Kitchener Army serving at front in Jan 1915?

[Old Forge]

Hi all,

Reading 2/WILTS War Diary for December 1914-January 1915 (WO 95/1658 1-1). The entry for 2nd January 1915 strikes me as odd - 'Casualties from 18th December to 2nd January - 6 killed, 12 wounded and 20 hospitalised with sickness [...] most of the men admitted to hospital were Kitchener's Army, the time serving men and reservists in majority of cases standing the hardships with great fortitude and even cheerfulness.'

Given Kitchener's volunteers were used to create 'New Armies', what enlistment terms might these replacements have been under?

Many thanks,

Richard

[ss002d6252]

1 hour ago, Old Forge said:

Hi all,

Reading 2/WILTS War Diary for December 1914-January 1915 (WO 95/1658 1-1). The entry for 2nd January 1915 strikes me as odd - 'Casualties from 18th December to 2nd January - 6 killed, 12 wounded and 20 hospitalised with sickness [...] most of the men admitted to hospital were Kitchener's Army, the time serving men and reservists in majority of cases standing the hardships with great fortitude and even cheerfulness.'

Given Kitchener's volunteers were used to create 'New Armies', what enlistment terms might these replacements have been under?

Many thanks,

Richard

Typically '3 years or the duration of the war' for new army men.

A lot of men also (re)enlisted on various other short term arrangements early in the war and there were often lumped in alongside the 'kitchener' men in descriptions.

Some of the men who enlisted in the first couple of months were out at the front within days or weeks, even men who seemed to have little if any prior experience of army life.

Crag

[Old Forge]

Thanks Craig, presumably such men enlisted into the regulars, rather than into K1, K2 etc?

Richard