Army Form B.2512 is the attestation form that was introduced in December 1915 in response to the creation of the Derby Scheme which it references in paragraph 11:
This form was to be used for wartime enlistments only with the most noticeable addition being the box, top right, in which the man's Derby Scheme group number was to be written. In this particular example the man fell into Group 33 and this number also appears on the top left of his form, presumably written there as a filing aid at the time of his attestation.
You can read more about the Derby Scheme on The Long, Long Trail website. 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.
Paul, another excellent resource of yours which I have just come across, thank you. Your willingness to share your expertise in this way is much appreciated! I came across this post when googling Short Service Attestations as I'm currently looking at the fragmentary attestation of a man who served with an RE Roads Construction Company. Interestingly, the Certificate of Magistrate or Attesting Officer" is dated 6 June 1916, which is rather late for the scheme and leads me to wonder if he had previously been rejected on medical grounds. I had been puzzling over a large and prominent "Q" overstamped on the line between the Magistrate's certificate and the approving officer's certificate and wondering if it gave a clue as to his late attestation but on balance I am more inclined to think that it has more to do with his enlistment into the roads and Quarries Troops, RE. Does that make sense, from your experience? Interestingly, I have the Short Service Attestation form of another RCC man, from a completely different part of the country, yet dated the same day in June of '16.
ReplyDeleteHello AHJ, nice to see you on this blog, and thanks for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteRemember that men attested under the Derby Scheme in 1915 but were not called up until 1916. Could this date relate to the approval perhaps, or the mobilisation?
Paul
I have a copy of a copy for my Great Granffathers Short Service attestation (Three years with the colours)
ReplyDeleteThe form number is smudged but on the top it says "Transferred to Army Reserve. W.O. telegram ?55 AG25".
Does anyone know the form number or better still the wording on the form.
Thanks,
paul
Three years with the Colours suggests either that he joined one of the Foot Guards regiments OR joined the army between circa 1903 and 1905. What was his regimental number and regiment?
ReplyDelete