13th Battalion, Royal Scots

[admssrchr11]

What type of unit was the 13th Battalion? I see it refrerred to as a Service Battalion. What type of services did it provide? A service battalion in the US would provide messing, laundry, supplies, etc. Was this the same type of unit?

Thanks

Jim

[CROONAERT]

What type of unit was the 13th Battalion? I see it refrerred to as a Service Battalion. What type of services did it provide? A service battalion in the US would provide messing, laundry, supplies, etc. Was this the same type of unit?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jim.

It was a war-raised infantry battalion. In the BEF, "Service" battalions were battalions that were raised as additional battalions to the regiments of the Infantry of the Line as part of the "New Army" or "Kitchener's Army". They only lasted for the duration of the war. The word "service" was to diffrentiate these new battalions from the already in existance regular, reserve and TF battalions.

Dave.

[dycer]

Jim please excuse the grin.

We know the British Army moves in strange ways but I don't think your Grandfather would have been awarded the DCM for doing the washing.

There are stories, of course,of bravery awards being awarded to Officers,etc for service in rear echelons but it is safe to assume your Grandfather was at the sharp end of the fighting.

George

[Tim Godden]

Jim,

The 13th battalion were Line Infantry. They were the standard foot soldiers of the British Army. As Dave pointed out the term 'service' was to show that they were new battalions rather than their job within the army.

Your Grandfather would have won his DCM as a result of an act of gallantry in the field, or due to prolonged exceptional service.

I am still looking for any further info on the DCM. Check out the other thread to see the developments on the award ceremony so far - not much I know but they are a start.

CHeers,

Tim

[admssrchr11]

Thanks everyone, my knowledge of the British military could fill a thimble.

Jim

[dycer]

Jim,

This is a semi-serious suggestion

Have you had a look at The Royal Scots Web-Site?

It gives a History of the Regiment and its Battle Honours.

You will see a Battalion was in the Americas during the Napoleonic War to keep "you pesky ex-Colonials" in check.

Main point though.Your Grandfather was in a Regiment in WW1 which already had hundreds of years of fighting experience.

Whilst slightly off-topic.The Regiment is shortly to be amalgamated with the other Scottish Regiments and will lose its distinction of being the 1st of Foot.There is currently great anger in Scotland because all the Scottish Regiments are being amalgamated and as a result all will lose the individual distinctions they have earned over the years.It is fair to say also that similar feelings exist about the amalgamations of other UK Regiments.

George

[CROONAERT]

The word "service" was to diffrentiate these new battalions from the already in existance regular, reserve and TF battalions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Forgot to mention - the choice of the word "service" to make this differentiation was due to the fact that these were "temporary" batallions and that they were raised for use on "war service" only (ie. they didn't exist before the war and they would cease to exist at it's conclusion).

Dave.