RMLC

[seaney70]

Can anyone point me in a direction for more info on this unit? regards sean

[Michael]

Ivor Lee is our Labour Corps expert and is the most likely person to have info. I haven't seen him on the forum for a while. If you don't get a response, it may be worth e-mailing him.

Michael

[Ivor Lee]

Sean

The following is from General Blumberg's "BRITIAN’S SEA SOLDIERS

A History of the Royal Marines 1914-1919"

ROYAL MARINE LABOUR CORPS.

1. France ----- 2. Home Service.

When the troops were first landed the system had been to engage local labour in the ports, but the increasing drain on the French manpower had diminished the supply of labour, which was now becoming totally inadequate to meet the increasing demands.

To meet this difficulty the Army had formed two A.S.C. (Naval Labour) Companies, supplemented by fatigue parties from the troops at the base; these companies were formed of stevedores and men accustomed to the work of loading and discharging ships, but they were under the control of the local A.S.C. officers and Army staffs, and the Naval Transport Officers found great difficulty in obtaining the parties they required, whilst the personnel were frequently changed. Under these circumstances, it was proposed to raise R.N.V.R. men under the Admiralty to carry out the work, but the question arose as to whether they would be amenable to the local Military discipline and the orders of, the local Commander and the matter was under discussion throughout 1916. Conferences were held at the Headquarters of the Inspector General of Communications in France and also in London at which the A.G., R.M. was represented and it was finally decided, after delay, that the Royal Marine system of organisation would best meet the case, for they would be subject to the standing orders and discipline of the ports under the local commanders, but would be entirely at the disposal of the Divisional Naval Transport Officers as regards the control and distribution of their work; a principle which had been settled many years before between the Admiralty and War Office.

Under these circumstances, the Royal Marine Labour Corps came into existence and fully justified its formation.

The personnel of the two A.S.C. Companies were transferred to the Royal Marines on 2nd February, 1917, the Commanding Officer, Major J. F. Cable, A.S.C., an expert in all dock matters, being granted a commission in Royal Marines and appointed to the Staff of the Principal Naval Transport Officer in France, as technical officer in charge Labour; his extensive knowledge of mercantile ports was invaluable in organising the work and equipment of the ports in France.

Major J. G. Horne, R.M.L.I. was at first appointed Commanding Officer, but as he was required for important work elsewhere, he was succeeded by Major R. Cator, R.M.L.I. with the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel; a most fortunate selection, as he was an ideal officer for such a post which required tact and firmness with a keen sense of humour and human sympathy, as the men with whom he had to deal were not of the type of those who usually find their way into the service.

Recruiting was opened throughout the ports in England and men poured in only men over 41 years of age were enlisted (at that time the limit of age for combatant enlistment), and the opportunity of " doing their bit " was gladly seized by many men between 50 and 60, including many ex Marines and soldiers.

As the officers were required to be experts in the special work, they were appointed from gentlemen, who had served in the Mercantile Marine or who had experience of shipping and ports in England or who were qualified stevedores, many being promoted from the ranks of the Unit.

The Divisional Headquarters were fixed at Deal, where the recruits were sent on enlistment, to be clothed and equipped and given a little drill and discipline; owing to the previous vexatious delays, this time for the first contingent was much curtailed. The Pay Office (they were paid on the Home Base Ledger system at Army Service Corps rates of pay) and records were also kept here, temporary officers being appointed to assist the Paymaster.

Lieutenant Colonel Cator's Headquarters were established at General Headquarters in France (the post of I.G.C. was now abolished) with the P.N.T.O. Lieutenant J. Carroll, R.M.L.I. was appointed Adjutant and Quartermaster and there was a small staff of clerks. The ports were regularly visited and control maintained over the arrangements and discipline.

The position of the Unit was somewhat difficult as the Army provided all their accommodation, rations (for which the Admiralty paid) and medical attendance, whilst their stores were provided by the Admiralty through the Divisional Naval Transport Officers as a charge to Marine votes.

Each port had its own detachment, whose strength was regulated by the work to be done varying from 1,120 at Dunkirk to 50 at St. Valery.

The detachment at each port was commanded by a temporary captain, Royal Marines, with an officer promoted from the ranks of the R.M.L.I. as Adjutant to assist in the duties of discipline and administration, and the number of officers at each port was regulated by the work to be done. The larger ports each had an R.M.L.I. Sergeant?Major (W.O. 1) and Q.M.S. (W.O. 2) and the smaller ports a Company Sergeant?Major (W.O. 2) R.M.L.I. Each port also had an R.M.L.I. Sergeant and one or two selected Lance Corporals for Police and Camp Duties. The larger ports also had their own Labour Corps Company Sergeant Majors.

As the men had to work in the transports full of troops, it was necessary that

they should wear a distinctive uniform and therefore they were dressed in the blue uniform of the Corps but with blue serge trousers without stripes. Cap and collar badges were Globe and Laurel and later the cap badge had a ship in full sail above the Globe in place of the bugle.

The total strength of the Unit was:-

1 Lieutenant Colonel.

12 Captains (afterwards 5 Majors, 7 Captains).

44 Lieutenants and 2nd Lieutenants

5 Company Sergeant Majors.

112 Colour Sergeants and Sergeants.

531 Corporals.

4205 Privates.

The Home Base Staff was one Assistant Paymaster, one Superintending Clerk and 13 Clerks.

The Unit quickly grew in numbers and it earned an excellent reputation for good work, particularly at Dunkirk and Calais where they were bombed almost nightly, but the R.M.L.C. stuck to their work and carried on in spite of casualties and damage. Captain Fuller was awarded the D.S.C. for gallant conduct, when an air raid demolished several huts of the R.M.L.C., in rescuing the wounded and doing everything possible to minimise the damage without regard to his personal safety, and several men were awarded the D.S.M.; whilst C.S.M. L. Smith, Sergt. R. Gooding and Private A. Scott with Private F. Brown (Plymouth) R.M.L.I. were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for extinguishing a dangerous conflagration at Boulogne on 22nd June, 1918.

With men of this advanced age there was unavoidably a good deal of sickness but they came through the 'ordeal in a surprising manner.

Though their preliminary connection with the Corps was so slight, they developed a very strong esprit de corps and were very proud and jealous of their position as Royal Marines; though their bearing may not have been altogether pleasing to the eye of the parade soldier, yet they displayed the true soldierly spirit and earned many decorations for gallantry in saving life and for promptitude in emergencies ; whilst many officers were mentioned in dispatches and earned decorations for good and efficient service.

The formation of the Corps solved what was threatening to become a very serious problem in the conduct of the war. When the difficulties and loss occasioned by the employment of Greek and other casual labour at other ports are considered and also the diversion of fighting troops in Gallipoli, etc., together with the difficulties experienced in England itself, which were only solved by the employment of Transport Worker Battalions, the desirability of such a Corps as the R.M.L.C. forming part of any scheme of mobilization presents itself.

2. HOME SERVICE LABOUR COMPANY.

When the decision was taken in 1917 to greatly increase the mine laying in the North Sea and adjacent areas, mining Depts were established at Granton and other places under the Admiral in charge of Mining. To handle the mines it was necessary to have disciplined labour and as the Fleet working parties were no longer sufficient the Admiralty decided to raise a Royal Marine Unit called No. 1 (Home Service) Labour Company. Major F. Athow, R.M.L.I. was appointed to command with Lieutenant R. D. Hale, R.M.L.I. as second in command and the establishment was fixed at:

1 Company Sergeant Major, R.M.L.I. 1 Record Clerk, R.M.L.I.

1 Company Quarter Master Sergeant, R.M.L.I. 4 Sergeants (Labour).

5 Sergeants, R.M.L.I. 26 Corporals (Labour).

1 Pay Sergeant, R.M.L.I. 200 Privates (Labour).

Recruits were posted by the Minister of National Service by arrangement with the Royal Marine Recruiting Authorities from men over combatant age or of lower medical categories. They were paid at A.S.C. rates and were affiliated to the Chatham Division.

They were quartered in the Mining Depot at Granton on 16th December, 1917, and carried out their work very efficiently, and solved this problem smoothly and without friction. When Major Athow was invalided Lieutenant Hale assumed command and the unit was finally demobilised in 1919.

[seaney70]

Many thanks for the information, my GG served as a driller in the RE and then tranferred to the RMLC on 12 Dec 1917 to 6 May 1918, on a casualty form-active service it reads:

DIEPPE 12/12/17 which is crossed out and directly underneath it reads BOULOGNE.

Further down the page it reads BOULOGNE EVAC? to UK transfer to RMLI, i know he did indeed finish the war in the RMLI.

Is this usual for an RE driller to tranfer to the RMLC as a driller? would he have gone to Dieppe first possibly before moving onto BOULOGNE? Have you anyphotos of these units i could see? any help would be much appreciated regards sean

[Michael]

Ivor Lee is our Labour Corps expert and is the most likely person to have info.

Sean, I told you he'd know.

Nice one Ivor.

Michael

[seaney70]

Thanks michael ,its a fantastic forum and a breath of fresh air from a greedy whats in it for me world we live in regards sean

[Ivor Lee]

Sean

With reference to the DIEPPE/BOLOUGNE question.

Men in the Labour units were all unfit for front line service but, at the same time, were constantly being reviewed medically in case their category had improved. If it did they would be transferred out to another unit and a new man brought in.

So it is possible that he was originally being sent to Dieppe but for some reason it was decided to send him to Bolougne.

If the date had been after 22/12/17 Bolougne would have made sense as on that day 8 men of the RMLC were killed by an air raid. It did cross my mind that he may have been sent to Dieppe on 12/12/17 and transferred to Bolougne after the air raid but on his record the change was made by crosssing out Dieppe and inserting Bolougne. What a pity we will probably never know!

I am afraid I do not have any photographs of the RMLC. Have you tried the Imperial War Museum's Photgraphic Collection?

Brief enquiries can be submitted in writing via fax, e-mail, or post to the Administration Section, Photograph Archive, Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ. Please however keep in mind that the time that can be devoted to each enquiry is limited due to the large volume of letters received.

Their email address is photos@iwm.org.uk