What's a "garrison duty battalion"?

[abigailbarrie1]

I understand that the 51st Battalion (Edmonton), CEF was reorganized as a garrison duty battalion in November 1916, but what does this mean exactly? I have a soldier who was transferred to this and I'm trying to figure out why. 
Was it just a battalion made to stay at Bromshott? For those not physically fit enough for frontline service? 
Trying to understand what actual service my guy did, Sgt. Harold Inglis. 
Link to my guys service record

[FROGSMILE]

16 hours ago, abigailbarrie1 said:

Yes, each large garrison had a battalion to carry out the administrative and especially escorting, guarding, and policing duties.  It freed up the other battalions for training.  Such battalions often contained men with limited employability for a range of reasons, albeit mostly medical.

Edited 12 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GreyC]

The German army had these units, too. Here a few soldiers from the garrison battailon from Nuremberg.

GreyC

[FROGSMILE]

9 minutes ago, GreyC said:

The German army had these units, too. Here a few soldiers from the garrison battailon from Nuremberg.

GreyC

Thank you GreyC, I am interested but not surprised to learn that, as it was the same in most armies.  In the 19th Century and its Napoleonic wars many such units were formed from elderly veterans including some who had lost limbs.

Edited 11 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[stevenbecker]

During WWI we didn't use Garrison units, but stayed with the old system of using our Milita.

Young or old soldiers could serve with these units until old enough to go over seas (18 years old) 

During WWII we began to use the Garrison units 

these came in two forms the first full time, were called Garrison Bn's, while part time, (like your Home guard) were called VDC (Vollenteer Defence Corps)

S.B

[GreyC]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

elderly veterans including some who had lost limbs

The medical status for those serving in the garrisons was called "Garnisonsverwendungsfähig" instead of "Feldverwendungsfähig" - fit to serve in the field.

GreyC

[FROGSMILE]

9 minutes ago, GreyC said:

The medical status for those serving in the garrisons was called "Garnisonsverwendungsfähig" instead of "Feldverwendungsfähig" - fit to serve in the field.

GreyC

Thank you.  It was very similar terminology for the British and Commonwealth units too.

Edited 12 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[abigailbarrie1]

On 03/08/2023 at 17:49, Gunner 87 said:

Hi abigailbarrie1.

John was suffering from a pre-existing medical condition whereby he was unfit to serve when he joined in May 1917 and as such an 'irregular enlisted and discharged as a result. 

That's laymans terms.... 

Gunner ...

 

7 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yes, each large garrison had a battalion to carry out the administrative and especially guarding and policing duties.  It freed up the other battalions for training.  Such battalions often contained men with limited employability for a range of reasons, albeit mostly medical.

This makes sense! Thank you

[6RRF]

While agreeing with the earlier posts, its worth making the point that garrison battalions [in the British Army at least] didn't just stay at home, but could be posted to overseas garrisons. Malta being a good example

[FROGSMILE]

3 minutes ago, 6RRF said:

While agreeing with the earlier posts, its worth making the point that garrison battalions [in the British Army at least] didn't just stay at home, but could be posted to overseas garrisons. Malta being a good example

Yes, that’s true and when I mentioned garrisons I was referring to them anywhere in the world.  It isn’t a term confined to the home establishment and the veteran battalions that once made up so many such units were largely situated overseas and seen as a cost saving measure.