composition of company hq.

[armourersergeant]

I was wondering if anyone could break down the company structure, under normal conditions for WW1. I realise what the toll of combat would have done to a company but would like an idea of the personel composition and the role they would take, for example CSM CQMS, Comp Commander, and so forth. What constituted a company HQ in particular.

regards

Arm

[Hoplophile]

The various editions of War Establishments (at least the ones that I am familiar with) did not make an explicit distinction between the men assigned to company headquarters and those assigned to platoons. Nonetheless, it is possible to derive an establishment for the company headquarters by substracting the men assigned to platoons.

Looking at the War Establishment for New Army units that was published in the spring of 1915, I see a number of officers and men who clearly belong to the company headquarters. These are:

The officer commanding (either a major or a senior captain)

The 2nd in command (a junior captain)

The company serjeant major

The company quartermaster-serjeant

Three drivers (for the wagons of the 1st line transport)

Two bâtmen (for the CO and 2iC)

There are also two NCOs that seem to be surplus to the needs of platoons. That is to say, giving each platoon four serjeants and four corporals yields a total of sixteen corporals and serjeants for the company. However, as the company rated eight serjeants and ten corporals, two corporals are supernumary to the needs of platoons.

The War Establishment also notes that "1 NCO and 8 rank and file are trained in semaphore signalling." I cannot be sure, however, whether these men were normally assigned to platoons or formed into a separate section.

[armourersergeant]

thank you for the reply, it helps to flesh it out.

regards

Arm