5th Devons

[Bob Bedward]

Advice please - was there a Territorial 5th Battalion of the Devons before 1914 please?

If so where would they have had their drill halls.

Was it possible to resign from the TA at any time or did one join for a fixed term?

Thank you

Old Jack

[Graham Stewart]

Old Jack,

The 5th Bn,Devonshire Regiment(T.F.) was part of the Devon & Cornwall Brigade with the Wessex Division and the locations of the Battalion prior to the war were;-

H.Q. - Millbay, Plymouth.

'A' Coy - Tavistock.

'B' Coy - Plymouth.

'C' Coy - Plymouth with Drill Stations at Ivybridge and Kinsbridge.

'D' Coy - Devonport.

'E' Coy - Newton Abbot with a Drill Station at Chudleigh.

'F' Coy - Teignmouth with Drill Stations at Dawlish and Torquay.

'G' Coy - Moreton Hampstead with Drill Stations at Bovey Tracey and Chagford.

'H' Coy - Totnes with Drill Stations at Ashburton and Buckfastleigh.

Terms of enlistment pre-war were for four years at the end of which you could take your discharge. Or you could serve a further 1, 2, 3 or 4 years at the discretion of your Territorial Force Association. You could take your discharge at any time at your own request subject to conditions stated in Section IX(3) of the Territorial & Reserve Act 1907.

On embodiement for service I believe they were called upon to do an extra years service on top of what they had completed, but could still take their discharge once it had been fulfilled. This caused a lot of aggravation during the war with Territorials taking their discharge.

Graham.

[Bob Bedward]

Hello Graham - Thank you for your swift and full reply.

The query arose because one of the men I am researching Frederick Yeo declared on his Canadian Attestation Papers in 1914 that he had previously served 4 years in the 5th Devons. He was only 21 so he wasted no time between leaving the Devons - emigrating and signing up to fight in Europe. What a truly remarkable generation they all were.

Thank you again

Old Jack