1 Officer Cadet Battalion, Newton Ferrers

[Guest]

Could any GWF member assist?  I have trawled up a mention that No1 OCB was based at Newton Ferrers, just outside of Plymouth.  Although I live in the east of London Newton Ferrers is in my home area of Devonshire (Plympton-not far away-and all within the orbit of the good old Plympton St.Mary Rural District Council). Some of my school companions came from Newton and Noss. But I have never heard of this institution while in my home area, nor can I find any real information about it. If it was "No1" it must have been for a reason. And why Newton Ferrers?  Also-where in Newton Ferrers?

    I ask for any information at all on this little intrigue. Old school friends still in that part of God's Own Country are similarly unknowing.Discovery at TNA adds nothing that I can trace. Any mention of what it did,size, speciality, etc would be most welcome. It appears not to have come up before on GWF.

[HarryBrook]

It is listed in the Long Long Trail section on the subject http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/training-to-be-a-soldier/officer-training-in-the-british-army-of-1914-1918/

On google, Newton Ferrers is described as a small village in the civil parish of Newton and Noss, Devon.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, HarryBrook said:

It is listed in the Long Long Trail section on the subject http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/training-to-be-a-soldier/officer-training-in-the-british-army-of-1914-1918/

On google, Newton Ferrers is described as a small village in the civil parish of Newton and Noss, Devon.

 

     Thanks Harry- But it's hard to get beyond that. There must be some Great War memoirs that mention the place- I have yet to see any officer long-service file at Kew that has this unit listed for officer training for anyone I have looked up. I live in the east of London  now and the activities of 28th London -Artists Rifles-at Hare Hall, Romford are well-known in the local folklore. But Newton Ferrers seems a complete blank. Must be some information out there somewhere.

[HarryBrook]

1 O.C.B. was based at Membland Hall, Newton Ferrers.

The cadets apparently published a magazine entitled "Ye Gasse Shelle", the magazine of the third 'C' Company No. 1 O.C.B., but it is somewhat elusive as an ebook version online.  

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, HarryBrook said:

1 O.C.B. was based at Membland Hall, Newton Ferrers.

The cadets apparently published a magazine entitled "Ye Gasse Shelle", the magazine of the third 'C' Company No. 1 O.C.B., but it is somewhat elusive as an ebook version online.  

 

     Thanks Harry-   Most trench journals have been digitised-and if you have a BL card (available to anyone) that database can be accessed remotely-as can the IWM digitised accounts (though very awkward). See what I can find out.-

[alan1830]

according to the Times Membland Hall  was gifted to the nation in 1916 to use as a home for incapaciated soldiers and sailors.it was then returned to the owner after the war and subsequently sold off in 1919.it had 19 bedrooms and came with 500 acres.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, alan1830 said:

according to the Times Membland Hall  was gifted to the nation in 1916 to use as a home for incapaciated soldiers and sailors.it was then returned to the owner after the war and subsequently sold off in 1919.it had 19 bedrooms and came with 500 acres.

 

   Thanks Alan- Tinternet shows its fate before and after the war- It belonged to the Barings,who had several properties around Plymouth-and who took their aristo titles from local places (The Baring who lived at Membland was Lord Revelstoke.). It was sold off in 1914-then used for OT, then sold off/demolished in the Twenties.

   That it was a home for incapacitated soldiers suggest it didn't last long as as OTB.  It's an oddity of Great War history and that of my home area.

 

              Thanks for zapping the Times. Much appreciated.

 

Mike

[alan1830]

i saw adverts selling bits off the hall !.the times said that the red cross declined the use of it because of cost.apparently Revelstoke had debts and the hall and estate was sold off to Sir william creswell gray(a shipping magnate from the northeast.google him !) I read some where that his son was a POW during the war and like many others he had a sense of duty and patriotism.

 

[Charles Fair]

I've been researching this and the other OCBs.  No. 1 OCB was originally formed in Denham, Bucks, in Feb/March 1916.  It did not move to Membland Hall until November 1916.  A and C companies were based in Membland Hall, but B Company was based in Alston Hall which was the neighbouring estate.  It was wound down in Jan/Feb 1919 with final closure by the last directing staff in early April 1919.  The first commanding officer in 1916 was Lt-Col MA Richards, and he was replaced at some point, I think early 1917(?) by Lt-Col APH Trueman OBE, The Buffs.

 

Journals that I know were published by this OCB are:

 

Pass Friend - First A Coy Nov 1916 - March 1917

Carry On! - First B Company Jan-Apr 1917

Ye Gas Shelle - Third C Coy Oct 1917 - Feb 1918

The Dump - Fifth A Coy May-Oct 1918

 

I have yet to find an account written by someone who was there.

 

The attached shows the headcount of this OCB and is compiled from the weekly strengths of the Army at Home TNA WO114 30-36.

[Guest]

Thank you Charles- this is very helpful work indeed. 

[Charles Fair]

I've found a few service records of men who were there.  Here's the confidential report for Joseph Meadows TNA WO 339 138766.

[Guest]

As a William Law (Bill Law to friends) knew that I was interested in military history, many years ago, he gave me a copy of Pass Friend which has been signed by all the Officer Cadets  who were at Membland Hall November 1916 to March 1917. On the back of one of the photographs included which is blank is a ink diagram of the table where he sat and includes the other seven names of the cadets who sat at said table. It includes adverts of the time and at the back a complete Company Roll of Cadet names and addresses. There is a picture of the 1st A Company cadets and one of the hall as it was then. Also a signed picture of the company RSM.

As I have only recently re-discovered this booklet whilst ill and going through papers, I intend to give it to the National Army Museum Chelsea, assuming they would be interested, in the next few weeks (illness permitting!)

[stenoyab]

Have a photo of "D" Company, No.1 O.C.B., Membland Hall, September 1917, taken of them standing in front of the hall.

[TMJ1GH]

On 27/02/2020 at 21:07, stenoyab said:

Have a photo of "D" Company, No.1 O.C.B., Membland Hall, September 1917, taken of them standing in front of the hall.

Are you able to share the photo? I cannot find any photos of cadets at or near the Hall? Thanks

[FROGSMILE]

Here is a cadet company at Membland Hall in 1918.

The featured officer is Officer Cadet John Carr 1918, subsequently of 17th Manchester’s. Courtesy of David Carr.

The lowermost photo is taken from a scrapbook compiled by Lt. Shillington, who served with the 16thRoyal Welch Fusiliers. His scrapbook is part of the Royal Welch Fusilier collection on The Ogilby Muster.  See. https://www.theogilbymuster.com/royal_welch_fusiliers

 

Edited 4 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[stenoyab]

Took me a while to locate the photo after 3 years, D Company, No.1 O.C.B., Membland Hall, September 1917.  photo Swiss&Co, Devonport.

[FROGSMILE]

And at this link is a copy of a Membland Hall company magazine “Dismiss” from 1917. http://lwf.it.ox.ac.uk/files/original/a14fed94e64b2e2c9a78e05b01f186b28af4e161.pdf

It includes a list of cadet attendees signatures.

Also the similar magazine, but from a different period, “Thunderflash” here: http://lwf.it.ox.ac.uk/files/original/af13b98f4863b55b8d71ccf414f87cc3cbc7bdf0.pdf

The three photos show the officers of A Company (i.e. the instructional staff) and photos of cadets undergoing wiring and musketry training (the latter probably small bore firing of .22 inch calibre on a miniature gallery range set up in the grounds.  The firing point is typical of that type.

Edited 4 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

And here is Alston Hall (Devon), which had only been built in 1906 and one of the first houses to be connected to the national grid.  As well as used for the OCB it was for the rest of the war apparently utilised for American and Canadian Expeditionary Forces purposes.

Edited 4 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TMJ1GH]

Thank you - these are wonderful. They clearly found time for some fun.

Are there more of the magasines? I would love to find one with my Great Uncle in. He attended between late-October 1917 and the end of that year as he went on to pilot training in Jan 1918.

Thank you

[TMJ1GH]

In fact he may have attended as early as September 1917 which would seem more likely to conclude the course in time for a posting to a RFC Training Depot Squadron in January.

 

[FROGSMILE]

19 minutes ago, TMJ1GH said:

Thank you - these are wonderful. They clearly found time for some fun.

Are there more of the magasines? I would love to find one with my Great Uncle in. He attended between late-October 1917 and the end of that year as he went on to pilot training in Jan 1918.

Thank you

There are just those two at the soldiers of Oxfordshire site, but I don’t know if others have been digitised.  Not all the company’s chose to create a magazine, it was a voluntary thing and very dependent on the enthusiasm of the cadets from each term. 

Edited 4 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TMJ1GH]

I see. They clearly took a lot of effort to produce. I have seen a few other titles in posts on this forum including "Ye Gas Shelle" but the two which you posted are the only I have seen. They are brilliant insights and the photographs/rolls/signatures are also a great resource. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[TMJ1GH]

47 minutes ago, stenoyab said:

Took me a while to locate the photo after 3 years, D Company, No.1 O.C.B., Membland Hall, September 1917.  photo Swiss&Co, Devonport.

Great photo - thanks

 

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, TMJ1GH said:

I see. They clearly took a lot of effort to produce. I have seen a few other titles in posts on this forum including "Ye Gas Shelle" but the two which you posted are the only I have seen. They are brilliant insights and the photographs/rolls/signatures are also a great resource. Thanks for sharing them.

 

I am glad to have been able to help a little.  Forum member @Charles Fair is very knowledgable indeed concerning the subject of officer training and might be able to recommend other places to search.  I’m not sure what might be found in the new Ogilby Muster facility, but that would be an excellent place to start.  I provided a link above.

Edited 4 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE