General Questions - Subsidiary Line & Changing Company etc.

[Dave C]

Hi all,

Thanks for reading!

I am at the moment digging through the diaries of the 170th (2/1st North Lancashire) - and associated battalions.  It's hard going for sure but amazing what's there to be explored!  I have two small questions which I'm sure will be easy for some of the experts on here

Subsidiary Line - In the trenches what in practice was a subsidiary line? - e.g. would this be close enough that the soldiers might rush in if the front line were subject to a raid? - I'm guessing this is a whole lot further forward than being in reserve, but not the same as being on the front line.

Company Moves? - I have a little casualty form for a sergeant of the 2/4th Loyals where it states "D" Coy.  which I'm quite sure refers to "D" company.   I'm wondering if I would be on reasonably safe ground to assume he was in D Company throughout his time on active service with the 2/4th Loyals (Feb 1917 - Apr 1918) - or would it be likely he shifted about from one company to another quite a lot? - e.g. after 10 days of home leave?

Thanks a lot!

Dave C

 

[charlie962]

4 minutes ago, Dave C said:

Company Moves? - I

If there wasn't a place on establishment to promote a man who clearly merited then that could trigger a Company move.

Change just because he went on leave is unlikely.

[TEW]

A 'Subsidiary Line' came up in another topic.

The map shows the British front line far right and the subsidiary line runs down the centre. The blue shaded areas near the subsidiary line are fortified farms or other strongpoints.

It seems to be more of a prepared 2nd line to fall back onto rather than just a support line.

TEW