The "Special Reserve"

[Guest RichardM]

In Robert Graves' "Goodbye to All That" there is something about him being an officer of the "Special Reserve". Apparently he simply called up the depot of the RWF, told them he had been in the OTC at Charterhouse and by the spring of 1915 he was serving in a Regular battalion on the Western Front. I would like a little more information about this as it seems to contrast with the more laboured procedures undergone by other would-be officers. So:

1. What was the "Special Reserve"?

2. How common was it for volunteer officers, commissioned in 1914, to be posted to Regular units rather than the TF or New Armies?

[Terry Carter]

Hello

I had a Great Uncle who joined the Special Reserve as a Private of the Worcesters in 1910

His commitment was 6 months basic Army training for the first year followed by a yearly training camp of four weeks.

On the outbreak of the war he was posted into the 1st Worcesters. He was wounded in October,1916, near Geudecourt on the Somme and died at Etaples Military Hospital 6/11/16. He was Pte Charles Witsey No.8470.

(perhaps other forum could give me a more detailed description of the 1st Worcs service at this period.)

Terry

[Alan Seymour]

Terry,

The following is taken from Ray Westlake's British Battalions on the Somme - Worcestershire Regiment page 139:

1st Battalion - Oct 1916:

14 Oct - Arrived Longpre and from there marched to billets at Citerne.

16 Oct - To Ville-sous-Corbie in French buses and from there marched to Sanpit Camp.

19 Oct - To forward postions Lesboeufs-Gueudecourt line, relieving 9th Norfolk in Rainbow and Shine Trenches and captured portion of Mild.

22 Oct - Relieved and to reserve positions in Needle Trench.

23 Oct - One company in support during attack on Mild Trench.

25 Oct - To front line.

30 Oct - Relieved and to Trones Wood.

31 Oct - Sandpit.

Alan Seymour

[robwilliams]

Richard,

Terry is quite right, the commitment of a special reservist was a lot lower than that expected of a territorial. I think they also looked after/administered the reservists of the regular army who would also attend once a year, to keep up to date (!).

The Special Reserve came into being in 1908 and replaced the Militia. In terms of officers, service in the OTC enabled them to be commissioned after a shorter training period.

Rob