Service and Territorial battalions

[Trebrys]

I'm researching into the history of a man who fought with the 9th RWF at the 3rd Ypres. The 9th was a service battalion and yet it has been said that he was a territorial - what was the difference between both? How would he be with a service battalion then?

Any comments would be gratefully received.

Trebrys.

[the gunners dream]

Hi Trebys,

Just because you were a territorial didn't mean that you necessarily stayed in a territorial battalion. The second thing to consider is if he went from territorial to regular.

What else do you know about him and do you have his MIC as this might help with clues.

Steve

[stevem49]

By late 1917 men from all - regular, TF, Service battalions could find themselves wherever the need was greatest. So the terms were defunct by then.

stevem

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Territorial Battalions were in effect Volunteer{in the pre 1908 sense}Soldiers,ie Part time or what is oft referred to coloquially as "Saturday Night " soldiers,in Wartime they were embodied & their terms of Service were initially of a Volunteer nature,they could pick & choose to Serve Overseas & Leave if so desired.

Service Battalions were formed from the volunteers who responded to Lord Kitchener's call to arms in 1914 & were serving right from the start as soldiers "For the Duration",they formed the basis of many of the "Pals" battalions,ie Men enlisting with men from their Towns;Cities,Districts,Social Groups,Peers, & Factories,etc;to serve together,in an ideal world a great idea,however The Somme's first day rather shattered the illusion.

As the war progressed men would be posted as stated where desired by the need f or re~inforcements.

Many TF Men of pre 1914,rather than await being sent overseas with their Territorial Bn,enlisted directly into Service Battalions in the hope of "Getting there" earlier.

[Trebrys]

Hi Steve,

I know nothing at all about him only that he was killed, probably during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, and possibly near Hessian Wood. I'd love to find out. He has no known grave and is commemorated at Tyne Cot.

Thanks for your interest,

Trebrys.

Hi Trebys,

Just because you were a territorial didn't mean that you necessarily stayed in a territorial battalion. The second thing to consider is if he went from territorial to regular.

What else do you know about him and do you have his MIC as this might help with clues.

Steve

[Trebrys]

Thanks for that!

Trebrys.

Territorial Battalions were in effect Volunteer{in the pre 1908 sense}Soldiers,ie Part time or what is oft referred to coloquially as "Saturday Night " soldiers,in Wartime they were embodied & there terms of Service were initially of a Volunteer nature,they could pick & choose to Serve Overseas & Leave if so desired.

Service Battalions were formed from the volunteers who responded to Lord Kitchener's call to arms in 1914 & were serving right from the start as soldiers "For the Duration",they formed the basis of many of the "Pals" battalions,ie Men enlisting with men from their Towns;Cities,Districts,Social Groups,Peers, & Factories,etc;to serve together,in an ideal world a great idea,however The Somme's first day rather shattered the illusion.

As the war progressed men would be posted as stated where desired by the need f or re~inforcements.

Many TF Men of pre 1914,rather than await being sent overseas with their Territorial Bn,enlisted directly into Service Battalions in the hope of "Getting there" earlier.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

His Medal Index Cards & especially the Medal roll pages may well assist in telling you if he was originally a TF Soldier,& the Battalion he serrved with,I would suggest if possible you research local{to him} embarkation rolls in the Local Press of the period{The MiC should give{if a 1914/1914-15 Star recipient} a date of embarkation/Arrival OS.}

[Trebrys]

Once again, many thanks! I'll have a go to see what I can find! Is it possible to do it online?

Trebrys.

His Medal Index Cards & especially the Medal roll pages may well assist in telling you if he was originally a TF Soldier,& the Battalion he serrved with,I would suggest if possible you research local{to him} embarkation rolls in the Local Press of the period{The MiC should give{if a 1914/1914-15 Star recipient} a date of embarkation/Arrival OS.}

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

medal index cards are online http://www.documentsonline.pro.gov.uk[then click on ww1 medals];but roll pages have to be obtained by visit or researcher[or friendly pal who is going[but you need refs from mics 1st.]papers if they survive similarly are held at the Archive centre.