Rationale for joining a Battalion?

[Glenn]

Based on the very helpful responses to my previous enquiries I would like to know if when men joined up for the duration of hostilities why does it make any difference whether the battalions were Regular, Terratorial or New Army? If a man enters a recuriting office in March 1915 for example, on what basis is he put into a battalion, or are all recriuts put into the regimental big melting pot?

Regards,

Glenn

[Andrew Hesketh]

One obvious thought that would have gone through volunteers' minds was the extra prestige that came from serving with the regulars as opposed to the TF. However even though men volunteered with a regimental preference they had no real say over which battalion they were placed in, so a very large number of volunteers in the early rush would have gone into the new army battalions being created by each regiment e.g. many men of my home village who volunteered in early August 1914 for the Sherwood Foresters got their regiment of choice but did not end up in one of the two regular battalions, most went into the 9th and 11th Service Battalions. Basically once you were in the regiment you got sent to whichever of its battalions needed drafts.

The second point though is that many men upon arrival in France (or wherever) were quickly redistributed to other regiments in need of replacements e.g. a number of 'my' men arrived in France as Sherwood Foresters but got sent off to the North Staffordshires upon arrival.

Wounded men returning to duty were frequently reallocated to different battalions and indeed regiments.

All the best,

Andrew

[Glenn]

thank you for your response Andrew, Thats perfectly clear and understandable.

many thanks,

Glenn

[AndrewThornton]

Recruitment for Regular Forces and the Territorial Force remained quite separate until December 1915, when direct enlistments into the Territorial Force were abolished on the enactment of the Military Service Act. This separation extended to the two sections having separate recruiting offices in some towns and also led to intense competition for recruits.

[Geoff Parker]

I have read several accounts where men specifically enlisted in the TF because they were more likely to get issued a uniform immediately and a speedier move to France.

Geoff

[Guest tintin]

The TA battalions in many urban areas were very close knit, many closely tied to occupations and workplaces. The City of London Rifles (6th London) were nearly all print workers for example. If you worked in those areas and joined up they would be the natural place to go. Many TA recruits were men who had done their 4 years in the TA and come back, others were friends and relations brought in by members.

It was actually quite hard to get into 5th Kings Liverpool, The London Scottish or Queens Westminster Rifles other battalions were probably similar.In Sheffield the Hallamshire Bn TA enjoyed a better reputation than the New Army Sheffield City Bn

In the first New Armies most of the men were of the same type that joined the Regular Army, the later New Armies conciously tried to appeal to people who had no links with Regulars or Territorials. Pals battalions were one example of this, particularly in Liverpool and Birmingham.