously being Labour Corps, maybe @kenf48 could advise. Edited 23 March , 2021 by Gunner 87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 23 March , 2021 Admin Share Posted 23 March , 2021 2 hours ago, Gunner 87 said: maybe @kenf48 could advise. Sorry, can't help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner 87 Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 (edited) 42 minutes ago, kenf48 said: Sorry, can't help Would the rest of the soldiers on the Medal Roll be of any assistance. I've never seen this before. Possibly 'Care Of'? Edited 23 March , 2021 by Gunner 87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 23 March , 2021 Admin Share Posted 23 March , 2021 It’s clearly the acronym for the unit/establishment he was in when discharged with the Badge. For example we have S.C.L.C. = Scottish Command Labour Centre ex Devons and then self evident L.C. ex T.R.B. etc. Unless someone actually knows what C.O. means I guess the only way to establish it is by reference to a service record where this occurs. I don’t know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner 87 Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 56 minutes ago, kenf48 said: It’s clearly the acronym for the unit/establishment he was in when discharged with the Badge. For example we have S.C.L.C. = Scottish Command Labour Centre ex Devons and then self evident L.C. ex T.R.B. etc. Unless someone actually knows what C.O. means I guess the only way to establish it is by reference to a service record where this occurs. I don’t know. Thank you, I appreciate you having at look at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 24 March , 2021 Admin Share Posted 24 March , 2021 C.O. = (probably) Clearing Office Army Form 3972b which concerns the discharge of a soldier who is in hospital and not with his unit Part 1 completed by the hospital Part II by Records. There is a commonality in the records, where they survive, and a surprisingly large number have as most seem to be making pension claims. For example Ernest James was at Berrington War Hospital and discharged from there. I have only found one example where the term 'Clearing Office' is used. It would therefore seem the acronym is used when the soldier is not with his posted unit and is an administrative device peculiar I think to the LC Rolls. Every day a school day! Image from FMP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner 87 Posted 31 March , 2021 Share Posted 31 March , 2021 On 24/03/2021 at 12:30, kenf48 said: C.O. = (probably) Clearing Office Army Form 3972b which concerns the discharge of a soldier who is in hospital and not with his unit Part 1 completed by the hospital Part II by Records. There is a commonality in the records, where they survive, and a surprisingly large number have as most seem to be making pension claims. For example Ernest James was at Berrington War Hospital and discharged from there. I have only found one example where the term 'Clearing Office' is used. It would therefore seem the acronym is used when the soldier is not with his posted unit and is an administrative device peculiar I think to the LC Rolls. Every day a school day! Image from FMP kenf48, just seen this reply, thank you again. That does make sense... yes, your right, every day is certainly a school day on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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