Army Form B.104-53 - medal corrections

This is a nice little form which in this instance demonstrates the efficiency of the War Office if nothing else. I'm not sure that the form was used exclusively to record medal naming inconsistencies and would welcome further thoughts on this.

Private W Butterfield's 1914 Star was impressed incorrectly with "A Butterfield". This version of the army form documents the correction process. The medal was originally issued on 8th January 1920 and had been corrected and returned to the man by 13th February; a little under five weeks. Pretty good going considering the volume of medals which were flying around at that time.  Note that the man's medal index card (below) also records the amendment.

 

All document images reproduced on this post are Crown Copyright, The National Archives. Service and Pension records can be searched and downloaded from Ancestry and Findmypast. Both companies offer FREE 14-day trials. The medal index card image appears on Ancestry.

Army Form D.459 - Section D Army Reserve, attestation

Alfred Saunders had originally joined the  Royal Field Artillery in 1899. He was discharged in June 1911 and almost immediately decided to attest for a further four years. This document dates to 1st August 1911.  

 
Pages 2 and 3 give an enormous amount of detail: physical description, dates of service at home and abroad, medal entitlement, next of kin, full statement of services and so on.

 

Attesting for four years in August 1911 meant of course that Alfred would have been called up in August 1914 and he would have been obliged to serve an extra "bounty year". This from the Army Book for the British Empire (1893):

 

“In time of war or great emergency all soldiers can be detained for 12 months beyond their engagement.  In case of imminent national danger or great emergency, the men in the reserve are called up by “proclamation” to rejoin the colours, and must, together with all those who are serving, continue in the ranks as long as the war or emergency lasts, provided always that they are not detained beyond the term of their original enlistment, that is, for 12 years, and the 12 months above referred to.”

 

So this would have extended Alfred's obligation until August 1916, by which time conscription had been introduced. This is noted on the third image, above:

 

 

 

Alfred's four-year term of service therefore extended until June 1918 when he was discharged - as  a result of shellshock - as being physically unfit for further service. By the time of his discharge he had served a total of 19 years and 16 days in the British Army: 12 years (colours service and army reserve) and seven years and 16 days In Section D, Army Reserve.

 

All document images reproduced on this post are Crown Copyright, The National Archives. Service and Pension records can be searched and downloaded from Ancestry and Findmypast. Both companies offer FREE 14-day trials.

 

 

 

Army Form E.611 - Imperial Yeomanry, re-engagement

I have already posted the Territorial Force version of E.611. This is the one used for Imperial Yeomanry re-engagements.

All document images reproduced on this post are Crown Copyright, The National Archives. Service and Pension records can be searched and downloaded from Ancestry and Findmypast. Both companies offer FREE 14-day trials.

Army From E.595 - Imperial Yeomanry (UK) attestation

There are quite a few of these forms to be found tucked away in WO 363 and WO 364 service and pension records. The notable question appearing on this form and absent on every other from that I've seen is question 6: Do you own a Horse or can you obtain one for the Annual Training of the Regiment?  This was an essential condition for joining the yeomanry. Cavalry recruits could join a regiment without ever having ridden a horse, but yeomanry recruits were expected to be able to ride and lay their hands on a horse.

As with Form E.594 (Volunteers), the actual date of attestation appears on the reverse of this form.

All document images reproduced on this post are Crown Copyright, The National Archives. Service and Pension records can be searched and downloaded from Ancestry and Findmypast. Both companies offer FREE 14-day trials.