'THE GREAT WAR', 'THE WAR TO END WAR', 'WORLD WAR 1'
'What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstrous anger of the guns.'
from 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'
by Wilfred Owen
Do you Know? Do we need to know? Do we want to Know?
A collection of random snippets of information that just might help.
Every attempt has been made to cross-reference information to ensure accuracy ..
... my apologies, in advance, for any mistakes that might occur.
Where possible or appropriate,
text has been referenced or linked to a main source, in the hope of adding better informed research on the topic.
These are in addition to the more obvious sources such as the National Archives and the Imperial War Museum etc.
Service Medals
'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred'
Collectively:
* The 1914 Star
Awarded to officers and men who served in France or Belgium between 5th August 1914 and 22/23rd November 1914.
If the soldier had been in action then a bar was added to the ribbon.
* The 1914-1915 Star
Awarded to soldiers serving in France and Belgium from November 23rd, 1914 - 31st December 1915.
Also awarded to soldiers serving in other theatres of
war between 5th August 1914 and 31st December 1915.
* The British War Medal
Awarded to personnel who served overseas from 5th August 1914 - 11th November 1918.
also awarded ot include service in Russia 1919 - 19120.
* The Victory Medal
Awarded to personnel serving overseas, in a theatre of war, 5th August 1914 - 11th November 1918.
If the recipient was 'Mentioned in Despatches' then a small bronze oak leaf was added to the ribbon.
Some examples HERE
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*The Territorial Force Medal
Awarded to men who had been members of a Territorial Force on 30th September 1914, and who also saw active service, but were not eligible for the 1914 or 1914-1915 Star
* The Silver War Badge
Also known as the “Services Rendered Badge”
* Mercantile Marine War Medal
Awarded by the board of Trade to men who had served in the Merchant Navy and who had made a voyage through a war zone or danger zone during the 1914-1918 war.
*********************************************************************** |
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Gallantry Awards & Medals
In order of prestige:
* Victoria Cross (V.C.)
* Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.)
*
Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.)
* Military Cross (M.C.)
* Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.)
* Air Force Cross (A.F.C.)
* Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.)
* Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (C.G.M.)
* Distinguished Service Medal (D.S.M.)
* Military Medal (M.M.)
*
Distinguished Flying Medal (D.F.M.)
* Air Force Medal (A.F.M.)
* Meritorious Service Medal (M.S.M.)
* Mentioned in Despatches (M.I.D.)
* Citation for a Gallantry Award |
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Details of these medals and the criteria for the award can be found on the website 'The Great War, 1914-1918'
Awards of these medals, awarded to servicemen for acts of bravery etc., were recorded in the ' London Gazette', with details of the citation in many instances.
The ' London Gazette' can be read on-line HERE
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The 'Oldham Comrades' was the 24th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment
Formed in January 1915
Sometimes referred to as the 'Oldham Pals'.
First as a Front Line Infantry Battalion and then became one of the newly introduced Pioneer Batallions in May 1916
More info HERE in 'Random Snippets' and link to book transcript HERE |
The Oldham Territorials were the 1st/10th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment.
Enough men enlisted in 1914, after the outbreak of war, to creat a second battalion of Territorials in Oldham.
They were the 2nd/10th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment.Read
In spring 1919 the Oldham 'Standard' serialised an account of the 1/10th Oldham Terrotirials from 1914 to 1919, by Sergt. Maurice Bradbury M.M. Read the transcript HERE
Battalions in the Manchester Regiment on the 'Long, Long Trail' website
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Organisation in the Army
The structure and organisation of the Army is difficult for many of us to understand.
The following is
a brief and very simplified attempt at an overview of it in the hope that it might offer some general clarification - but it was always subject to change in order to meet particular circumstances, for eg., heavy casualties.
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Basic hierarchy: |
Section |
* There were 3 Sections, each in the charge of a Lance Corporal, making up a Platoon.
* |
Platoon |
* Platoons, of about 50 men, were commanded by a Lieutenant with Sergeant and a Corporal.
* In each Platoon were 3 Sections.
* Known as 'Troops' in a cavalry regiment.
* |
Company |
* Approximately 200 men commanded by a Captain and a Company Sgt. Major as the senior NCO.
* Each Company was usually made up of 4 Platoons.
* There were usually 4 Companies + a Headquarters Company, in each Infantry Battalion.
* Known as 'Squadrons' in a cavalry regiment
* |
Battalion |
* Approximately 1000 men
* At the outbreak of the war many new Battalions formed, many known as 'Pals'
*
Included in their number were non-fighting personnel for eg., stretcher bearers, Cooks, Bandsmen, Drivers and Batmen.
* Some Battalions carried a suffix for eg., 'Labour', or 'Pioneer', the titles being self-explanatory.
* |
Regiment |
* Infantry or Cavalry
* In peacetime usually comprised of 2 battalions, plus a Militia Battalion and 1 or more Territorial Force Battalions.
* The First Battalion often served overseas and the 2nd Battalion remained at home to train new recruits.
* After 1914 the REgiments often had Battalions numbered in double figures and were frequently deployed in different theatres of war.
*
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Brigade |
* A sub-divison of a Divison.
* Usually 3 Brigades in a Division.
*
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Division |
* A self-contained fighting unit, with their own infantry, artillery and suport services.
* Usually numbered around 18,000 men.
* Each Divison supported by ' Divisonal Troops' who were not fighting men but auxilliaries for eg., in signals, transport, medical capacities etc.
* Usually 3 Brigades in a Division
* Each Division had 4 'Brigades' of Artillery attached.
* Wikipedia list of Divisions HERE
*
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Army Corps |
* Usually consisting of 4 - 6 Divisions
* |
Army |
* Under the direct command of General headquarters;
*
there were 5 armies. |
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Much more on army organisation and 'Order of Battle' ' Long, Long Trail' website HERE |
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Corps
* A large unit of troops with specialised skills.
Number could run into hundreds of thousands.
* Not to be confused with 'Army Corps'
* Men were trained then formed into units and deployed where necessary.
* There were numerous subdivions, according to associated skills or occupation within the corps eg. 'Searchlight Sections' within the RA
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Corps |
Abbreviation |
Title |
AOC |
Army Ordnance Corps |
APC |
Army Pay Corps |
ASC |
Army Service Corps |
AVC |
Army Veterinary Corps |
CMP |
Corps of Military Police |
LC |
Labour Corps |
MGC |
Machine Gun Corps |
MMGC |
Motor Machine Gun Corps |
MPSC |
Military Police Staff Corps |
MVC |
Motor Volunteer Corps |
NCC |
Non-Combatant Corps |
OTC |
Officers Training Corps |
|
|
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service |
QMAAC |
Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps |
RA |
Royal Artillery (includes Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), Royal Rield Artillery (RFA) |
RAMC |
Royal Army Medical Corps |
RASC |
Royal Army Service Corps
|
RDC |
Royal Defence Corps |
RFC |
Royal Flying Corps |
RE |
Royal Engineers |
RFC |
Royal Flying Corps |
ROC |
Royal Army Ordnance Corps |
TC |
Tank Corps |
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|
The Voluntary Aid Detachment
|
VTC |
Volunteer Training Corps |
WAAC |
Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (later QMAAC)
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More general military abbreviations can be found on the ' Long, Long Trail' website, HERE |
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Much of the above section was garnered from 'World
War 1 Army Ancestry' 4th Ed.(details on 'More
Reading' page
and from pages on the 'Long, Long Trail' website, HERE
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QAIMNS -
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service.
The professionally qualified nurses in the
Military Hospitals, both here and overseas, and supporting
The Royal Army Medical Corps, (RAMC), were the nurses in
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, (QAs
for short).
It was formed in 1902 when the Army Nursing Service (ANS)
and the Indian Nursing Service (INS) were combined.
These nurses with the little scarlet capes.on
their uniform,
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VAD
The Voluntary Aid Detachment.
They were part of the Red Cross organisation
.... and had the red cross on their uniform.
VADs (both men and women) carried out a range of voluntary
work including nursing, transport duties and the organisation
of rest stations, working parties and auxiliary hospitals.
In July 1905, in the interests of greater
efficiency, Queen Alexandra had brought together the 'British
National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War'
and the 'Central British Red Cross Council' under one banner,
that of 'The British Red Cross Society'.
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Understanding the Distinctions between Regular Army and 'for the Duration';
Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers;
and 'Temporary' Promotion.
'Complicated', and 'confusing' are two adjectives that could very well be applied to this topic.
The following brief notes are extracted from the more detailed websites listed below.
- British Army personnel are ranked according to level, from the lowest (privates) to the highest (generals). Above private soldiers there are three types of officer: non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and commissioned officers.
- Commissioned Officers are graduates of military academies or of officer training schools.
They hold Her Majesty The Queen's Commission.
Warrant Officers rank between Commissioned and Non-Commissioned officers. They hold a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty The Queen.
Non-Commissioned Officers include corporals and sergeants and staff sergeants.
- Commissioned Officers - would be regular army. They would also be 'gentlemen'.
Non-commissioned Officers - would come up through the ranks whether regular or enlisted for the duration of the war.
- Temporary Commissions - Before WW1 Army Officers had been born in, and recruited from, the upper classes - 'officer material'. They would have been described as 'officers and gentlemen'.
In WW1 it was increasingly necessay to promote enlisted men, showing leadership and other skills, into the officer class. They became 'Temporary Officers' and 'Temporary Gentlemen'. This rank and status was taken from them after the end of the war or upon their death in action.
In the second year of the war, after heavy officer casualties in the first year, many middle class 'white collar workers' were commissioned, directly from their civilian lives, as Temporary Officers. By mid 1916 new Temporary Commissions were only being given to already-serving men on the recommendation of a senior officer.
These new Officers received their training in Officer Cadet Battalions.
- Temporary Commissions ccould be made permanent if certain other criteria were met, for eg., the length of time held.
- It was possible to be promoted from one Temporary Rank to another Temporary Rank, withour either or them becoming permanent, for example Temporary Lieutenant to Temporary Captain.
It was understood that these ranks would be relinquished at the end of the war or upon the death of the soldier.
- Promotion in terms of 'Temporary' and Actiing' should not be confused. They have a different meaning. Promotion to, for eg., 'Acting Captain', would mean that the person held that rank only for a period of time, usually when on a particular mission or under possibly drastic cricumstances.
1914-1918 Forum - detailed discussion
Alan's British Army Ranks
The British Army
Wikipedia - Temporary Gentlemen
'Tommy 1418'
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* Recruitment,
Enlistment and Conscription
At the beginning of WW1 Britain had a relatively small regular
army (all volunteers as opposed to conscripted), of less
than a quarter of a million men plus the
Reserves, the Royal Navy and the Territorials. Most
of the regulars were deployed in far flung garrisons across
the British Empire.
As the number of countres becoming embroiled in the war
rapidly increased, so battles began to be fought on different
Fronts.
Massively increased numbers of servicemen were needed
As a result :
* Volunteers were called
for:
The Volunteers would become known as 'The New Army' or
'Kitchener's Army'.
It was during these initial months that the 'Pals' Battalions
were formed. They were created as incentives for friends
and workmates to enlist and fight together. In Oldham, the
'Oldham Comrades' was created and became the 24th Battalion
of the Manchester Regiment.
The number of volunteers was still not enough to fill the
gaps left by the dead and wounded. .
As a result :
* National
Registration Act in July 1915 :
This act compelled everyone, including women,between the
ages of 15 and 65 to register with their names and occupations.
From this data it was realised that there was a large number
of men who had not volunteered, who were not employed in
work vital to the war effort but were eligible to fight.
(Registration
Card)
As a result:
* The
Derby Scheme was introduced in October 1915
Under this scheme men were given the final opportunity
to enlist on a voluntary basis.
They were also given the opportunity to attest to a willingness
to serve if they were callled upon at a future date, ie.
not volunteering for immediate service.
Over 200,000 volunteered for immediate service and over
2,000,000 attested.
They were grouped according to age and marital status.
Men signing up under this scheme still had the opportunity
to request the unit in which they would serve.
The scheme was closed on 15th December 1915.
Numbers showed that there were still over 500,000 men who
were eligible for service who had neither volunteered nor
attested.
As a result:
* Conscription was introduced in January
1916 for all men (British subjects) between the
ages of 18 and 41 who were unmarried or widowers without
dependants.
There would be no choice of unit in which to serve. There
were still exemptions: those unfit or those working in reserved
occupations.
The Act was ammended to include married men after May 1916.
links in the text are to details on external
websites.
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* The Territorial Force was amalgamated
with the Regular army around mid 1916
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* Time spent in training,
in England, could be about 6 months
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* Reserved
Occupations
If a man was physically fit and able for active
duty as a serviceman was in one of a number of reserved
occupations, he was exempt from being conscripted.
Apparently, a list was published in 'The Times'
(presumably around the time the Derby Scheme was introduced)
which listed those occupations in some detail.
The list included :
Those employed in the production or transport of munitions
supplied by the Ministry of Munitions.
Coal Mining and some occupations associated with mining.
Agricultural work.
Railway workers including those employed in the maintenance
of lines and rolling stock.
Other occupations considered to be of vital importance in
other branches of trade and industry for eg. food and clothing.
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Much of the above section was garnered from 'World
War 1 Army Ancestry' 4th Ed.(details on 'More
Reading' page
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Some other terms in
use:
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Reserves
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* Soldiers who were in the 'Reserves' fell
into one of numerous different categories of Reserves.
* Visit the website HERE
for detailed and, importantly, understandable definitions
of the various categories of Reserves. |
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Territorial Force
|
* Part-time soldiers who trained, with regular
soldiers in their regiment.
* At the outbeak of war the Territorials were called up
for full time duty.
* The numerous regiments of Territorial Force Cavalry were
known as 'Yeomanry'
* Their original commitment was to serve in defence at home
but in 1914, once war was declared, they were asked to volunteer
for service overseas.
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Brigade
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* Artillery Regiments were also known as
'Brigades'.
* Each Artillery Brigade had 4 Batteries, each
of 4 guns.
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Batteries
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* The Batteries, in an Artillery Brigade,
were A, B, C, D for Horse and 1,2,3,4, for Field, Siege,
Heavy and Mountain Artillery.
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The 'Old Contemptibles'
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* The term was a nickname for a regular
soldier who served in France and Belgium from the start
of the War (August) to November 1914. It derived from a
message reputed to have been sent by the Kaiser, instructing
his army to ..."walk over General French's contemptible
little army." His use of the word 'contemptible' in
this context was probably meant to mean 'inferior' in terms
of numbers.
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ANZACs
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An acronym for 'Australian and New Zealand
Army Corps'.
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Central Powers
|
The combined Forces of the German and Austro-Hungarian
Empires, Turkey and Bulgaria.
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Allied Forces
|
The combined Forces of Britain, France,
Russia, Italy,India, Canada, Japan, Rumainia, Serbia, Australia,
New Zealand, Belgium, Greece, South Africa, Portugal, Montenegro,
New Foundland and the Colonies.
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Theatres of War
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When we think of the First World War we
tend to think of it in terms of the trenches and the 'Western
Front', ie. the `War zones in Eastern France along the borders
of France with Belgium and Germany. but the war was also
fought on other Fronts, often equally horrific but not always
as long lasting,
It was also fought at sea and from the air.
A very basic and generalised breakdown: |
The Western Front |
From 1914 to 1918
Eastern France between the boundaries of France with Belgium
and Germany
Main forces: German forces against British, French and Belgian;
joined by American forces in 1918.
|
The Eastern Front |
Through 1914 to 1917
Along the German and Austro-Hungarian borders with Russian
territories,
Main forces: Austro-Hungarian and German forces against
those of Russia.
The Russian Revolution begins; Russia makes peace with Germany
in Spring 1918
|
The Dardanelles and Gallipoli |
1915
Fought on the Gallipoli peninsula and the Dardanelles, narrow
straits connecting the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean Sea.
Main forces: British, French, Australian and New Zealand
Forces against Turkish Forces
|
Middle Eastern Campaigns |
1914 to 1917
Fought in Turkish territories around the Gulf, the Eastern
shores of the Red Sea and Mediterranean.
Main forces: British and Allied Forces again those of Turkey.
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| In the Balkans |
Between 1914 and 1918
Involved the countries of Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria,
Rumania.
Serbia and Romania saw the worst of the fighting.
Main forces:Allied Forces against the Forces of the Central
Powers.
|
The Italian Front |
Between 1915 and 1918
Fought along the border between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian
Empire
Main Forces : Italian Forces against German and Austrian;
by 1918 France and Britain had also sent forces to aid those
of Italy.
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In Africa |
1914 to 1918
Germany had 4 colonies in Africa, in 1914.
By June 1915, German troops in 3 had surrendered.
The 4th, East Africa (Tanzania) fought on until 1918.
Main Forces : British Colonial Forces against German Colonial
Forces.
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At Sea |
1914 to 1918
British and German ships hunted and sank each other throughout
the war but The Battle of Jutland, in 1916, was the only
major sea battle.
British navy against German navy.
Ships involved were: Dreadnoughts, Battle Cruisers, Light
Cruisers and Destoyers.
Throughout the war German U-boats attacked merchant shipping
and even passenger liners, one of which, the Lusitania,
was sunk in May 1915.
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In the air
|
1915 to 1918
Zeppelins used for reconnaissance and bombing.
Aeroplanes initially for reconnaissance.
In later stages of war aeroplanes as fighters, bombers and
in ground attack.
The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British
Army.
The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of
the Royal Navy
They were combined to become the Royal Air Force in April
1918.
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The Medal Index Cards for soldiers uses a code for the 'Theatre of War first served in'. There was a list for disembarkations up to the end of 1915 and an edited version for those from January 1916. Full details can be found on the 'Long, Long Trail', HERE.
Most common were :
1 & 1A, for Western Europe (ie. France & Belgium);
2A (Greece and the Balkans) & 2B (Gallipoli) |
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Outline Maps
1914
click on image to see larger version
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1914 Map of Europe
Battle Fronts & Major Campaigns
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1914 Map showing area of
Gallipoli Campaign & Dardanelles
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Casualties of the Great
War
Approximate numbers
|
Allies
|
Number Mobilised
|
% Died
|
% Wounded
|
|
Russia
|
12,000,000
|
14.2 %
|
41.2 %
|
|
France
|
8,410,000
|
16.1 %
|
50.7 %
|
|
Italy
|
5,615,000
|
11.5 %
|
16.8 %
|
|
Britain
|
4,970,000
|
15 %
|
33.4 %
|
|
USA
|
4,355,000
|
1.1 %
|
4.6 %
|
|
India
|
1,440,400
|
4.5 %
|
4.7 %
|
|
Canada
|
995,400
|
5.6 %
|
15 %
|
|
Japan
|
800,000
|
0.037 %
|
0.11 %
|
|
Rumania
|
750,000
|
44.7 %
|
16 %
|
|
Serbia
|
700,000
|
6.4 %
|
19 %
|
|
Australia
|
420,600
|
14 %
|
36.1 %
|
|
Belgium
|
267,000
|
4.8 %
|
16.8 %
|
|
Greece
|
230,000
|
2.2 %
|
9.1 %
|
|
South Africa
|
136,000
|
52.2 %
|
8.8 %
|
|
New Zealand
|
124,000
|
13.4 %
|
33.2 %
|
|
Portugal
|
100,000
|
7 %
|
14 %
|
|
Montengro
|
50,000
|
6 %
|
20 %
|
|
The Colonies
|
12,000
|
4.1 %
|
6.6 %
|
|
New Foundland
|
11,900
|
10 %
|
19.3 %
|
|
Central Powers
|
Number Mobilised
|
% Died
|
% Wounded
|
|
Germany
|
11,000,000
|
16.1
%
|
38.3
%
|
|
Austria - Hungary
|
7,800,000
|
15.4
%
|
46.4
%
|
|
Turkey
|
1,285,000
|
11.4
%
|
14 %
|
|
Bulgaria
|
1,200,000
|
7.3
%
|
12.6
%
|
|
|
Number Mobilised
|
Died
|
Wounded
|
|
Full totals
|
64,238,000
|
8,501,000
|
21,189,000
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ETC.
Random snippets
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Apparently there was some disagreement about
whether the new battalion should be known as the 'Oldham
Pals' or the 'Oldham Comrades'.
Most of the other new battalions, created from men with
common backgrounds or occupations, were known as 'Pals'
but the Oldham battalion became known as the 'Oldham Comrades'
although neither title appeared to be universally accepted.
Confusingly,even the press sometimes referred to them as
a 'Pals' Battalion and other times as the 'Comrades'.
Originally recruited and formed as an infantry battalion,
the men soon proved themselves indispensable not only as
fighting men but also in the vitally essential but not very
glamorous tasks of building, repairing, salvaging and digging
etc., and were subsequently re-classified as one of the
new Pioneer Battalions, effective from May 1916.
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