War-Time Officer Promotions/Transfers

[JMB1943]

On Sept. 14th, 1914 the 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regiment lost three officers to a single German artillery shell; they were the C.O., the 2i/C and the adjutant.

How were the replacements for the  Lt. Col., Major and Lt. selected?

I know that the Army Lists showed the commissioning dates of all officers, so that seniority of any two officers could be readily determined. However, if the junior major was not yet experienced enough to take over the Battalion, except on a very temporary basis, how was a suitable major selected for appointment as the new CO?

Did the War Office use a pull-out card catalogue (similar to that in my school and public library when I was a lad) with the officers named in decreasing order of seniority?

Would such a card (if used) have had notations regarding suitability/unsuitability for advancement, so that a vacancy could have been filled with least delay, without recourse to confidential reports etc?

Regards,

JMB

[kenf48]

No answer but the latest WFA Podcast Mentioned in Despatches has Prof. John Bourne discussing the role of military secretary in appointments, an interesting discourse especially on senior appointments and the reporting system which was abandoned during the war.

[Muerrisch]

There was not necessarily more than a single major in a battalion ............ unusual but not against the Establishment table. As an example, a very good battalion managed without more than one for the entire war, being the 2nd RWF.

Regarding a junior major being insufficiently experienced, almost by definition any major was of lengthy service and had to be regarded as fitted to command.

Not a very helpful answer to a very good question I fear.

[travers61]

With a battalion of the London Regiment I researched when the CO died of illness in 1917 his 2i/ a Major, who had been with the battalion from 1914 & helped the CO raise it took over & was not replaced for about a year.

Edited 19 March by travers61