private to 2nd Lieutenant?

[staffsreg]

Dear members,

I am studying a local chap from Newcastle, Staffs. who apparently emigrated

to Canada before the war and enlisted with the 6th Batt.Fort Garry Horse shortly

after war was declared on Sept.14th 1914.

He was shipped over with 1st CEF and what puzzles me is that on 10th August 1915,

he was transferred to 5th Battalion North Staffs.Regiment and promoted to 2nd Lieutenant!!

Is this normal?

Do you think he would have asked for a transfer?

Please help.....

[pwenlock]

Hi Ivan

He was either commissioned in the field or more likely identified as soldier with potential for commissioning & sent to an OTCU before being posted on to the Staffords.

Yours aye

OxfordYeoman

[GrandsonMichael]

He could have had his 'career' planned before leaving for England. I know of a P.P.C.L.I. soldier who transferred in the field to an Imperial unit as a private and then to Lieutenant within 3 days.....

Cheers,

Michael

[chris.wight]

Hi Ivan, this should explain the situation.

The following excerpts are from Col. A.F. Duguid's "The Official History of the Canadian Forces in the Great War; August 1914 to September 1915" (courtesy the Archive CD Books Project, link).

(pages 140-141)

Reductions of strength in the same period numbered 1,144, of whom 131 were officers. The latter figure comprised........31 were struck off strength on appointment to the British forces, of whom 27 were posted to the New Armies.

The excess of officer material in the Contingent and the shortage in England were recognized by Lord Kitchener. The matter being urgent he, on 5th November, suggested to General Alderson that 300 Canadians might be supplied to the British forces.

The 1,013 other ranks may also be categorized:.........The discharge of Canadian other ranks on being given commissions in the British forces accounted for almost one-quarter of the total reduction in the strength. The Canadian Government acceded to the request of the British Government that applicants from the C.E.F. might be given commissions in the Special Reserve or Territorial Force or temporary commissions in the British Regular Army, subject to the commanding officer's recommendation. Two hundred and sixteen were commissioned in the New Armies, colloquially termed "Kitchener's Army," now in course of being raised in the British Isles; twenty six were commissioned in other British forces, including the Royal Navy and Indian Army. Thus the total number of Canadians, including those already commissioned, who were transferred as officers to the British forces in this period was 273.