3 Scottish Rifles Attached 2 Scottish Rifles: Why attached?

[rolt968]

Lt Douglas Annand Fenton was killed while serving with 2 Scottish Rifles on 10 September 1916. He was an officer of the Special Reserve having been commissioned into 3 SR (in October 1914, if I remember rightly). I have not yet seen his officers' record, but the war diary of 2 SR seems to imply that his entire overseas service was with 2 SR.

Does he appear as attachd because he was a Special Reserve officer and by implication could not actually be an officer of a regular battalion?

RM

[FROGSMILE]

53 minutes ago, rolt968 said:

Does he appear as attachd because he was a Special Reserve officer and by implication could not actually be an officer of a regular battalion?

RM

Yes, because that was the type of commission he held.  Each type of commission came (and still comes) with certain terms and conditions of service, but also rights of tenure that carry specific entitlements.  The Army was (and still is) very controlling of these, not least because they carry pension implications that can be expensive for HM Treasury (military pensions are paid from general taxation and are not contributory), which does its utmost to control numbers, as they tend to spiral when the nation goes to war.  He could be an officer of a regular battalion, but not permanently so.  He was a de facto special reservist (what had previously been militia).

NB.  It was for this reason that service with the auxiliary forces did not for generations (indeed since its creation) carry pension rights.  This was always a source of contention for recruitment and, after recent decades of protest, the last set of pension reforms (there have been several close together) have for the first time introduced pensions for what is now called the Army Reserve, in large part because recruitment has been pitiful.

Edited 3 August , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[rolt968]

Thank you, very much. That's very interesting.

I wonder if CWGC is consistent in how that situation is recorded? When I get home I must look back through the men I have researched.

RM

[FROGSMILE]

16 minutes ago, rolt968 said:

Thank you, very much. That's very interesting.

I wonder if CWGC is consistent in how that situation is recorded? When I get home I must look back through the men I have researched.

RM

There were quite a few different types of commission RM and it was possible to move between them (they were in effect legally binding contracts of employment), but it was very much a controlled process for the reasons mentioned.  The situation evolved as the slaughter rate of junior officers became apparent and there were a significantly greater margin of 'temporary officers' in 1918 that there were in say 1916.  It would be an interesting study for those that way inclined to examine the statistics over time.

Edited 3 August , 2021 by FROGSMILE