Allocation of Company within a battalion

[Jon Miller]

Sometimes while reading a war diary or a history, or indeed various other places, the company that a soldier was in within a battalion is given as information. If a soldier was originally in say, 'B' Coy, would he have stayed in the same coy throughout his service with the battalion? Was it the same with officers? If the soldier was wounded, but rejoined the battalion at a later date, or from after leave, would he rejoin his old company? Any views would be appreciated.

[Desmond7]

Jon - nothing concrete. Just a view from various readings.

Specifically, there was a guy in the 10th Inniskillings who was wounded and went out of the line for a couple of months. When he came back he said he would have rather been posted to a different regiment because all his mates in the platoon were either dead or had been wounded. In other words he was in with a bunch of relative strangers or fellas that he may not have 'liked' in the first place.

This indicates to me that 1. He came back to the same platoon and 2. That platoon, one would reasonably think, would still be in the 'bayonet strength' of the same company.

Later on the man who told this story went into Trench Mortars. So I assume that both scenarios could be correct. They might have stayed in the same small unit throughout but skills training, promotion may have seen a man posted elsewhere in the battalion?

Sorry about that wooly answer!

Des

[jim_davies]

Jon,

In my g-g-uncle's service record there is a reference to him being transferred to "B" company a few days after the battalion's initial action on the Somme. Unfortunately it doesn't show his original company.

I would imagine that with the regularity men would transferred between battalions and regiments, transfers between companies would be common too.

Jim

[Broznitsky]

I speak here about the CEF, which I think had rather less of a transfer issue than did the BEF.

In the limited sampling I have done of various men on various nominal rolls in the 29th Battalion, they all seem to stay with the same company. I would suppose that it would be best to keep the companies together as much as possible, for morale, leadership, and continuity reasons.

Interesting question, though.

Peter in Vancouver

[Jon Miller]

Thanks for your replies, chaps. I'm looking for a convenient answer really. Coy allocation is rare info, more likely with officers upon draft. If they don't move coys once allocated, then a smoother history of the soldier can be followed. But nothing is that easy, eh?

[Bill Alexander]

A couple of notes to add. The allocation of men to companies was essentially on a as needed basis. The initial compostion of a unit (and thus the posting of the soldier) would have the man recruited to or posted into a company. Newly formed units were different than established units. Depending on circumstances, the fellow would likely stay with that company. However if wounded or if the battalion was re-organized after an action there was no guarantee. The army (battalion) would place the soldier were needed.

Having said this, there were many situations were individuals were transferred for the units good. Or, sometimes for the soldier's good. The individual was either a detriment or had serious problems with his fellow soldiers. This is difficult to establish, but happened. In other cases the soldier was transferred to bolster a company which was being re-organized and had few experienced soldiers.

The bottom line is that the army sent you were they needed you. Sometimes the soldier was fortunate enough to go where he wanted.

A follow up. Would promotions stay in the company or be transferred?

[SPotter]

Gents,

Indeed an interesting question.

From the study of the Dorsetshire Regt War Diary, Regimental History, published and unpublished personal accounts I am of the opinion that the Companies were normally fairly rigid, being about the smallest unit used for an attack ( a single section or platoon may well have conducted raids or patrols, but not a full blown attack.) In times of short term need a senior NCO (CSM etc) would temporarily move across to cover a shortfall in another company if no suitable candidate was immediately available. It seemed to be preferred to promote from within the company if possible or post a man returning from leave or on recovering from injury. The temporary incumbent would then return to his original company. On occasion promotion up the rank structure was used, but there was obviously a significant majority who would never be considered as anything but a Pte for their entire Army career.

I believe the same held true for the officers, but there was much more use of transfers between companies to provide an experienced core of officers. This was particularly prevalent with the Company Commanders, though again they would, if circumstances would permit, return to their original companies.

After a particularly costly engagement it was not unusual (for the Dorsets at least) to combine companies into a composite company in order to have sufficient strength and structure.

Doubtless others will have found completely different results!

Regards

Steve

[Petroc]

Try Fredeic Manning's wonderful 'factional' and semi-autobiographical novel 'Her Privates We' (alternatively titled, in its censorred form, 'The Middle Parts of Fortune'), which shows battalion life, and all its little internal transfers, in the most vivid form; as has been said, it was all down to a case of 'who is most needed, and where is he best suited'

[Captain Dave]

From what I understood Ptes tended to get shunted about, but officers and NCO's tended to stay in the same Coys even when returning from leave/wounded etc.

I assume this is because those Coys (as long as the Comd structure was not destroyed) prefered to have back an officer or NCO whom they knew, and had trained.

My wifes great, great uncle was wounded as a 2 Lt and then returned to the same Coy after his recovery. (Only to be wounded again). His brother on the other hand being a lowley Pte was shunted from Bn to Bn and Coy to Coy on an as needed basis as he was drafted in as a reinforcement and wounded twice throughout.

Basicaly you have the answer in that Ptes were shuffled all over the place, but I belive ther was continuity for NCOs and officers.

[Jon Miller]

Again, thanks to everyone for their contributions - I guess you can take one of many lines really! I just have an inclination to lean towards the idea that officers and senior NCOs might have had stronger ties to their original company than privates, but of course, one will always have to allow for the possibility of transfers.