Territorial Force, September 1917

[Joe Sweeney]

In September 1917 there was, what might be, a significant change in the status of the Territorial Force.

During that month the TF appears to have lost a significant amount of its autonomy.

Prior to 1 October the TF had been excluded from the regimental strength returns of the British Army and reported their returns separately. After that date there was no distinction in things such as Strength returns etc.

It appears that Army Order 298, 22 September 1917, might provide some insight about what happened. I believe that this order might have also dictated an alignment in insignia bwtween the TF and its parent regular Regiment.

If anyone can synopsize what AO 298 actually said or point me to what drove this change I'd appreciate the help.

Joe Sweeney

[robwilliams]

Joe,

Cannot help with the order, but what drove the change was manpower, or lack of it. At the start of the war the TF enjoyed significantly different 'terms of employment' to the Regular and New Armies. For instance they had to volunteer to go overseas.

Legally, men of the TF could not be posted to any other battalion. This point was raised on a number of occasions in Parliament by MPs acting on behalf of their constituents who had been transferred, not only to another battalion, but to another regiment. Until 1917 men of the TF could return home when their term of engagement finished, many did so, only to change their minds and return to the front, or indeed, be conscripted.

I believe most of these differences stemmed from the fact that prior to 1914 the TF battalion was the responsibility of the local county TF Association, not the War Office. As the casualties mounted the WO needed to be able to send men to the unit which needed them, in addition to being able to disperse men from the same locality, thereby reducing huge pockets of grief after the local unit had been in action.

Hope this helps,

Rob