Bob Coulson Posted 23 September , 2005 Share Posted 23 September , 2005 Would be grateful for anyones thoughts or comments on what could be the reason for this war diary entry. "Captain ****** DSO, struck off the strength of the battalion." Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 23 September , 2005 Share Posted 23 September , 2005 Bob I think it simply means he left. Nothing sinister. Very regular phrase used in the Diary of 17/Manchester. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 23 September , 2005 Share Posted 23 September , 2005 I quite saw the "Struck-off" phrase in a number of diaries, i.e.: men in a unit stationed in the UK who were drafted to reinforce another unit in the front would be "struck-off", that is, they left that unit... in order to be incorporated to the new one. As John has already said, it is not an expression to cause concern. Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 23 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 September , 2005 John, Gloria, Thanks for your replies. First time I have seen an entry worded this way and must admit thought there was something sinister about the way it was worded. Man in question had come through 1st Ypres and was WIA at Neuve Chapelle so pleased to see that it was nothing out of the ordinary. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 24 September , 2005 Share Posted 24 September , 2005 Bob A further thought. It'll be an abbreviation for "struck off the roll of officers of the battalion", or some such phrase. Presumably at some point (and I don't know if it still applied in WW1) there was a physical book/roll that recorded all the troops. And if someone left, their name was crossed out. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 24 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2005 John, So are we saying that he left the army or transferred to another regiment? Curious because all other men I have come across are detailed as leaving to be attached to Blankshire regt etc. Grateful for your thoughts. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 24 September , 2005 Share Posted 24 September , 2005 Bob In 17/Mancs diary, the phrase seems to be used in all circumstances except for temporary attachments. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 24 September , 2005 Share Posted 24 September , 2005 I've usually seen the phrase as being "struck off the strength" (of the battalion). Soldiers who were obliged to leave the battalion for any reason, such as having to go to hospital because of wounds, were similarly "struck off the strength." They would not figure in statistical returns, rations, etc etc. because the battalion was no longer responsible for them. When they returned to their own battalion, or reached another one if they had been transferred during their absence, or been attached as officers, they would be "taken on the strength". Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 24 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2005 John, Tom, Thanks for the explanations. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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