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Remembered Today:

Eight Company structure? I'm still stuck...


peter__m

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The most likely explanation is that some regiments used A, B, C, D for their first battalion but E, F, G, H for their second. Until late 1913 all infantry battalions had eight companies, lettered A to H, and TF battalions, and those serving in India, kept eight companies until they mobilised for the BEF.

Some battalions, especially in the New Armies, used W, X, Y, Z. The reason is not clear but seems to be a slightly clumsy way of avoiding confusion between companies of different battalions of the same regiment serving near each other.

Whether it is C or G, it is almost certainly the third company of four in the battalion concerned.

Ron

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If he died early in the war it very likely relates to the so-called "double company" system set up in 1914. At first it was not known if the changed organisation would be permanent so on paper men remained allocated to their original company of 8, lettered from A to H.

In most regular (not TF until later) battalions the double structure involved a temporary joining of A with E, B with F, C with G and D with H. Each of the 8 companies had a colour sergeant as it's most senior NCO and right hand man of the officer commanding. Under the double arrangement the junior colour sergeant of the two became the company quartermaster sergeant and responsible for the double sized logistics (ammo, rations, water etc) and the senior colour sergeant became the company sergeant major and responsible for discipline and operational efficiency.

Throughout 1914 and into the first part of 1915 both men retained the same badge of rank. It was not until later in 1915 that it was decreed that the double company system was to become permanent and both men were given the new titles permanently and with new badges of rank. The CQMS was given a smaller crown above his three stripes (than colour sergeants had had) and the CSM moved the colour sergeants large crown only from above his stripes to his lower arm and discarded the stripes altogether. At the same time the latter was granted the new rank of warrant officer second class. For a short period colour sergeants ceased to exist.

To recap then, I think that your forebear was killed whilst he was on paper still a member of G company, which for operational reasons had been paired with C company, that for practical purposes became the primary title for the double company.

N.B. The illustration below used full dress badges to depict the rank of the SNCOs.

post-599-0-42490300-1442401349_thumb.jpg

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Before 1908 the RIR companies were listed A to H. On amalgamation to 4 companies, A to D, it appears that A+B=A C+D=B E+F=C and G+H=D. This is not certain but is the impression I got while examining details for thousands of RIR men.

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Before 1908 the RIR companies were listed A to H. On amalgamation to 4 companies, A to D, it appears that A+B=A C+D=B E+F=C and G+H=D. This is not certain but is the impression I got while examining details for thousands of RIR men.

Yes I can imagine that some battalions did things differently Jimmy, it was ever thus. Some regiments had run their companies from S to Z. However, I am positive that the majority did what I have outlined and so that is, in my view, the most likely explanation as to why the man in the OP's inquiry was annotated on his records as belonging to G company, even though he died with C company.

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Jimmy and Frogsmile,

G becoming C ... G becoming D ...

My head is spinning ... Especially as right now I am reading "The Burgoyne Diaries", and Captain Burgoyne (end of 1914 and first months of 1915) first led C Coy, and then after a while D Coy. And of course all the time I am thinking : Was Capt. Burgoyne when describing this or that, with my man right now, or not ?

I do wish so intensely that some member joined this topic, and said :" Hi, I know for sure. For my greatgrandad came from 4/RIR too, went to 2/RIR. And now I have definite proof that his original G Coy went to C/D Coy.." (Peter, where art thou ?)

I don't know if it is of any use :

My man enlisted in June 1910 (4/RIR)

Came to France (in 2/RIR) in November 1914

And died near Ypres in June 1915.

By the way, a question that I may have asked elsewhere, but I would like to know for sure ... If CWGC database says : "G Company", where does that information come from ? Is it from what next-of-kin wrote on the Final Verification From ? Or did CWGC get if from an Army record ?

And also this : Do you think that a possible typo C read or transcribed as G cannot be put aside ?

Aurel

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Jimmy and Frogsmile,

G becoming C ... G becoming D ...

My head is spinning ... Especially as right now I am reading "The Burgoyne Diaries", and Captain Burgoyne (end of 1914 and first months of 1915) first led C Coy, and then after a while D Coy. And of course all the time I am thinking : Was Capt. Burgoyne when describing this or that, with my man right now, or not ?

I do wish so intensely that some member joined this topic, and said :" Hi, I know for sure. For my greatgrandad came from 4/RIR too, went to 2/RIR. And now I have definite proof that his original G Coy went to C/D Coy.." (Peter, where art thou ?)

I don't know if it is of any use :

My man enlisted in June 1910 (4/RIR)

Came to France (in 2/RIR) in November 1914

And died near Ypres in June 1915.

By the way, a question that I may have asked elsewhere, but I would like to know for sure ... If CWGC database says : "G Company", where does that information come from ? Is it from what next-of-kin wrote on the Final Verification From ? Or did CWGC get if from an Army record ?

And also this : Do you think that a possible typo C read or transcribed as G cannot be put aside ?

Aurel

I can understand your confusion Aurel, but I hope that you understand that an infantry battalion was organised just before the war as eight (8) companies lettered A to H, each one hundred strong. On mobilisation they were ordered (if they had not already done so) to form 'double companies' of two hundred strong and this was achieved my merging E, F, G and H companies with A, B ,C and D. In the vast majority of regiments (but not all), the new double companies took the letters in alphabetic precedence of A, B, C and D.

I don't feel that I can comment with confidence on transcription errors and bear in mind that someone else in this thread had the records of another man annotated as being with 'G company'.

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2nd Bn R Irish Rifles War Diary shows it only used A Coy, B Coy, C Coy and D Coy - all provide large returns when the war diary is searched. E Coy, F Coy G Coy and H Coy all provide zero returns. Despite this, I don't think the G Coy is a typo or transcription error. If one looks at the complete R I Rif data in CWGC database there are a number of G Coy (6) men as well as E Coy (3), F Coy 2) and H Coy (1). Total 10. Not many, but possibly too many to be errors I think and importantly there are no other random letters from the remainder of the alphabet.

I think the old 8 Company structure is possibly the best explanation as already outlined.

One other possible explanation linked to the 4th Reserve Battalion. Reserve Battalions split trained men from recruits, and all Reserve Battalions expanded to 2,000 men in Sep 1914; double the size of a normal Battalion. There is hard evidence in a number of regimental histories* that the number of companies was increases to cope with these large numbers. The irony here is that while the Army was restructuring form 8 to 4 Companies, the Reserve Battalions were expanding.

It is extremely likely that the 4th Reserve Bn of the Royal Irish Rifles had more than four Companies, it is distinctly possible that they had E Coy, F Coy G Coy and H Coy. It may be that the original paperworks of the Special Reservists showed they were originally with a G Coy

One sometimes sees the original unit in the CWGC data viz 4th Bn attd 2nd Bn, and I wonder if occasionally the old Reserve Battalion Company letter-identifier also got picked up. My speculation. MG

Incidentally the 7th Bn Royal Irish Rifles had a Company from the Jersey Militia and one occasionally sees Jersey Company in the casualty data. This really goes to show that there are some anomalies.

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2nd Bn R Irish Rifles War Diary shows it only used A Coy, B Coy, C Coy and D Coy - all provide large returns when the war diary is searched. E Coy, F Coy G Coy and H Coy all provide zero returns. Despite this, I don't think the G Coy is a typo or transcription error. If one looks at the complete R I Rif data in CWGC database there are a number of G Coy (6) men as well as E Coy (3), F Coy 2) and H Coy (1). Total 10. Not many, but possibly too many to be errors I think and importantly there are no other random letters from the remainder of the alphabet.

I think the old 8 Company structure is possibly the best explanation as already outlined.

One other possible explanation linked to the 4th Reserve Battalion. Reserve Battalions split trained men from recruits, and all Reserve Battalions expanded to 2,000 men in Sep 1914; double the size of a normal Battalion. There is hard evidence in a number of regimental histories* that the number of companies was increases to cope with these large numbers. The irony here is that while the Army was restructuring form 8 to 4 Companies, the Reserve Battalions were expanding.

It is extremely likely that the 4th Reserve Bn of the Royal Irish Rifles had more than four Companies, it is distinctly possible that they had E Coy, F Coy G Coy and H Coy. It may be that the original paperworks of the Special Reservists showed they were originally with a G Coy

One sometimes sees the original unit in the CWGC data viz 4th Bn attd 2nd Bn, and I wonder if occasionally the old Reserve Battalion Company letter-identifier also got picked up. My speculation. MG

Incidentally the 7th Bn Royal Irish Rifles had a Company from the Jersey Militia and one occasionally sees Jersey Company in the casualty data. This really goes to show that there are some anomalies.

In relation to 4th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, I believe what you have outlined to be a very likely and entirely feasible explanation for a G (and E,F,H) company existing Martin.

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Martin,

When you write

"If one looks at the complete R I Rif data in CWGC database there are a number of G Coy (6) men as well as E Coy (3), F Coy 2) and H Coy (1). Total 10. Not many, but possibly too many to be errors"

I think this is a very powerful argument to say : G is not a typo or transcription error ! Thanks. I am convinced : G is not a typo.

Only this - though not really relevant, but I am just curious - where does mention of a Company in the CWGC database come from ? From next-of-kin ? (Either on the Final Verification or later correspondence.)

Aurel

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The Burgoyne Diaries (a quite brilliant diary, by the way and soon to be republished by Pen and Sword, though it stops, so far as the WF is concerned, on 8 May) specifically mentions that the battalion was in four company mode when it went to France in 1914 and that the system had not seemed yet to be able to cope with it, ie in respect to the functioning of a company commander.

It could be that when he was recruited he was in G Company; but there were only four companies in 2/RIR in 1915. So for G, possiby D - if one works on the basis that A and B became new A, C and D became new B, etc ... but then, who can guess with any degree of certainty.

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The Burgoyne Diaries (a quite brilliant diary, by the way and soon to be republished by Pen and Sword, though it stops, so far as the WF is concerned, on 8 May) specifically mentions that the battalion was in four company mode when it went to France in 1914 and that the system had not seemed yet to be able to cope with it, ie in respect to the functioning of a company commander.

It could be that when he was recruited he was in G Company; but there were only four companies in 2/RIR in 1915. So for G, possiby D - if one works on the basis that A and B became new A, C and D became new B, etc ... but then, who can guess with any degree of certainty.

There was no hard and fast rule, as far as i have been able to ascertain, but by far the most common arrangement for achieving the double company structure (that I have read) was for A to merge with E, B with F, C with G and D with H, as mentioned above. The concept was not a new one and was merely an emulation of a similar restructuring pioneered by the 10th Hussars in the late 1880s, whereby the 8-Troops became 4-Squadrons as a permanent arrangement (previously it had been a tactical option). It similarly enabled the creation of squadron sergeant majors and squadron quarter master sergeants as well as achieving an effective economy of scale that improved arrangements for furlough (when abroad) or leave (when home) and attendance on career courses. That arrangement brought the cavalry in line with the artillery and engineers who had both long had such a structure with their batteries and field companies. By 1897 young infantry officers were writing pieces in military periodicals and for RUSI suggesting a similar change for the infantry, but despite much support it was not until the period 1913-14 that the change finally took place for regular infantry and 1915 for the TF infantry.
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I have researched the immediate pre-war period in some small detail. The Four-Company to Eight-Company transition was largely as Frogsmile has argued. There were some anomalies and the transition was not confined to the infantry. The Yeomanry had to transition from Four-Squadrons to Three-Squadrons and also transition from Yeomanry Drill to Cavalry Drill in Aug and Sep 1914 respectively. Chaos.. Often the decision on which Squadron to disband was not logical. The Derbyshire Yeomanry's C Sqn was subordinated to D Sqn, meaning it went to war with A, B and D Sqns... only two years later to re-designate D Sqn as C Sqn. This was not uncommon. One can imagine the same with the Infantry and especially the TF infantry and Special Reserve (Militia ancestry) trying to preserve their local identities. If a particular Company had some special honour or patronage, it was more difficult to fold. The 11th Hussars C Sqn was always right of the line for historical reasons (and remains so in its modern form (KRH) and the 1/5th Norfolks Sandringham Coy merged but unsurprisingly became King's Company. Traditions were hard fought and protected with vigour, so it is no surprise that a 'G Coy' man might have a dead man's grip on his fraternal Company.

Back to the OP. The BEF war diaries have thousands of references to the Company structure and it is failry transparent as to the prevailing nomenclature in vogue. By Army Order some years prior (1912 I think) to the Great War the UK battalions all restructured, so the idea that a Regular Battalion went to war with an Eight Company structure in France is extremely unlikely. I can say with confidence that none did so in 1914, although we do see anomalies such as I Coy (Rifle Brigade or KRRC I cant recall which) and as we progress into 1915 the prevalence of W, X Y and Z Coys is apparent. I have seen P Q R S Coys as well. The exception might lie in the 23 TF Battalions that made it to France in 1914.

The Militia and the Special Reserve are an even darker part of Great War history. Only a few regimental histories acknowledge their role. Thankfully the few that do provide a wonderful insight as to how they worked and how the responded to the radical dynamics of Aug Sep 1914. The History of the Black Watch (and some others) provide a unique insight to the flexibility and imaginative responses of Reserve battalion COs to a rather dynamic situation.

One also needs to remember that most Regiments were running out of trained men in late 1914 early 1915 (four Regiments actually did and 50 more dropped be low a single standard reinforcement draft). Against this background it is entirely possible (and I would argue probable) that every Jack man was dragged out of his G Coy (or similar) and sent to the front. The Black Watch claim that every trained man was in France by the end of Oct 1914. The Cameron Highlanders allegedly had a reinforcement who had fought at Tel El Kebir. That is going some. Demands in early 1915 would have drained every last reserve, including Reserve men in companies under every alphabet letter-identifier under the sun.

The fact that G Coy men exist in the records should be no surprise. In fact I would argue that we should expect it. Late 1914 and early 1915 is a period not well understood by historians. For chapter and verse the guru is GRUMPY.

MG

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I blush.

I have a problem with the idea that the colour sergeants of the original eight companies took appointment from their seniority within the new 1914 merged double company.

The 8 men would have their seniority.

Merge A with E. A might have csgt 2 and 4 on the seniority list yet 4 becomes CQMS of the new A? Meanwhile number 5 becomes CSM of another double company?

Bearing in mind money was involved (CSM extra) I cant see it happening.

I also know of no ref to the 1914 double companies being regarded as possibly impermanent. The delayed publication of INFANTRY TRAINING as war broke out is unequivocal.

As the subject intrigues I would be happy to be wrong.

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I blush.

I have a problem with the idea that the colour sergeants of the original eight companies took appointment from their seniority within the new 1914 merged double company.

The 8 men would have their seniority.

Merge A with E. A might have csgt 2 and 4 on the seniority list yet 4 becomes CQMS of the new A? Meanwhile number 5 becomes CSM of another double company?

Bearing in mind money was involved (CSM extra) I cant see it happening.

I also know of no ref to the 1914 double companies being regarded as possibly impermanent. The delayed publication of INFANTRY TRAINING as war broke out is unequivocal.

As the subject intrigues I would be happy to be wrong.

If the seniority arguments prevail (and I think they did) the role of the Company Officers (where commissioning data is easy to find in the Army List) would support the idea that seniority prevailed. I have a data base of every 1914 Star qualified Officer and where their Company OC/ Company 2IC status is given, there are no examples of senior men being subordinated to more junior men in command. The fact that the transition from Eight to Four happened two years before the war for the Home battalions might suggest some framework would have been established for the India/Overseas and TF battalions when undergoing their transitions. MG

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I believe that the pairing of companies when their number was reduced from eight to four depended on two main factors: the relative seniority of the company commanders as noted by MG (and perhaps also the relative seniority of the colour sergeants as noted by Grumpy) and, in the case of TF battalions, the location of the various drill stations. I don't have specific examples to hand but it is not uncommon to find that a TF battalion had three or four companies based in the county town and the rest in various smaller towns in the county. It would be very odd to link each company in the county town with one of the others, irrespective of where the men actually lived.

I don't think that there was a hard and fast rule that A and E became A, B and F became C, etc, or even that A and B became A, C and D became B, etc.

Ron

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Interestingly the 1/14th Bn County of London Regt (London Scottish) (TF) went to War still structured around eight Companies. As I am sure most already know, it was the first TF battalion to go to France in Sep 1914 and see serious action in October 1914. Novemeber still sees the battalion with eight Companies, and by December 21st they have restructured to four Companies, however they rather diplomatically changed to a Number identifier from the Letter identifier.



8th Nov 1914. We were here until 5:00 pm on the 8th Nov when we received orders to report to Gen FITZCLARENCE, 1st GUARDS BDE, in the wood immediately South of HOOGE. We were here about one hour when we were told to report to Lord CAVAN 4th GUARDS BDE near ZILLEBEKE.

Before leaving, Lt DUNCAN was wounded by shrapnel.

On arrival at 4th GUARDS BDE HQ, we were sent to the wood about 1 ½ miles South East of ZILLEBEKE where we relieved the SUSSEX REGT and the OXFORD LIGHT INF who were entrenched.

Several small attacks were made on our trenches during the night 8th Nov / 9th Nov.

Our trenches were along what is known as the BROWN ROAD. Every available man was in the trenches and we were without any local reserves.

A, B and C Coys were in our left trenches, then came the GRENADIER GUARDS and then D, F, G and H Coys and separated by right trenches occupied by KING'S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS was E Coy and the machine guns under 2 Lt R G KER-GULLAND.


Officers present at this date were:


Lt Col G MALCOLM

Capt and Adjt C H CAMPBELL

Capt F H LINDSAY

Capt G C K CLOWES

Capt E G MONRO

Capt H S CARTWRIGHT

Lt J PATERSON

Lt H E STEBBING

Lt E M STIRLING

Lt H A H NEWINGTON

2 Lt R G KER-GULLAND

2 Lt D L GRANT

2 Lt C C TAYLOR

2 Lt G H G WILLIAMSON

Lt F L HILL RAMC attached




22nd Dec 1914. Tuesday. At 2:30 am, ½ No. 3 Coy went forward to prolong the line on the left of the CAMERON HLDRS and ½ further left to continue French line.

At 10:00 am, the machine guns went up to the COLDSTREAM GUARDS.

At 1:00 pm, the Commanding Officer and No. 2 Coy went up to fill the gap between our right and the French line.

At 3:30 pm, the Adjutant and No. 1 Coy, which had previously been withdrawn, went up on the left of the line.

At 8:30 pm, the machine guns, No. 2 Coy, No. 3 Coy and two Platoons No. 4 were relieved by the ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGT. Capt G N FORD was wounded.

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From Wauchope's History of The Black Watch 9/8/1914 The 2nd Black Watch. " Order to mobilize at 3 pm. The Battalion had not yet adapted to the 4 Company organization introduced at home in 1913, but still used 8 Company system. The Battalion reorganised during mobilization. B & C forming No1 Company, A & D No2, E & F No3, and G & H No4. Web equipment was also introduced for the first time. Strength on leaving India was 24 officers and 934 other ranks. ".

Mike

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...and the 1/4th (Denbighshire) Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (TF) went to War with eight Companies as well

5th Nov 1914. 10:10 am. Half Battalion (A, B, C and D Coys) left NORTHAMPTON. Arrived SOUTHAMPTON 5:00 pm.
1:00 pm. Half Battalion (E, F, G, and H Coys) left NORTHAMPTON. Arrived SOUTHAMPTON 8:00 pm.
SOUTHAMPTON. 9:00 pm. Embarked whole Battalion on Admiralty Transport Architect. Sailed at 11:30 pm. Calm voyage and arrived outside LE HAVRE 11:00 am on the 6th Nov.
..and were still eight Companies when the London Scottish changed to four companies
19th Dec 1914. 10:00 am. Battalion parade, the order to be in readiness to move at 2 hours notice withdrawn.
10:00 am - 12:30 pm. Companies practised in Platoon drills.
Surgeon Capt J W ANDERSON reported a case of scarlet fever in the billets occupied by A, B, C and D Coys and steps were instantly taken to isolate these Companies in their billets.
1:15 pm - 5:00 pm. E, F, G and H Coys marched to allotted area and practised the attack. Gen BUTLER visited the ½ Battalion during the practice.
...and the next day had changed to four Companies on the numbered system....
20th Dec 1914. 3:00 pm. Voluntary Church Parade for men of No. 3 and 4 Coys outside Officers Mess.
5:00 pm. Battalion ordered to move immediately with the remainder of the Brigade.
7:00 pm Battalion left BAILLEUL and marched in rear of Brigade to MERVILLE which was reached by the Battalion at 1:30 am on the 21st Dec. Distance about [blank]

...suggesting the wholescale transition for the TF Battalions on the front was on 19th/20th Dec 1914.

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Heres an interesting one.... 1/5th(City of London) Bn London Regt (London Rifle Brigade) (TF)

20th Nov 1914. ROMARIN. 3:45 pm. Eight ½ Companies of A, B, D, E, G H, O, P and Q Coys proceeded to trenches to take place of 4 Platoons of SOMERSET LIGHT INF and 4 Platoons of HAMPSHIRE REGT on East edge of PLOEGSTEERT WOOD. These to be mixed up with the regulars and not to go in as single ½ Companies. Very fine and freezing all day.
And tellingly shows us part of the process:
27th Nov 1914. Much warmer but ground and roads in very muddy condition.
Working parties in wood.
Received news of Russian victory at LODZ.
War Office asks for opinion of 4 versus 8 Company organisation having regard to experience of war. Answered that 4 Company was the only expedient as the difficulty of adhering to 8 Companies with 4 Companies in the Regulars outweighed all other disadvantages such as lack of experience of Officers.
1 slightly wounded.
resulting in....
29th Nov 1914. Working parties in wood all day. 4 Platoons night digging with RIFLE BDE.
8 Platoons came out of trenches. No. 4 Coy proceeded to ROMARIN in billets.
Which means the transition did not happen at the same time.
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1/6th Bn Cheshire Regt (TF)

11th Dec 1914. Marched to crossroads 2 ¼ miles South West of NEUVE EGLISE.
NEUVE EGLISE. B, H, C and G Coys (No. 2 and 4 Double Coys) occupied the trenches near WULVERGHEM same night in support of the 14th INF BD. Strength 350 all ranks. B and H Coys with 1st Bn MANCHESTER REGT, C and G Coys with 1st Bn DUKE OF CORNWALL'S LIGHT INF. These Companies were in the trenches for 48 hours.
Casualties, 1 man wounded.
Strength, 27 Officers, 1 WO, 759 other ranks.
And their restructuring in the Field suggests the senior Captain always took charge as one would expect.
16th Dec 1914. Casualties, 2 wounded (afterwards died), 2 wounded.
The Battalion was reorganised on the 4 Company system as follows:
A and E Coys - No. 1 became A Coy
B and H Coys - No. 2 became B Coy
C and G Coys - No. 4 became C Coy
D and F Coys - No. 3 became D Coy
Company Officers as follows:
A Coy
Capt F A LEAH (A) Capt T GIBBONS (E)
Lt C NORMAN (A) Lt G E HOWARTH (E)
B Coy
Capt R KIRK ( B ) Lt J E JOHNSTON (H)
Lt R NORMAN ( B ) 2 Lt S A ALEXANDER ( B )
C Coy
Capt W D DODGE (G) Capt H COOKE (C )
Lt J C HOYLE (C ) Lt W R INNES (G)
2 Lt C B BROCKBANK (C )
D Coy
Capt A W SMITH (D) Capt C F WHITE (F)
2 Lt W L READ (F) Lt R R COOKE (D)
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Liverpool Scottish 1900-1919 by AM McGilchrist of the matter:

"The Regular Army, early in 1914 , had adopted the double-company system but the Territorial Force continued to be organised under the eight-company system. It was obvious that on joining a regular formation the Scottish would have to conform to their method and the battalion was reorganised accordingly "A" and "B" becoming one company, "C" and "D" another and so on. The difficulty arose of deciding by what style the double-companies should be known. To call them "A", "B", "C" and "D" might easily have led to confusion and they were therefore known for some time as numbers 1,2,3 and 4 companies. This system however had disadvantages and subsequently they were called "V", "X", "Y" and "Z" which they have remained ever since and by which names they will be alluded to throughout this history"

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I blush.

I have a problem with the idea that the colour sergeants of the original eight companies took appointment from their seniority within the new 1914 merged double company.

The 8 men would have their seniority.

Merge A with E. A might have csgt 2 and 4 on the seniority list yet 4 becomes CQMS of the new A? Meanwhile number 5 becomes CSM of another double company?

Bearing in mind money was involved (CSM extra) I cant see it happening.

I also know of no ref to the 1914 double companies being regarded as possibly impermanent. The delayed publication of INFANTRY TRAINING as war broke out is unequivocal.

As the subject intrigues I would be happy to be wrong.

The War History of the 1st Bn Queen's Westminster Rifles:

A and B Coys became No.1 Coy

C and D Coys became No.2 Coy etc

"Companies were split up into platoons by the simple process of renaming half-companies and the colour-sergeants of the two companies forming the double company were appointed sergeant-majors and company quartermaster-sergeants according to their seniority. By 9 am the following morning the reorganisation was complete."

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