Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907

An Act to provide for the reorganization of His Majesty’s military forces and for that purpose to authorize the establishment of County Associations, and the raising and maintenance of a Territorial Force, and for amending the Acts relating to the Reserve Forces. [2nd August, 1907]

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Part I

County Associations

1. Establishment of associations.
1. For the purposes of the reorganization under this Act of His Majesty’s military forces other than the regulars and their reserves, and of the administration of those forces when so reorganized, and for such other purposes as are mentioned in this Act, an association may be established for any county in the United Kingdom, with such powers and duties in connection with the purposes aforesaid as may be conferred on it by or under this Act.
2. Associations shall be constituted, and the members thereof shall be appointed and hold office in accordance with schemes to be made by the Army Council.
3. Every such scheme shall provide –

a. For the date of the establishment of the association:
b. For the incorporation of the association by an appropriate name, with power to hold land for the purposes of this Act without license in mortmain:
c. For constituting the lieutenant of the county, or failing him such other person as the Army Council may think fit, president of the association:
d. For the appointment of such number of officers representative of all arms and branches of the Territorial Force raised under this Act within the county (not being less than one half of the whole number of the association) as may be specified in the scheme:
e. For the appointment by the Army Council, where it appears desirable, and after consultation with, and on the recommendation of, the authorities to be represented, of representatives of county and county borough councils and universities wholly or partly within the county:
f. For the appointment of such number of co-opted members as the scheme may prescribe, including, if thought desirable, representatives of the interests of employers and workmen:
g. For the appointment by the Army Council during the first three years after the passing of this Act, and subsequently for the election of a chairman and vice-chairman by the association, and for defining their powers and duties:
h. For the mode of appointment, term of office, and rotation of members of the association, and the filling of casual vacancies:
i. For the appointment by the association, subject to the approval of the Army Council, of a secretary and other officers of the association, and the accountability of such officers, and for the provision of offices:
j. For the procedure to be adopted, including the appointment of committees and the delegation to committees of any of the powers of or duties of the association:
k. For enabling such general officers of any part of His Majesty’s forces, and not being members of the association, as may be specified in the scheme, or officers deputed by them, to attend the meetings of the association and to speak, but not to vote:
l. For dividing the county, where on account of its size of population it seems desirable to do so, into two or more parts, and for constituting sub-associations for the several parts, and for apportioning amongst the several sub-associations all or any of the powers and duties of the association, and regulating the relations of sub-associations to the association and to one another.

4. A scheme may contain any consequential, supplemental, or transitory provisions which may appear to be necessary or proper for the purposes of the scheme, and also as respects any matter for which for which provision may be made by regulations under this Act and for which it appears desirable to make special provision affecting the association established by the scheme.
5. All schemes made in pursuance of this Part of this Act shall be laid before the Houses of Parliament.
6. Until an Order in Council has been made under this Act for transferring to the Territorial Force the units of the Yeomanry and Volunteers of any county, references in this section to the Territorial Force shall as respects that county be construed as including references to the Yeomanry and Volunteers.

2. Powers and Duties of associations.
1. It shall be the duty of an association when constituted to make itself acquainted with and conform to the plan of the Army Council for the organization of the Territorial Force within the county and to ascertain the military resources and capabilities of the county, and to render advice and assistance to the Army Council and to such officers as the Army Council may direct, and an association shall have, exercise, and discharge such powers and duties connected with the organization and administration of His Majesty’s military forces as may for the time being be transferred or assigned to it by order of His Majesty signified under the hand of a Secretary of State or, subject thereto, by regulations under this Act, but an association shall not have any powers of command or training over any part of His Majesty’s military forces.
2. The powers and duties so transferred or assigned may include any powers conferred on or vested in His Majesty, and any powers or duties conferred or imposed on the Army Council or a Secretary of State, by statute or otherwise, and in particular respecting the following matters:-

a. The organization of the units of the Territorial Force and their administration (including maintenance) at all times other than when they are called out for training or actual military service, or when embodied:
b. The recruiting for the Territorial Force both in peace and in war, and defining the limits of recruiting areas:
c. The provision and maintenance of rifle ranges, buildings, magazines, and sites of camps for the Territorial Force:
d. Facilitating the provision of areas to be used for manoeuvres:
e. Arranging with employers of labour as to holidays for training, and ascertaining the times of training best suited to the circumstances of civilian life:
f. Establishing or assisting cadet battalions and corps and also rifle clubs, provided that no financial assistance out of money voted by Parliament shall be given by an association in respect of any person in a battalion or corps in a school in receipt of a parliamentary grant until such person has attained the age of sixteen:
g. The provision of horses for the peace requirements of the Territorial Force:
h. Providing accommodation for the safe custody of arms and equipment:
i. The supply of the requirements on mobilisation of the units of the Territorial Force within the county, in so far as those requirements are directed by the Army Council to be met locally, such requirements where practicable to be embodied in regulations which shall be issued to county associations from time to time, and on the first occasion not later than the first day of January one thousand nine hundred and nine:
j. The payment of separation and other allowances to the families of men of the Territorial Force when embodied or called out on actual military service:
k. The registration in conjunction with the military authorities of horses for any of His Majesty’s forces:
l. The care of reservists and discharged soldiers.

3. Expenses of association.
1. The Army Council shall pay to an association, out of money voted by Parliament for army services, such sums as, in the opinion of the Army Council, are required to meet the necessary expenditure connected with the exercise and discharge by the association of its powers and duties.
2. An association shall submit to the Army Council annually, at the prescribed time, and may submit at any other time for any special purpose, in the prescribed form and manner, a statement of its necessary requirements, and all payments to an association by the Army Council shall be made upon the basis of such statements in so far as they are approved by the Army Council.
3. Subject to regulations under this Act, all money so paid to an association shall be applicable to any of the purposes specified in the approved statements in accordance with which the money has been granted, but not otherwise except with the written consent of the Army Council:
Provided that nothing in this section shall be construed as enabling the Army Council to give their consent to the application of money to any purpose to which, apart from this section, it could not lawfully be applied, or to give their consent, without the authority of the Treasury, in any case in which, apart from this section, the authority of the Treasury would be required.
4. All other money received by an association (except such money, if any, as may be received by it for special purposes) shall be available for the purposes of any of its powers and duties.
5. An association shall cause its accounts to be made up annually and audited in such manner as may be prescribed, and shall send copies of its accounts as audited, together with any report of the auditors thereon, to the Army Council.
6. Regulations made for the purposes of this section shall be subject to the consent of the Treasury.
7. The members of an association shall not be under any pecuniary liability for any act done by them in their capacity as members of such association in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

4. Regulations.
1. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Army Council may make regulations for carrying this Part of this Act into effect, and may by those regulations, amongst other things, provide for the following matters:-

a. For regulating the manner in which powers are to be exercised and duties performed by associations, and for specifying the services to which money [aid by the Army Council is to be applicable:
b. For authorizing and regulating the acquisition by or on behalf of an association of land for the purposes of this Act and the disposal of any land so acquired:
c. For authorizing and regulating the borrowing of money by an association:
d. For authorizing the acceptance of any money or other property, and the taking over of any liability, by an association, and for regulating the administration of any money or property so acquired and the discharge of any liability so taken over:
e. For facilitating the co-operation of an association with any other association, or with any local authority or other body, and for providing by the constitution of joint committees or otherwise for co-operative action in the organization and administration of divisions, brigades, and other military bodies, and for the provision of assistance by one association to another:
f. For affiliating cadet corps and battalions, rifle clubs, and other bodies to the Territorial Force or any part thereof:
g. For or in respect of anything by this Part of this Act directed or authorized to be done or provided by regulations or to be done in the prescribed manner:
h. For the application for the purposes of this Part of this Act, as respects any matters to be dealt with by regulations, of any provision in any Act of Parliament dealing with the like matters, with the necessary modifications or adaptations, and in particular of any provisions as to the acquisition of land by on behalf of volunteer corps.

2. All regulations made in pursuance of this Part of this Act shall be applicable to all associations, except in so far as may be otherwise provided by the regulations or by any scheme made under this Part of this Act.
3. All regulations made under this Part of this Act shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament as soon as may be after they are made.

5. Joint committees of associations.
1. Any county associations may from time to time join in appointing out of their respective bodies a joint committee for any purpose in respect of which they are jointly interested.
2. Any association appointing a joint committee under this subsection may delegate to it any power which such association might exercise of the purpose for which the committee is appointed.
3. Subject to the terms of delegation any such joint committee shall be defrayed by the associations by whom it has been appointed, in such proportion as may be agreed between them, and the accounts of such joint committees and their officers shall for the purposes of the provisions of this Act be deemed to be accounts of the associations appointing them and of their officers.

Part II

TERRITORIAL FORCE

Raising and Maintenance of Force

6. Raising and number of Territorial Force.
It shall be lawful for His Majesty to raise and maintain a force, to be called the “Territorial Force”, consisting of such number of men as may from time to time be provided by Parliament.

7. Government, discipline, and pay of Territorial Force.
1. Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, it shall be lawful for His Majesty, by order signified under the hand of a Secretary of State, to make orders with respect to the government, discipline and pay and allowances of the Territorial Force, and with respect to all other matters and things relating to the Territorial Force, including any matter by this Part of this Act authorized to be prescribed or expressed to be subject to orders or regulations.
2. The said orders may provide for the formation of men of the Territorial Force into regiments, battalions, or other military bodies, and for the formation of such regiments, battalions, or other military bodies into corps, either alone or jointly with any other part of His Majesty’s forces, and for appointing, transferring, or attaching men of the Territorial Force to corps, and for posting, attaching, or otherwise dealing with such men within the corps; and may provide for the constitution of a permanent staff, including adjutants and staff sergeants who shall, except in special circumstances certified by the general officer commanding be members of His Majesty’s regular forces; and may regulate the appointment, rank, duties and numbers of officers and non-commissioned officers of the Territorial Force.
3. Subject to the provisions of any such order, the Army Council may make general or special regulations with respect to any matter with respect to which His Majesty may make orders under this section.
4. Provided that the said orders or regulations shall not –

a. affect or extend the term for which, or the area within which, a man of the Territorial Force is liable under this Part of this Act to serve; or
b. authorize a man of the Territorial Force when belonging to one corps to be transferred without his consent to another corps; or
c. when the corps of a man of the Territorial Force includes more than one unit, authorize him when not embodied to be posted, without his consent, to any unit other than that to which he was posted on enlistment; or
d. when a corps of a man if the Territorial Force includes any battalion or other body of the regular forces, authorize him to be posted without his consent to that battalion or body.

5. Where a man of the Territorial Force was enlisted or re-engaged before the date of any order or regulation under this Part of this Act, nothing in such order or regulation shall render him liable without his consent to be appointed, transferred or attached to any military body to which he could not without his consent have been appointed, transferred or attached if the said order or regulation had not been made.
6. Orders and regulations under this section may provide for the formation of a reserve division of the Territorial Force, and may relax or dispense with any of the provisions of this Act relating to the training of the men of the Territorial Force so far as regards their application to men in the reserve division, and may, notwithstanding anything in this section, authorize a man in the reserve division to be transferred from one corps to another, so, however that a man in the reserve division shall not, without his consent, be transferred to a corps of another arm.
7. All orders and general regulations made under this section shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament as soon as may be after they are made.

8. First appointments to lowest rank of officers of the Territorial Force.
Subject to any directions which may be given by His Majesty, first appointments to the lowest rank of officer in any unit of the Territorial Force shall be given to persons recommended by the president of the association for the county, if a person approved by His Majesty is recommended by the president for any such within thirty days after the notice of a vacancy for the appointment has been given to the president in the prescribed manner, provided he fulfils all the prescribed conditions as to age, physical fitness, and educational qualifications; and, where a unit comprises men of the Territorial Force of two or more counties the recommendations for such appointments shall be made by the presidents of the associations for the respective counties in such rotation or otherwise as may be prescribed.

9. Enlistment, term of service and discharge.
1. Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, all men of the Territorial Force shall be enlisted by such persons and in such manner and subject to such regulations as may be prescribed:
Provided that every man enlisted under this Part of this Act –

a. Shall be enlisted for a county for which an association has been established under this Act and shall be appointed to serve in such corps for that county or for an area comprising the whole or part of that county as he may select, and, if that corps comprises more than one unit within the county, shall be posted to such one of those units as he may select:
b. Shall be enlisted to serve for such a period as may be prescribed, not exceeding four years, reckoned from the date of his attestation:
c. May be re-engaged within twelve months before the end of his current term of service for such a period as may be prescribed not exceeding four years from the end of that term, and on re-engagement shall make the prescribed declaration before a justice of the peace or an officer, and so from time to time.

2. A man enlisted in the Territorial Force, until duly discharged in the prescribed manner, shall remain subject to this Part of this Act as a man of the Territorial Force.
3. Any man of the Territorial Force shall, except when a proclamation ordering the Army Reserve to be called out on permanent service is in force, be entitled to be discharged before the end of his current term of service on complying with the following conditions:-

i. Giving his commanding officer three months’ notice in writing, or such less notice as may be prescribed, of his desire to be discharged; and
ii. Paying for the use of the association of the county for which he was enlisted such sum as may be prescribed not exceeding five pounds; and
iii. Delivering up in good order, fair wear and tear only excepted, all arms, clothing, and appointments, being public property, issued to him, or, in cases where for any good and sufficient cause the delivery of the property aforesaid is impossible, on paying the value thereof:

Provided that it shall be lawful for the association for the county, or for any officer authorized by the association, in any case in which it appears that the reasons for which the discharge is claimed are of sufficient urgency or weight, to dispense either wholly or in part with all of the above conditions.
4. A man of the Territorial Force may be discharged by his commanding officer for disobedience to orders by him while doing any military duty, or for neglect of duty, or for misconduct by him as a man of the Territorial Force, or for other sufficient cause, the existence and sufficiency of such cause to be judged by the commanding officer:
Provided that any man so discharged shall be entitled to appeal to the Army Council who may give such direction in any such case as they may think just and proper.
5. Where the time at which a man of the Territorial Force would otherwise be entitled to be discharged occurs while a proclamation ordering the Army Reserve to be called out on permanent service is in force, he may be required to prolong his service for such further period, not exceeding twelve months, as the competent military authority may order.

10. Application of certain sections of the Army Act.
1. The following sections of the Army Act shall apply to the Territorial Force (that is to say):-

Section eighty (relating to the mode of enlistment and attestation);
Section ninety-six (relating to the claims of masters to apprentices);
Section ninety-eight (imposing a fine for unlawful recruiting);
Section ninety-nine (making recruits punishable for false answers);
So much of section one hundred as relates to the validity of attestation and enlistment re-engagement;
Section one hundred and one (relating to the competent military authority); and

So much of section one hundred and sixty-three as relates to attestation paper, or a copy thereof, or a declaration, being evidence.
And the said sections shall apply in like manner as if they were herein re-enacted, with substitution-

a) Of “Territorial Force” for “regular forces”, and of “man of the Territorial Force” for “soldier”; and
b) (In section one hundred) of “has not within three months claimed his discharge on any ground on which he is entitled under this subsection to do so” for “has received pay as a soldier of the regular forces during three months.”

2. A recruit may be attested by any lieutenant or deputy lieutenant of any county in the United Kingdom, or by an officer of the regular or Territorial forces, and the sections of the Army Act in this section mentioned, and also section thirty-three of the same Act, shall as applied to the Territorial Force be construed as if a justice of the peace in those sections included such lieutenant, deputy lieutenant or officer.

11. Enlistment of men discharged with disgrace from Army or Navy, or contrary to rules.
1. If a person-

a. Having been discharged with disgrace from any part of His Majesty’s forces, or having been dismissed with disgrace from the Navy, has afterwards enlisted in the Territorial Force without declaring the circumstances of his discharge or dismissal; or
b. Is concerned when subject to military law in the enlistment for service in the Territorial Force of any man, when he knows or has reasonable cause to believe such man to be so circumstanced that by enlisting he commits an offence against the Army Act or this Act; or
c. Willfully contravenes when subject to military law any enactments, orders, or regulations which relate to the enlistment or attestation of men in the Territorial Force.

he shall be guilty of an offence, and shall, whether otherwise subject to military law or not, be liable to be tried by court martial, and on conviction to suffer such punishment as is imposed for the like offence by section thirty-two or thirty-four of the Army Act, as the case may be, and may be taken into military custody.
2. For the purpose of this section the expression “discharged with disgrace” means discharged with ignominy, discharged as incorrigible and worthless, or discharged for misconduct, or discharged on account of a conviction for felony or a sentence of penal servitude.

12. Enlistment into army reserve.
If a man of the Territorial Force enlists into the army reserve without being discharged from the Territorial Force, the terms and conditions of his service whilst he remains in the army reserve shall be those applicable to him as a man belonging to the army reserve, and not those applicable to him as a man of the Territorial Force.

13. Area of service of Territorial Force.
1. Any part of the Territorial Force shall be liable to serve in any part of the United Kingdom, but no part of the Territorial Force shall be carried or ordered to go out of the United Kingdom.
2. Provided that it shall be lawful for His Majesty, if he thinks fit, to accept the offer of any part or men of the Territorial Force, signified through their commanding officer, to subject themselves to the liability-

a. To serve in any place outside the United Kingdom; or
b. To be called out for actual military service for purposes of defence at such places in the United Kingdom as may be specified in their agreement, whether the Territorial Force is embodied or not;

and, upon any such offer being accepted, they shall be liable, whenever required during the period to which the offer extends, to serve or be called out accordingly.
3. A person shall not be compelled to make such an offer, or be subjected to such liability as aforesaid, except by his own consent, and a commanding officer shall not certify any voluntary offer previously to his having explained to every person making the offer that the offer is to be purely voluntary on his part.

Training

14. Preliminary training of recruits of Territorial Force.
1. Every man of the Territorial Force shall, by way of preliminary training, during the first year of his original enlistment –

a. If so provided by Order in Council, be trained at such places within the United Kingdom, at such times, and for such periods, not exceeding in the whole the number of days specified by the Order in Council, as may be prescribed, and may for that purpose be called out once or oftener; and
b. Whether such an Order in Council has been made or not, attend the number of drills and fulfil the other conditions prescribed for a recruit of his arm or branch of the service.

2. The requirement to attend training and drills, and to fulfil conditions under this section, shall be in addition to the requirement to attend training and drills and to fulfil conditions for the purpose of annual training.

15. Annual training.
1. Subject to the provisions of this section, every man of the Territorial Force shall, by way of annual training –

a. Be trained for not less than eight nor more than fifteen, or in the case of the mounted branch eighteen, days every year at such times and at such places in any part of the United Kingdom as may be prescribed, and may for that purpose be called out once or oftener in every year:
b. Attend the number of drills and fulfil the other conditions relating to training prescribed for his arm or branch of the service:

Provided that the requirements of this section may be dispensed with in whole or in part –

i. as respects any unit, by the prescribed general officer; and
ii. as respects an individual man, by his commanding officer subject to any general directions by the prescribed general officer.

2. His Majesty in Council may-

a. Order that the period of annual training in any year of all or part of the Territorial Force be extended, but so that the whole period id annual training be not more than thirty days in any year; or
b. Order that the period of annual training in any year of all or part of the Territorial Force be reduced to such time as to His Majesty may seem fit; or
c. Order that in any year the annual training of all or part of the Territorial Force may be dispensed with.

3. Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing a man, with his own consent, in addition to annual training, being called up for the purpose of duty or instruction in accordance with orders and regulations under this Part of this Act.

16. Laying of draft Orders in Council relating to training before Parliament.
Before any Order in Council is made under this Act providing for preliminary training or extending the period of annual training the draft thereof shall be laid before each House of Parliament for a period of not less than forty days during the Session of Parliament, and, if either of those Houses before the expiration of forty days presents an address to His Majesty against the draft or any part thereof, no further proceedings shall be taken, without prejudice to the making of a new draft Order.

Embodiment

17. Embodiment of Territorial Force.
1. Immediately upon and by virtue of the issue of a proclamation ordering the Army Reserve to be called out on permanent service, it shall be lawful for His Majesty to order the Army Council from time to time to give, and when given to revoke or vary, such directions as may seem necessary or proper for embodying all or any part of the Territorial Force, and in particular to make such special arrangements as they think proper with regard to units or individuals whose services may be required in other than a military way.
Provided that, where under any such proclamation directions have been issued for calling out all the men belonging to the first class of Army Reserve, the Army Council shall, within one month after such directions have been issued, issue directions for embodying all the men belonging to the Territorial Force, unless an address has been presented to His Majesty by both Houses of Parliament praying that such directions as last foresaid be not issued, and such directions shall not, unless the emergency so requires, be given until Parliament has had an opportunity of presenting such an address.
2. Whenever, in consequence of the calling out of the whole of the first class of the Army Reserve, directions are required under this section to be given for embodying the Territorial Force, if Parliament be then separated by such adjournment or prorogation as will not expire within ten days, a proclamation shall be issued for the meeting of Parliament within ten days, and Parliament shall accordingly meet and sit upon the day appointed by such proclamation, and shall continue to sit and act in like manner as if it had stood adjourned or prorogated to the same day.
3. Every order and all directions given under this section shall be obeyed as if enacted in this Act, and, where such directions for the time being direct the embodiment of any part of the Territorial Force, every officer and man belonging to that part shall attend at the place and time fixed by those directions, and after that time shall be deemed to be embodied, and such officers and men are in this Act referred to as embodied or as the embodied part or parts of the Territorial Force.

18. Disembodying of Territorial Force.
1. It shall be lawful for His Majesty by proclamation to order that the Territorial Force be disembodied, and thereupon the Army Council shall give such directions as may seem necessary or proper for carrying the said proclamation into effect.
2. Until any such proclamation of His Majesty has been issued the Army Council may from time to time, as they may think expedient for the public service, give such directions as may seem necessary or proper for disembodying any embodied part of the Territorial Force, and for embodying any part of the Territorial Force not embodied, whether previously disembodied or otherwise.
3. After the date fixed by the directions of disembodiment of any part of the Territorial Force, the officers and men belonging to that part shall be in the position of officers and men of the Territorial Force not embodied.

Notices

19. Services and publication of notices.
Notices required in pursuance of this Part of this Act or of the orders and regulations in force thereunder to be given to men of the Territorial Force shall be served or published in such manner as may be prescribed, and, if so served or published, shall be deemed to be sufficient notice, and every constable and overseer shall, when so required by or on behalf of the Army Council, conform with the orders and regulations for the time being in force under this Part of this Act with respect to the publication and service of notices, and in default shall be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

Offences

20. Punishment for failure to attend on embodiment.
1. Any man of the Territorial Force who without leave lawfully granted, or such sickness or other reasonable excuse as may be allowed in the prescribed manner, fails to appear at the time and place appointed for assembling on embodiment, shall be guilty, according to the circumstances, of deserting within the meaning of section twelve, or of absenting himself without leave within the meaning of section fifteen, of the Army Act, and shall, whether otherwise subject to military law or not, be liable to be tried by court-martial, and convicted and punished accordingly, and may be taken into military custody.
2. Sections one hundred and fifty-three and one hundred and fifty-four of the Army Act shall apply with respect to deserters and desertion within the meaning of this section in like manner as they apply with respect to deserters and desertion within the meaning of those sections, and any person who, knowing any man of the Territorial Force to be a deserter within the meaning of this section or of the Army Act, employs or continues to employ him, shall be deemed to aid him on concealing himself within the meaning of the first-mentioned section.
3. Where a man of the Territorial Force commits the offence of desertion under this section the time which elapsed between the time of his committing the offence and the time of his apprehension or voluntary surrender shall not be taken into account in reckoning his service for the purpose of discharge.

21. Punishment for failure to fulfil training conditions.
Any man of the Territorial Force who without leave lawfully granted, or such sickness or other reasonable excuse as may be allowed in the prescribed manner, fails to appear at the time and place appointed for preliminary training, or for annual training, or fails to attend the number of drills and fulfil the other conditions relating to preliminary or annual training prescribed for his arm or branch of the service, shall be liable to forfeit to His Majesty a sum of money not exceeding five pounds recoverable on complaint to a court of summary jurisdiction by the prescribed officer, and any sums recovered by such officer shall be accounted for by him in the prescribed manner.

22. Wrongful sale, etc. of public property.
If any person designedly makes away with, sells or pawns, or wrongfully destroys or damages or negligently loses anything issued to him as an officer or man of the Territorial Force, or wrongfully refuses or neglects to deliver up on demand anything issued to him as an officer or man of the Territorial Force, the value thereof shall be recoverable from him on complaint to a court of summary jurisdiction by the county association; and he shall also, for any such offence of designedly making away with, selling or pawning, or wrongfully destroying as aforesaid, be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Act to a fine not exceeding five pounds.

Civil Rights and Exemptions

23. Civil rights and exemptions.
1. The acceptance of a commission as an officer of the Territorial Force shall not vacate the seat of any member returned to serve in Parliament.
2. An officer or man of the Territorial Force shall not be liable to any penalty or punishment for or on account of his absence during the time he is voting at any election of a member to serve in Parliament, or during the time he is going to or returning from such voting.
3. If a sheriff is an officer of the Territorial Force, then during embodiment he shall be discharged from personally performing the office of sheriff, and the under sheriff shall be answerable for the execution of the said office in the name of the high sheriff; and the security given by the under sheriff and his pledges to the high sheriff shall stand as a security to the King and to all persons whomsoever for the due performance of the office of sheriff during such time.
4. An officer or man of the Territorial Force shall not be compelled to serve as a peace officer or parish officer, and shall be exempt from serving on any jury, and a field officer of the Territorial Army shall not be required to serve in the office of high sheriff.

Legal Proceedings

24. Trial of offences and application of penalties.
1. Any offence under this Part of this Act, and any offence under the Army Act if committed by a man of the Territorial Force when not embodied, which is cognizable by a court-martial shall also be cognizable by a court of summary jurisdiction, and on conviction by such a court shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or with a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, or with both such imprisonment and fine, but nothing in this provision shall affect the liability of a person charged with any such offence to be taken into military custody.
2. Any offence which under this Part of this Act is punishable on conviction by court-martial, shall for all purposes of and incidental to the arrest, trial and punishment if the offender, including the summary dealing with the case by his commanding officer, be deemed to be an offence under the Army Act, with this modification, that any reference in that Act to forfeiture and stoppages shall be construed to refer to such forfeitures and stoppages as may be prescribed.
3. Any offence which under this Part of this Act is punishable on conviction by a court of summary jurisdiction may be prosecuted, and any fine recoverable on such conviction may be recovered, in manner prescribed by sections one hundred and sixty-six, one hundred and sixty-seven and one hundred and sixty-eight of the Army Act, in like manner as if these sections were herein re-enacted and in terms made applicable to the Part of this Act, subject to the following modifications (namely) –

Every fine imposed under this Part of this Act on a man of the Territorial Force, or recovered on a prosecution instituted under this Part of this Act, shall, notwithstanding anything in any Act or charter or in the said sections to the contrary, be paid to the association of the county for which the man was enlisted.

4. Where a man of the Territorial Force is subject to military law and is illegally absent from his duty, a court of inquiry under section seventy-two of the Army Act may be assembled after the expiration of twenty-one days from the date of such absence, notwithstanding that the period during which he was subject to military law is less than twenty-one days or has expired before the expiration of twenty-one days.

25. Supplemental provisions as to trial of offences.
1. A person charged with an offence which under this Part of this Act is cognizable both by a court-martial and by a court of summary jurisdiction shall not be liable to be tried both by a court-martial and by a court of summary jurisdiction, but may be tried by either of them, as may be prescribed:

Provided that a man who has been dealt with summarily by his commanding officer shall be deemed to have been tried by court-martial.

2. Proceedings against an offender before either a court-martial or his commanding officer, or a court of summary jurisdiction, in respect of an offence punishable under this Part of this Act, and alleged to have been committed by him when a man of the Territorial Force, may be instituted whether the term of his service in the Territorial Force has or has not expired, and may, notwithstanding anything in any other Act, be instituted at any time within two months after the time at which the offence becomes known to his commanding officer if the alleged offender is then apprehended, or, if he is not then apprehended, then within two months after the time at which he is apprehended.
3. Where an offender has on several occasions been guilty of desertion, fraudulent enlistment, or making a false answer, he may for the purposes of any proceedings against him be deemed to belong to any one or more of the corps to which he has been appointed or transferred as well as to the corps to which he properly belongs, and it shall be lawful to charge the offender with any number of the above-mentioned offences at the same time, whether they are offences within the meaning of the Army Act or offences within the meaning of this Part of this Act, and to give evidence of such offences against him, and, if he has been convicted or more than one offence, to punish him accordingly as if he had been previously convicted of any such offence.

26. Evidence.
1. Section one hundred and sixty-four of the Army Act (which relates to evidence of the civil conviction or acquittal of a person subject to military law) shall apply to a man of the Territorial Force who is tried by a civil court, whether he is or is not at the time of such trial subject to military law.
2. Section one hundred and sixty-three of the Army Act (relating to evidence) shall apply to all proceedings under this Part of this Act.

Miscellaneous

27. Exercise of powers vested in holder of military office.
1. Any power or jurisdiction given to, and act or thing to be done by, to, or before any person holding any military office may, in relation to the Territorial Force, be exercised by or done by, to, or before any other person for the time being authorized in that behalf, according to the custom of the Service.
2. Where by this Part of this Act, or by any order or regulation in force under this Part of this Act, any order is authorized to be made by any military authority, such order may be signified by an order, instruction, or letter under the hand of any officer authorized to issue orders on behalf of such military authority, and an order, instruction, or letter purporting to be signed by any officer appearing therein to be so authorized shall be evidence of his being so authorized.

28. Application of enactments.
1. The Army Act shall apply to the Territorial Force and officers and men thereof in like manner as it applies to the Militia, and officers and men of the Militia, except that men of the Territorial Force shall, in addition, be subject to military law when called out on actual military service for purposes of defence, and shall be liable to dismissal as punishment, and for that purpose the amendments contained in the First Schedule to this Act shall be made in the Army Act.
2. For the purposes of section one hundred and forty-three of the Army Act and of all other enactments relating to such duties, tolls, and ferries as are in that section mentioned, officers and men belonging to the Territorial Force, when going to or returning from any place at which they are required to attend, and for non-attendance at which they are liable to be punished, shall be deemed to be officers and soldiers of the regular forces on duty.
3. His Majesty may by Order in Council apply, with the necessary adaptations, to the Territorial Force or the officers or men belonging to that force any enactment relating to the Militia, Yeomanry, or Volunteers, or officers or men of the Militia, Yeomanry, or Volunteers, other than enactments with respect to the raising, service, pay, discipline, or government of the Militia, Yeomanry, or Volunteers, and every such order in council shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament.

Transitory

29. Transitory provisions.
1. Where an association has been established under this Act for any county His Majesty may by Order in Council transfer to the Territorial Force such units of the Yeomanry and Volunteers or part thereof raised in the county as may be specified in the Order, and every such unit or part thereof shall from the date mentioned in the Order be deemed to have been lawfully formed under this Part of this Act as an unit of the Territorial Force as provided by the Order, and the provisions of this Part of this Act shall apply to it accordingly.
2. Every officer and man of an unit or part thereof mentioned in any such Order shall, from the date mentioned in that Order, be deemed to be an officer or man of the Territorial Force. Provided that nothing in this section or in any Order made thereunder shall, without his consent, affect the conditions or area of service of any person commissioned, enlisted, or enrolled before the passing of this Act.
3. An Order in Council under this section may provide –

a. For the application to officers and men who become subject thereto of the provisions of this Act as to conditions and area of service and for the continuance of the application to officers and men who remain subject thereto of the provisions as to conditions and area of service previously in force as respects those officers and men:
b. For transferring to the association any property vested in a Secretary of State for the purposes of any unit to which the Order relates:
c. For transferring to the association any property belonging to or held for the benefit of any such unit, so, however, that all property so transferred shall, as from the date of the transfer, be held by the association for the benefit in like manner of the corresponding unit of the Territorial Force or for other such purposes as the association, with the consent of such corresponding units, to be ascertained in the prescribed manner, shall direct; and any question which may arise as to whether any property is transferred to an association, or as to the trusts or purposes upon or for which it is or ought to be held, shall be referred for the decision of a Secretary of State whose decision shall be final. The corresponding unit of the Territorial Force shall, in the event of any such transfer, become entitled, notwithstanding the terms of any trust, limitation, or condition affecting the property so transferred to the estate or interest in such property of the unit to the property of which the order relates; but, subject to this provision, the interest of any beneficiary other than such unit shall not, without the consent of such beneficiary, be affected. The order may, if it be deemed proper, having regard to the special circumstances of any case, provide for the appointment of special trustees to act together with or to the exclusion of the association in regard to any such property and such special trustees may be the existing trustees of such property:
d. For transferring to the association any liabilities of any such unit which the association is willing to assume, and providing for the discharge of any such liabilities which are so transferred:
e. For transferring to the association any land or interest in land acquired by the council of a county or borough on behalf of any volunteer corps to which the order relates, and any outstanding liabilities of the council incurred in respect thereof, if the council and the association consent:

and may contain such supplemental, consequential, and incidental provisions as may appear necessary or proper for the purposes of the Order.

4. Every Order in Council made under this section shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament.

Part III

RESERVE FORCES

30. Enlistment and terms of service of special reservists, 45 & 46 Vict. C. 48.
1. The power of enlisting men into the first class of the army reserve under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, shall extend to the enlistment of men who have not served in His Majesty’s regular forces, and men so enlisted who have not served in the regular forces are in the Part of this Act referred to as special reservists, and a special reservist may be re-engaged, and when re-engaged shall continue subject to the terms of service applicable to special reservists.
2. A special reservist may, in addition to being called out for annual training, be called out for a special course or special courses of training at such place or places within the United Kingdom at such time or times and for such period or periods, not exceeding in the whole six months, as may be prescribed, in like manner and subject to the like conditions as he may be called out for annual training, and may during any such course be attached to or trained with any body of His Majesty’s forces.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section eleven of the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, any special reservists may be called out for annual training for such period or periods as may be prescribed by any order or regulations under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882.
4. Provided that where one of the conditions on which a man was enlisted or re-engaged is that he shall not be called out for training, whether special or annual, for a longer period than the period specified in his attestation paper, he shall not be liable under this section to be called out for any longer period.
5. Where a proclamation ordering the army reserve to be called out on permanent service has been issued, it shall be lawful for His Majesty at any time thereafter by proclamation to order that all special reservists shall cease to be so called out, and thereupon a Secretary of State shall give such directions as may seem necessary or proper for carrying the said proclamation into effect.
6. A special reservist who enlists into the regular forces shall upon such enlistment be deemed to be discharged from the army reserve.

31. Agreements as to extension of service.
A Secretary of State may, by regulations under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, authorize any special reservist having the qualifications prescribed by those regulations to agree in writing that, if the time when he would otherwise be entitled to be discharged occurs whilst he is called out on permanent service, he will continue to serve until the expiration of a period, whether definite or indefinite, specified in the agreement, and, if any man who enters into such an agreement is so called out he shall be liable to be detained in service for the period specified in his agreement in the same manner in all respects as if he his term of service were still unexpired.

32. Liability of reservists to be called out.
1. A special reservist shall, if he so agrees in writing, be liable during the whole of his service in the army reserve, or during such part of that service as he so agrees, to be called out on permanent service without such proclamation or communication to Parliament as is mentioned in section twelve of the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, and the calling out of men under this section shall not involve the meeting of Parliament as required by section thirteen of that Act:
Provided that-

a. The number of men so liable shall not at any time exceed four thousand:
b. The power of calling out of men under this section shall not be exercised except when they are required for service outside the United Kingdom when war-like operations are in preparation or in progress:
c. Any agreement under this section may provide for the revocation thereof by such notice in writing as may be therein stated:
d. Any exercise of the power of calling out men under this section shall be reported to Parliament as soon as may be:
e. The number of men for the time being called out under this section shall not be reckoned in the number of the forces authorized by the Annual Army Act for the time being in force.

2. Six thousand shall be substituted for five thousand as the maximum number of men liable to be called out under section one of the Reserve Forces and Militia Act, 1898, and the liability to be called out under that section may, if so agreed, extend to the first two years of a man’s service in the first class of the army reserve.
3. In paragraph (5) of section one hundred and seventy-six of the Army Act the words “under His Majesty’s proclamation” shall be repealed.

33. Power to form battalions, etc. of reservists.
Orders and regulations under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, may provide for the formation of special reservists into regiments, battalions or other military bodies, and for the formation of such regiments, battalions or other military bodies into corps, either alone or jointly with any other part of His Majesty’s forces, and for appointing, transferring, or attaching special reservists to such corps, and for posting, attaching, or otherwise dealing with special reservists within such corps.

34. Transfer of Militia battalions to reserve.
1. His Majesty may by Order in Council transfer to the Army Reserve such battalions of the Militia as may be specified in the order, and every battalion so transferred shall from the date mentioned in the order be deemed to have been lawfully formed under this Part of this Act as a battalion of special reservists.
2. As from the said date every officer of any battalion so transferred shall be deemed to be an officer in the reserve of officers, and every man in such battalion shall be deemed to be a special reservist, and the order may contain such provisions as may seem necessary for applying the provisions of the Reserve Forces Acts, 1882 to 1906, as amended by this Act, to those officers and men:
Provided that, unless any officer or man in any battalion so transferred indicates his assent to such transfer certified by his commanding officer, nothing in the order shall affect his existing conditions of service.
3. All Orders in Council made under this section shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament.

35. Amendment of 45 & 46 Vict. C. 48, s. 6 (4).
Subsection (4) of section six of the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, which makes a certificate purporting to be signed by an officer appointed to pay men belonging to the army reserve evidence in certain cases, shall, where a person other than an officer is appointed to pay men belonging to the army reserve, apply to certificates purporting to be signed by such person.

36. Commissions reserve of officers not to vacate seat in Parliament.
The acceptance of a commission as an officer in the reserve of officers shall not vacate the seat of any member returned to serve in Parliament.

Part IV

SUPPLEMENTAL

37. Provisions as to orders, schemes, and regulations.
1. Every Order in Council or scheme required by this Act to be laid before each House of Parliament shall be so laid within forty days next after it is made, if Parliament is then sitting, if not, within forty days after the commencement of the then next ensuing session; and, if an address is presented to His Majesty by either House of Parliament within the next subsequent forty days, praying that any such order or scheme may be annulled, His Majesty may thereupon by Order in Council annual the same, and the order or scheme so annulled shall thenceforth become void and of no effect, but without prejudice to the validity of any proceedings which may in the meantime have been taken under the same.
2. All Orders in Council, orders, schemes, and regulations made under this Act may be varied or revoked by subsequent Orders in Council, orders, schemes, and regulations made in the like manner and subject to the like conditions.

38. Definitions.
The expression “county” means a county or riding of a county for which a lieutenant is appointed, and includes the City of London; and each county of a city or county of a town mentioned in the first column of the Second Schedule to this Act shall be deemed to form part of the county set opposite thereto in the second column of that schedule;

The expression “man of the Territorial Force” includes a non-commissioned officer;

The expression “prescribed” means prescribed by orders or regulations;
Other expressions have the same meaning as in the Army Act.

39. Special provisions as to special places.
1. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports may ex-officio be a member of the association of the county of Kent or of the county of Sussex, or both, as may be provided by schemes under this Act.
2. The Warden of the Stannaries may ex-officio be a member of the association of the county of Cornwall or of the county of Devon, or of both, as may be provided by the schemes under this Act.
3. The Lord Mayor of the City of London shall ex-officio be president of the association of the City of London.
4. The Governor or Deputy Governor of the Isle of Wight shall ex-officio be a member of the association of the county of Southampton.
5. Nothing in this Act shall affect the raising and levying of the Trophy Tax as heretofore in the City of London, but the proceeds of the Tax so levied may be applied by His Majesty’s Commissioners of Lieutenancy for the City of London, if the Royal London Militia Battalion is re-constituted as a battalion of the Army Reserve, for any purposes connected with that battalion, and may also, if His Majesty’s Commissioners of Lieutenancy for the City of London is their discretion see fit, be applied for the purposes of any of the powers and duties of the association of the City of London under this Act.

40. Application to Scotland and the Isle of Man.
1. In the application of this Act to Scotland the following modifications shall be made:-

a. This Act shall apply to a county or a city in like manner as to any other county: Provided that on the representation or with the consent of the corporation of any county of a city it shall be lawful for His Majesty, by order signified under the hand of a Secretary of State, at any time after the passing of this Act, to declare that such county of a city shall for the purposes of this Act be deemed to form part of the county set opposite thereto in the second column of the Third Schedule to this Act and to provide for all matters which may appear necessary or proper for giving full effect to the order;
b. The expression “county borough council” means the town council of a royal, parliamentary, or police burgh with a population of or exceeding twenty thousand according to the census for the time being last taken;
c. The expression “land” includes heritages;
d. The expression “overseer” means an inspector of poor.

2. This Act shall apply to the Isle of Man as if it formed part of, and were included in the expression the United Kingdom, subject to the following modifications:-

a. The Isle of Man shall be deemed to be a separate county;
b. References to the Governor of the Island shall be substituted for references to the lieutenant of a county;
c. References to a High Bailiff or two justices of the peace and to conviction by such Bailiff or justices shall be substituted for references to a court of summary jurisdiction and to conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts;
d. References to the Tynwald Court shall be substituted for references to Parliament in the section of this Act relating to civil rights and exemptions.

41. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907, and so far as it relates to the reserve forces may be cited with the Reserve Forces Acts, 1882 to 1906, as the Reserve Forces Acts, 1882 to 1907.

 

SCHEDULES

FIRST SCHEDULE

AMENDMENT OF ARMY ACT

Section Amendment
S. 13 (1) (a) and (b) After the word “Militia” there shall be inserted the words “or Territorial Force.”
S. 115 (7) After the words “whenever” there shall be inserted the words “a proclamation ordering the Army Reserve to be called out on permanent service or”
S. 115 (8) After the words “then if” there shall be inserted the words “a proclamation ordering the Army Reserve to be called out on permanent service or”
S. 175 After paragraph (3) there shall be inserted the following paragraph :–

“(3a) Officers of the Territorial Force other than members of the permanent staff”

S. 176 After paragraph (6) there shall be inserted the following paragraph :-

“6(a) All non-commissioned officers and men belonging to the Territorial Force –

(a) When they are being trained or exercised, either alone or with any portion of the regular forces or otherwise; and

(b) When attached to or otherwise acting as part of or with any regular forces; and

(c) When embodied; and

(d) When called out for actual military service for purposes of defence in pursuance of any agreement.”

S. 181 (4) The words “the unit if the Territorial Force” shall be inserted after the words “officer commanding,” where those words first occur, and the words “an unit of the Territorial Force,” shall be inserted after those words where they secondly occur, and the words “Territorial Force,” shall be inserted after the words “an officer, non-commissioned officer, or man of the”
S. 181 (4) (a) After the word “any” there shall be inserted the words “man of the Territorial Force or”
S. 181 (4) (b) and (c) The word “Militia” shall be repealed in both places where that word occurs and the words “of the Territorial Force or Militia” shall be inserted after the word “man” in both places where it occurs.
S. 181 (6) After the word “Volunteers” there shall be inserted the words “of the Territorial Force.”
S. 181 (12) After the word “means” there shall be inserted the words “the Territorial Force.”

                                                               

SECOND SCHEDULE

Name of Cities and Towns County
ENGLAND
County of the city of Chester Chester
County of the city of Exeter Devon
County of the city of Gloucester Gloucester
County of the city of Bristol Gloucester
County of the city of Canterbury Kent
County of the city of Lincoln Lincoln
County of the city of Norwich Norfolk
County of the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Northumberland
Borough and town of Berwick-upon-Tweed Northumberland
County of the town of Nottingham Nottingham
County of the town of Southampton Southampton
County of the city of Lichfield Stafford
County of the city of Worcester Worcester
County of the city of York West Riding of York
County of the town of Kingston-upon-Hull East Riding of York
County of the town of Carmarthen Carmarthen
County of the town of Haverfordwest Pembroke
IRELAND
County of the city of Waterford Waterford
County of the town of Londonderry Londonderry

                                                               

THIRD SCHEDULE

SCOTLAND

Name of County of City County
County of the city of Edinburgh Edinburgh
County of the city of Glasgow Lanark
County of the city of Dundee Forfar
County of the city of Aberdeen Aberdeen

 

Ismailia February 3, 1915

The following is a transcription of a newspaper article describing the Turkish attack on the Allied Forces defending the Suez Canal on the night of February 2/3, 1915. All images have been added by the author and were not part of the original newspaper articles.

Ismailia

Ismailia on the Suez Canal. [Source: Australian War Memorial]

ON THE CANAL

THE FULL STORY OF THE FIGHTING

Al Mokattam publishes the following details on the German-Turkish expedition against Egypt, which, says our contemporary, fill in and complete the story as given in the official communiques.

It is now proved that the expedition which attacked the Canal in the first week of February wished to cross at all costs. The Turkish Army had camped in two places 40 miles east of the station of Serapeum, at Mon Dorat, and Makshid. Their base of operations was in a deep valley. When they advanced to the west, they divided into two columns, the smaller marching on Kantara and the larger on Serapeum by the way of Kataib El-Nakhl. This second column was 20,000 strong. British airmen scouts saw this column and informed their headquarters.

Kantara

Aerial View of Kantara [Source: Australian War Memorial]

When this force was at a distance of seven miles from the canal it moved backward and forward for reasons which are still unknown, but as soon as the wind blew from the south the attacking army marched towards the canal.

Pontoon bridge across the Suez Canal at Serapeum

Pontoon bridge across the Suez Canal at Serapeum. [Source: Australian War Memorial]

The influence of German generalship was evident in all the units of that force; one of the proofs of their vigilance is that an English flying machine which flew over the Turkish army was repeatedly shot at but without any effect.

Toussoum Station

Toussoum Station. [Source: Australian War Memorial]

The Turkish army continued to march forward during the whole night until it came near the canal where it divided into two parts; the larger stopped at a distance of two miles from the canal to wait in reserve and the second which was composed of a whole brigade marched forward to prepare a place on the bank of the canal for the troops to cross at. This force had a number of boats each of which was carried by 40 men. It began attacking about 3:30am at a point to the south of the station of Toussoum and at a mile from it. The night was dark and the enemy had chosen three points at which to cross the canal. On the east bank, opposite the station of Toussoum, some English sentries who were stationed there saw, on the night of 2-3 February last, shadows advancing which they knew must be the enemy. They therefore fired their rifles to warn the British forces that the enemy was advancing. Shortly after they began firing on the British forces, and thus both sides of the canal were as if on fire. The enemy made a great noise and was seen pushing the first boat into the water, and it was followed by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

The enemy placed three Maxim guns at that point to protect the boats crossing the Canal.

The Egyptian and territorial artillery took part in the battle, and the prow of the first boat was hit with a shrapnel shell which killed the soldiers and sank the boat. The second and third boats were then pushed from the shore and shot at, the shells smashing in their sides. They soon capsized and most of the troops in them were drowned a few only escaping with their lives. The rest of the boats met with the same fate with the exception of two which were not launched. About 20 men crossed to the west bank of the Canal by throwing themselves into the water to escape the fire which was poured on them, and surrendered to the British troops after having tried to dig holes in which to hide themselves until the battle was over, being afraid that the British troops would kill them if discovered. Being unable to dig these holes they sat where they were until discovered by British troops who took them prisoners.

Captured Turkish Pontoon Boats

Captured Turkish Pontoon Boats. [Source: Australian War Memorial]

From the shells of the enemy’s guns, it was evident that they had no guns of greater calibre than 6 inches. It appears that the enemy had a good supply of ammunition for it did not spare it but rained it over our trenches though without hitting them. A shell exploded close to one of the British guns but it killed no one and although the enemy tried to discover the position of our artillery they failed.

At dawn the battle raged over a distance of two and a half miles, that is to say between the stations of Serapeum and Toussuom. The enemy fought bravely against the Egyptian, Territorial, Indian and New Zealand troops. The greater part of the enemy’s forces were opposite the station of Toussuom where they outnumbered our troops by ten to one, and yet the British troops stood their ground and prevented the enemy from moving forward. This proves that the military authorities had taken all the necessary steps for defence and were aware of all the difficulties in the way of an invading force crossing the Canal.

Signs of disorder among the enemy began to appear, and they retreated behind the earthworks they had hastily thrown up on the eastern bank of the Canal. But the British artillery continued to shell them in their retreat and inflicted heavy losses upon them.

TERRITORIAL ARTILLERY IN ACTION

One of the territorial batteries, commanded by Major Dobson, particularly distinguished itself. It is worthy of note that the officer controlling fire of this battery climbed up a palm-tree close by to be able the better to guide the battery and remained at his post an hour and a half under heavy fire. At last when no longer able to maintain his position he came down and climbed another palm-tree and remained there till the battle was over.

The enemy tried to attack us again but the Indian troops repulsed them with heavy losses.

The British troops took many prisoners; one officer confessed that they wanted to take our troops by surprise, but admitted that they found them very much on the qui vive. [on the alert]

Turkish Prisoners at Kasr-el-Nil Barracks

Turkish Prisoners at Kasr-el-Nil Barracks. [Source: Australian War Memorial]

The British and French cruisers and battleships fired on the enemy’s reserve – which was at a distance of two miles on the eastern bank of the Canal – obliging them to retreat at 6pm. Some of the enemy’s troops continued hiding on the night of Wednesday on the eastern bank of the Canal, and kept up a desultory fire on our troops.

On the following day (Thursday), a part of the enemy was seen entrenched on the eastern bank. Two companies of Indian troops then crossed the Canal and attacked them, and as soon as reinforcements arrived the enemy was surrounded and thus obliged to surrender. These soldiers were 250 in number and were among the enemy’s best troops.

It now appears that the name of the German officer who was found killed on the field of battle and had a white flag and some seditious writings in his possession was von der Hagen. He was buried on a height on the east bank, and the Turkish troops were buried lower down at the point at which they tried to cross the canal.

THE HARDINGE’S PILOT’S BRAVERY

The cruisers and battleships fired on the enemy from Lake Timsah. The pilot of one of them, the converted cruiser Hardinge, Captain Dario, had, while on the bridge his leg shattered and his arm badly wounded. Those who saw the conduct of this pilot said that it was worthy of the highest admiration, for when shot, he caught hold of the railing and looking at his leg to ascertain the amount of injury done to him, refused to be carried to his cabin and asked for a long chair to be brought him saying that he still had strength enough to take the ship to port. But the doctor ordered him to be taken to his cabin notwithstanding his protests.

The authorities estimate the force of the enemy which attacked the canal at nearer 30,000 than 20,000 men, and the number of the wounded and prisoners is 5,000.

The enemy has retired to the east and is beyond the scope of our aeroplanes which is 60 miles.

                                               

FIGHTING NEAR TOR

TURKISH FORCE ANNIHILATED

Cairo, Sunday

A small British force landed in the Sinai Peninsula north of Tor and surprised a body of 200 Turks who were preparing to attack Tor. The Turks were annihilated. We captured 100 prisoners and 60 dead were counted on the field. The enemy’s camp and stores were destroyed. Fifty Turks, commanded by two German officers, previously reconnoitered the position which they believed was undefended, but retired when they found it was garrisoned by 200 Egyptians.

Reuter

Distinguished Conduct Medal

September 30, 1862:

Extracted from Warrants and Circulars, etc.
Circular No. 785

7377 – 453
Victoria R.

WHEREAS, with a view to reward Distinguished and Meritorious Services, and of promoting Good Conduct in our Army, we have been pleased to declare that a certain fixed sum may be granted in annuities to Sergeants in our Service, and that the Sergeants selected for the same shall be entitled to receive and wear a Silver Medal, bearing on one side the Royal Effigy and on the other the words “For Meritorious Service”, the names and rank of the Sergeant being inscribed thereon:

It is our Royal will and pleasure, that a Silver Medal, bearing on it the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field”, shall, in certain cases where especially recommended, be issued to Sergeants with Annuity in lieu of the before-mentioned Medal for “Meritorious Service” with Annuity, subject however to the conditions and limitations now in force as to the grant of Annuities.

And further, that a Medal be granted, without Annuity or Gratuity, to Sergeants, Corporals and Privates of our Army, when specially recommended by the General Commanding in Chief, and approved by our Secretary of State for War, for individual acts of Distinguished Conduct in the Field in any part of the world.

Given at our Court at St. James’, this Thirtieth day of September, 1862, in the 26th year of our Reign.

                By Her Majesty’s Command

                C. C. LEWIS

November 6, 1920:

68/GN/3448
GEORGE R.I.

George the Fifth by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, to all to whom these presents shall come. Greeting:

Whereas Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, by a Warrant under her Royal Sign Manual dated 30th September 1862, did institute and create a silver medal bearing the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field” t be granted to serjeants, corporals, and privates of the Regular Army, for individual acts of distinguished conduct in the Field in any part of the world:

And Whereas the rules and ordinances for the governance of the same have been amended from time to time:

And Whereas We deem it expedient that the said Royal Warrant, as well as amendments thereto, which have been heretofore promulgated, or are now to be promulgated, shall be incorporated in a Royal warrant under Our Sign Manual:

Now Therefore We do hereby declare that the rules and ordinances heretofore in force shall be abrogated, cancelled, and annulled; and We are pleased to make, ordain, and establish the following rules and ordinances in substitution for the same, which shall from henceforth be inviolably observed and kept: –

Firstly: – It is ordained that the medal, which shall be silver, shall be designated “The Distinguished Conduct Medal” and shall bear on the obverse the Royal Effigy; and on the reverse the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field”

Secondly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal may be awarded on the recommendation of a Commander-in-Chief in the Field to Warrant Officers, Class 1 and 2, non commissioned officers, and men, serving in any of our Military Forces for distinguished conduct in action in the Field.

Thirdly: – It is ordained that should anyone who has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal subsequently be recommended for such approved acts of distinguished conduct in the field as would have rendered him eligible for the Medal, had he not already received it, may be awarded a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the Medal is suspended; and that for additional such act or acts of distinguished conduct an additional Bar may be awarded.

Fourthly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall not confer and individual precedence, but shall entitle the recipient to the addition after his name of the letters “D.C.M.”

Fifthly: – It is ordained that the names of those upon whom We may be pleased to confer the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall be published in the London Gazette, and that a register thereof shall be kept in the office of our Principal Secretary of State of War.

Sixthly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall [be worn] before war medals in such order as We may from time to time assign to it, and that it shall be worn on the left breast pendant from the riband, of one inch and one quarter in with, which shall be in colour crimson, having in the centre a dark blue stripe of width equal to the crimson stripes on each side of it.

Seventhly: – It is ordained: –

(1) that a Warrant Officer Class 1 or 2 non-commissioned officer, or man, belonging to any of Our military forces who has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall be paid a gratuity of £20 on promotion to a Commission, on transfer to Our Army Reserve, or on discharge without pension;

(2) that if he is discharged with a pension he shall be eligible for an additional pension of 6d per day for Europeans, and 3d a day for non-Europeans;

(3) that, if he is awarded a Bar or Bars to his Distinguished Conduct Medal, and he comes under sub-paragraph (1) above, each Bar shall for gratuity purposes regarded as an original award of the medal. If, however, he comes under sub-paragraph (2) above, no gratuity or further addition to pension shall be issuable in respect of a Bar or Bars, and;

(4) that soldiers of an Allied or Associated Army, of ranks equivalent to those of Our Military Forces specified in the second clause of this Our Royal Warrant, who have been associated in operations with Our Military Forces shall be eligible for the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal but no pension shall accompany such award.

Eighthly: – It is ordained: –

(1) that a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal who suffers death by sentence of Court-Martial; or if an officer, is cashiered, dismissed or removed from Our Naval, Military, or Air Force for misconduct; or if a soldier, sailor, or airman is discharged from Our Naval, Military, or Air Forces with ignominy, or for misconduct, or on account of a conviction with the Civil Power, or for having been sentenced to penal servitude, shall forfeit the Distinguished Conduct Medal (unless otherwise recommended by Our Army Council);

(2) that if a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal is convicted by the Civil Power, or is dealt with under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1907, he shall be liable to a like forfeiture at the discretion of the Army Council;

(3) that the forfeiture of the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall involve: –

(a) the erasure of the recipient’s name from the register of persons upon whom the Distinguished Conduct Medal has been conferred; and

(b) the cessation of any pension or gratuity to which the possession of the medal might entitle the recipient, but no such forfeitures shall extend to any sum of money which has already been paid;

(4) that a forfeited Distinguished Conduct Medal and any forfeited annuity, pension or gratuity attached to it, may be restored to its former holder under regulations approved by Our Army Council:

Provided that We, Our Heirs and Successors, shall at all times have power to restore a forfeited Distinguished Conduct Medal and with it such pension or gratuity as may have been forfeited;

(5) that a notice of forfeiture and of restoration under this Clause shall in every case be published in the London Gazette.

Lastly: – We reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting or dispensing with these Regulations, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Royal Sign Manual.

Given at Our Court at St. James’ this 6th day of November 1920, in the eleventh year of Our Reign.

By His Majesty’s Command

W.S. Churchill

Indian Army Orders

Indian Army Order 511, of 1917

511. Officers – In order to place officers who are granted commissions in the Indian Army after service in the Special Reserve, Territorial Force and New Armies, on an equality as regards service for promotion with officers who are similarly granted commissions in the British Service, it has been decided that certain modifications shall be made in the terms offered in India Army Order No 729 of 1916. That order and India Army Order 126 of 1917 are accordingly cancelled and the following substituted:-

14th May 1917
With the approval of the Right Hon’ble the Secretary of State for India, the Government of India have sanctioned* the grant of permanent commissions in the Indian Army, up to a limited number, to selected officers of the Special Reserve, Territorial Force and New Armies under the following conditions:-

  1. A candidate must have been under 26 years of age on the date  on which he was commissioned, or on the 5th August, 1914, in the case of an officer who held a Special Reserve or Territorial Force, commission before that date.
  2. A candidate will count for pension all service as a commissioned or warrant officer, and one-half of service in a lower rank, rendered since the 5th August 1914, but only service in the regular forces before that date will count for pension as above. The period of service rendered out of India prior to joining the Indian Army, allowed to count for pensions, is subject to the limit of 5 years laid down in paragraph 694 (a), Army Regulations, India Volume I.
  3. A candidate will count for promotion the period of commissioned service which he is permitted to count for pension less nine months, and the date of his commission in the Indian Army will be regulated accordingly.
  4. An officer will join the Indian Army on probation in the rank to which his length of service, adjusted as above, would entitle him under Indian Army rules of promotion, any higher rank being relinquished. Readjustments of rank will be effected as follows:-
    1. In the case of an officer sent from England to India, from the date of landing in India:
    2. In the case of an officer serving in India or on field service, from the date of joining an Indian unit:
    3. In the case of an officer already attached to an Indian unit, from the date of his acceptance as a probationer for a commission in the Indian Army as notified in the “Gazette of India”, (but this will not affect any pay previously drawn, vide paragraph 318-A, Army Regulations, India, Volume II).
  5. An officer will be on probation for the first year in the Indian Army, and if found unsuitable may be reverted at any time within the first year to his original corps.
  6. An officer must be unmarried.
  7. An officer will receive Indian rates of pay and allowances during the period of his probation.
  8. During the period of probation an officer will not be allowed to subscribe to the Indian Military Widows and Orphans Fund, but such subscription will be compulsory with effect from the date of his permanent admission to the Indian Army.
  1. An officer who has already submitted an application for a permanent commission in the Indian Army under the terms of Indian Army Order No. 729 of 1916, and who is not prepared to accept the conditions now stated, will be permitted to withdraw his application.
  2. Applications for commissions in the Indian Army should be submitted to the Military Secretary to His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India on special forms which can be obtained on application to the Military Secretary, India Office, General Officers Commanding Divisions in India or General Officers Commanding Forces in the Field.

Indian Army Order 510, of 1917

510. Officers – With the approval of the Right Hon’ble the Secretary of State for India, the Government of India have sanctioned the admission of the Indian Army of Reserve of Officers into the Indian Army subject to the following conditions: –

  1. A candidate must be at least 19 years of age at the date of his application. A candidate for Indian Cavalry must have been under 26, and a candidate for Indian Infantry under 28 years of age, on the date on which he was commissioned, or on the 5th August 1914 whichever is the later date.
  2. A candidate must have not less than one year’s service as a commissioned officer at the date of his application. Such commissioned service may have been either in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers or in a British unit, or in both combined.
  3. A candidate must be unmarried.
  4. A candidate must be recommended by the Commanding Officer of his own unit, who must certify that he is willing to accept the candidate as an officer in his own regiment or corps; and he must also be recommended by the General Officers Commanding the Brigade and Division in which he is serving, and by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India.
  5. A candidate must ordinarily have attained a standard of general education equivalent to the standard for matriculation at a university.
  6. A candidate must be reported by a medical board to be physically fit for permanent commission in the Indian Army.
  7. A candidate will be admitted to the Indian Army with effect from the date notified in the Gazette of India, and will be eligible for retention, promotion and pension in the Indian Army in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 310, 311 and 318, Army Regulations, India, Volume II, and paragraphs 694, 706, 163 and 163-A, Army Regulations, India, Volume I, as modified by any special orders issued in connection with the war.
  8. A candidate will count for pension all service as a commissioned or warrant officer, and one-half of service in a lower rank, rendered since the 5th August 1914, but only service in the regular forces before that date will count for pension as above. The period of service out of India prior to joining the Indian Army allowed to count for pension is subject to the limit of 5 years laid down in paragraph 694 (a), Army Regulations, India, Volume I.
  9. A candidate will count for promotion the period of commissioned service which he is permitted to count for pension, less nine months, and the date of his commission in the Indian Army will be regulated accordingly.
  10. With effect from the date of appointment to the Indian Army, an officer will be required to subscribe for the benefits of the Indian Military Widows and Orphans Fund.

 

  1. In exceptional cases of proved merit in the field, of which His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India shall be the sole judge, the conditions laid down in (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) may be waived, each case being judged on its merits. No, application in respect of such a case should, however, be submitted unless the officer’s services have been not only meritorious, but exceptionally so.
  2. Applications for commissions in the Indian Army should be submitted to the Military Secretary to His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief on forms which can be obtained on application to General Officers Commanding.

 

Army Council Instruction 75 of 1921

75. Restoration of Medals

  1. Under the powers conveyed by Article 1240 of the Pay Warrant as amended by A.O. 298 of 1920 and the degradation clauses of the Royal Warrants governing the D.C.M., M.M., and M.S.M, the Army Council have decided that all D.C.Ms., M.Ms. and M.S.Ms. and war medals which, subsequent to 4th August, 1914, have been forfeited by a soldier under Article 1236 of the Pay Warrant as it stood before the present amendments were effected, shall be restored, except in those cases where the punishment of death by sentence of court martial or discharge under King’s Regulations, para. 392 (x) (on conviction by the Civil Power), (xi) (for misconduct), (xii) (on sentence of penal servitude), or (xiii) (with ignominy), has been carried out.
  2. Officers i/c records will henceforth only enter on the medal rolls submitted by them that a medal has been forfeited in accordance with the terms of Article 1236 (b) of the Pay Warrant as amended by A.O. 298 of 1920.
  3. The issue of all medals previously shown on the medal rolls for the Great War as having been forfeited under Article 1236 of the Pay Warrant previous to amendment will, now that they have been restored, be made to officers i/c of records in due course.
  4. All medals now being retained by officers i/c of records on account of the forfeiture clauses contained in Article 1236 of the Pay Warrant previous to the amendments made by A.O. 298 of 1920 will be issued forthwith, provided that the conviction which occasioned such forfeiture is dated subsequent to 4th August, 1914, and that the soldier concerned was retained in the Army after his conviction.
  5. In the case of medals to which a gratuity is attached, the gratuity, if not already paid, will be paid on restoration of the medal.

In the case of medals to which a pension is attached, the pension will be restored as from the date of Gazette notifying the restoration of the medal or from the date of this A.C.I. in those cases where the forfeiture was not notified in the London Gazette.

68/Gen. No. /3772 (A.G. 10).

Belle Vue Pyrodramas

Several of the letters published in the Ashton Reporter from the men of the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment make reference to “Belle Vue”, which was a famous local amusement park in West Gorton, Manchester. For example, take the letter written by Private Tom Littleford, to his mother, and published in the Reporter on Saturday July 17, 1915:

 “Private Jas. Ryder has had one or two narrow escapes. One day, when they were taking us in the trenches, a bullet took his hat straight off his head, and another bullet lodged in the overcoat, which was strapped on his back. Both night and day shrapnel shells are bursting around us. Talk about Belle Vue, it isn’t in it. When we were at home they called the Territorials England’s last hope, but we are England’s first aid at present”.

But in this case, the references to Belle Vue were specifically comparing the real world experience of battle they were now witnessing first-hand to those re-enacted in “Pyrodramas” at Belle Vue that they and their friends and family had seen together in happier times.

Belle Vue Main Entrance 1953
Courtesy Chetham's Library, Manchester

The founder and driving force behind Belle Vue was John Jennison (1790-1869) who bought the original 36 acre site, off Hyde Road and Kirkmanshulme Lane. Belle Vue opened in 1836, expanded over time and eventually occupied 165 acres. At the height of its popularity, 2 million people visited every year.

Belle Vue Plan 1892
By Foreign and Commonwealth Office Collection (Contributed by: The University of Manchester, The John Rylands University Library)

In 1851, Jennison, visited the Great Exhibition in London and whilst there, paid a visit to Surrey Zoological Gardens. It was here that he witnessed a ‘stupendous Diaphanic Panopticon’, which portrayed the horrors of war. Described in publicity of the time as a ‘gigantic panorama’ it measured 200 feet in length, and had figures 15 feet in height, and ‘was ‘the first ever attempted.’ Constantly looking for new ways to attract the public, on his return to Manchester Jennison formulated a plan to dramatically increase the quality, and expand the scale and visual impact of his own static panorama displays.

Edwardian Visitors to the Static Panorama
Courtesy Chetham's Library, Manchester

He envisioned large firework shows presented against the backdrop of a huge painted canvas representing a famous historical or contemporary event. He hired George Danson, (of Messrs. Danson), who had created the Surrey Zoological Gardens panorama which so impressed him, to come to Manchester and create the sets for the Belle Vue Pyrodramas. Danson constructed enormous backdrops, 300 feet wide and 60 feet high, hand-painted in the open air by professional artists who, for the rest of the year, worked in the Royal Opera House and the theatres of Covent Garden and Drury Lane. These backdrops were then installed on the “firework island” that formed the setting for the dramatic orchestrated shows, punctuated by fireworks and acted out by ever larger casts of actors. So successful were the Pyrodramas that Danson, and his sons, Thomas and Robert Danson, would come back to Manchester and paint them for each of the next 44 years.

Belle Vue Zoological Gardens Handbill, 1900 Season
Courtesy Chetham's Library, Manchester

Pyrodramas were included in the price of admission and visitors could watch from what used to be an open air dance floor or could pay extra to watch from an elevated viewing platform. The Pyrodramas were spectacular and turned out to be immensely popular, watched by tens of thousands each year, and their addition as an attraction in the zoological gardens helped secure the financial future of Belle Vue.

Battle of Blenheim, 1907 Season
Courtesy Chetham's Library, Manchester
« of 4 »

The first of the Pyrodramas was “The Bombardment of Algiers” in 1852 and the sequence of shows through 1926 are outlined below:

List of Representations at Belle Vue Manchester from 1852-1924
Courtesy Chetham's Library, Manchester
Year Pyrodramas
1852 The Bombardment of Algiers
1853 The Storming of Seringapatam
1854 Burning of Moscow
1855 Siege of Sebastopol
1856 The Storming of Malakoff
1857 The Siege of Gibraltar
1858 The Storming of Delhi
1859 The Temple of Janus
1860 The Storming of the Badajoz
1861 The Emperor’s Palace & the City of Pekin
1862 The Battle of the Nile
1863 The Relief of Lucknow
1864 The Siege of Charlestown
1865 Earthquake at Lisbon
1866 Carnival of Rome
1867 Storming of St. Jean d’Acre
1868 Battle of Trafalgar
1869 Storming of Magdala
1870 Capture of Quebec
1871 Bombardment of Strasburg
1872 Napoleon Crossing the Alps
1873 The Spanish Armarda
1874 Battle of Waterloo
1875 Capture of Coomassie
1876 The Prince at Calcutta
1877 The Fall of Alexinatz
1878 The Fall of Plevna
1879 The Afghan War
1880 Burning of the Tuilleries (City of Paris)
1881 Battle of Navarino (Fought in 1827)
1882 Carnival of Venice
1883 Battle of Tel-el-Kebir (Egypt)
1884 Siege of Constantinople, 1453
1885 Siege and Defence of Khartoum
1886 Storming of San Sebastian
1887 City of London
1888 Siege of Malta
1889 Storming of the Bastille
1890 Storming of Cairo
1891 Battle of Inkerman
1892 Battle of Cape St. Vincent
1893 American Indian War
1894 Siege of Granada
1895 Storming of Port Arthur
1896 Battle of Alma
1897 Matabele War
1898 Storming of Dargai
1899 Battle of Omdurman
1900 Siege of Ladysmith
1901 Siege of Pekin
1902 Battle of Paardeberg
1903 Capture of Gibraltar
1904 Attack on Port Arthur
1905 Battle of Mukden
1906 Storming of the Kashmir Gate, Delhi (1857)
1907 Battle of Blenheim, Aug 13th, 1704
1908 Defence of Mafeking
1909 Bombardment of Alexandria
1910 Battle of Manchester
1911 The Relief of Lucknow
1912 Burning of Hankow
1913 The Balkan War – Battle of Lule Burgas
1914 The Battle of Kandahar
1915 The Battle of the Marne
1916 War in Flanders
1917 The Battle of the Ancre
1918 The Fight for Liberty
1919 Mons 1914-1918
1920 The Capture of Jerusalem
1921 Chinese War – Storming of the Taku Forts
1922 Storming of Kotah (Indian Mutiny 1858)
1923 The Redskins
1924 Mexico
1925 The Cannibals
1926 Reign of Terror

By 1923 the themes of the Pyrodramas changed from well-known military actions to less militaristic depictions, not wholly surprising after a run of 70 consecutive annual shows, and perhaps reflecting a change in public appetites after the great war. The last Pyrodrama produced at Belle Vue was “Robin Hood” in 1956.

In 1925, Belle Vue Zoological Gardens was sold to a London-based syndicate and during the 1950s it was purchased by the hotel and catering conglomerate, the Forte Group. As anyone of a certain age from Manchester can tell you, Belle Vue continued to be quite a popular local destination and an amusement park, miniature railway and speedway racing were added to the list of attractions. But by the 1970s, Belle Vue entered a death spiral as other more popular public attractions became available and attendances dwindled. Belle Vue finally closed for good in 1979.

References:

[1.] Chetham’s Library, Manchester
[2.] “The Belle Vue Story”, by Robert Nicholls. ISBN: 9781852160708

Gilbert the Filbert

Basil Hallam
© National Portrait Gallery, London

Basil Hallam Radford was born on April 3, 1888. He attended Charterhouse School and went on to become a well known actor and light comedian performing under the name ‘Basil Hallam’. In early 1914 he created and played the character of a privileged young “Knut”, Gilbert the Filbert, for The Passing Show which opened at the Palace Theatre, London, on 20 April 1914. The composer was Herman Finck and the lyrics were written by Arthur Wimperis.

Hallam became an overnight sensation and the whole country was singing the song and young men of a certain station started to refer to themselves as “Knuts”.

I’m Gilbert, the Filbert,
The Knut with a “K”,
The pride of Piccadilly,
the blasé roué.
Oh, Hades! the ladies
who leave their wooden huts
For Gilbert, the Filbert,
The Colonel of the Knuts.

The widespread popularity can be glimpsed in letters from the front, published in local newspapers, where men refer to themselves as ‘Knuts’ and further evidenced by a short article, written by P. G. Wodehouse, about the “Knuts O’ London” in the September 1914 edition of Vanity Fair.

Knuts O' London
Vanity Fair, September 1914

But, as for many others, the war got in the way of his success and on September 14, 1915 he was gazetted a probationary Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps.

On August 20, 1916 he was a temporary Captain and a member of No 1 Army Kite Balloon Section, stationed in France. On that day, the balloon broke away from its moorings and began to drift towards enemy lines. Following protocol, the three man crew proceeded to throw out their instruments and maps before planning to save themselves. Basil Hallam Radford did not survive the jump and is buried in the Couin British Cemetery. He was 27 years old.

References:

The September 1914 Vanity Fair article by P.G. Wodehouse can be found here.
Details regarding the death of Captain Basil Hallam Radford can be found here.

P.S.A. Movement

Several of the letters published in the Ashton Reporter from the men of the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment have editorial references to the man being a member of the “P.S.A.” Additionally, the Reporter published short articles regarding the meetings and activities of the local P.S.A. brotherhood in Ashton and district and at one point published a P.S.A. “Roll of Honour”.

The Pleasant Sunday Afternoon (P.S.A.) movement was founded by John Blackham, a linen draper from West Bromwich, who was a prominent member of the local community. By the time he was 30 he was already a deacon at the West Bromwich Ebenezer Congregational Church, and was already active in the Adult School Movement which was originally intended to teach literacy to working class adults primarily through the study of the bible, especially the New Testament. No doubt his involvement in this endeavor caused him to think generally about how to increase attendances and especially how to regain the interest of those who had previously attended Church Sunday Schools but had since stopped.

In 1875, when he was 41, he traveled to Birmingham to hear the well-known American evangelists, Moody and Sankey who were speaking at the Town Hall one Sunday afternoon. Unable to get in, due to the large crowds, he ended up attending a small Sunday School bible study class at the Ebenezer Congregational Chapel in nearby Steelhouse Lane. Opened in 1816, this was a very large church with capacity for a thousand worshippers but on that day only a few dozen young men were in attendance. What a contrast. Thousands of people clamored to see the American evangelists preach the word of God but just a few minutes’ walk away, a capable and engaging speaker could barely summon up a handful of faithful men. Blackham had a breakthrough moment and perhaps for the first time clearly saw that in order to fill seats, the format, content and delivery mattered more than anything else. “I realized that if men were to be won, we must give them a service neither too long nor too learned. We must avoid dullness, prolixity, gloom and constraint”, he is later reported to have said.

On his return, he met with the West Bromwich Ebenezer Congregational Church Sunday School officials, and laid out his ideas of how to boost attendance, and reclaim lapsed members, by introducing a new kind of bible study class that would be short and bright and last no more than three-quarters of an hour. Importantly, as a member of a Congregationalist church the only people who needed to be persuaded to do something radical were his local church elders. Evidently, he was able to gain their consent and so he quickly set out to find as many local young men as he could who had previously attended Sunday School but who now no longer regularly attended church. The following Sunday afternoon, around 120 young men that he had recently canvased on the streets of West Bromwich duly arrived at the Ebenezer Chapel to attend the first meeting of what was shortly to become the Pleasant Sunday Afternoon (P.S.A.) movement.

The meetings were wildly successful and the popularity of the P.S.A. meetings slowly spread throughout the Black Country, across the Midlands and to the rest of the country. Within ten years, around 1885, they had reached Ashton-under-Lyne, gained traction and became an integral part of the religious establishment thus earning their place in the Ashton Reporter.

The P.S.A. and the Ashton Reporter

Saturday, September 11, 1915:

On Sunday, at the Ashton P.S.A. Society, at an open service for men and women, the veteran and distinguished elocutionist, Mr. Barnish Barnsdale is announced to recite “The Sermon That Wasn’t Preached”, “What Shall it Be”, and “Unconquered”. These are items that Mr. Barnsdale has made his own, and his elocutionary abilities ae acclaimed everywhere.

P.S.A. Roll of Honour

UNVEILING CEREMONY PERFORMED BY MRS. A. PARK

Saturday, October 30, 1915:

The gathering of the P.S.A. Society’s Bible Class on Sunday morning took the form of an open service, the first of its kind in the 30 years’ history of the class. There was a large attendance, which included a number of soldiers. The special feature of the gathering was the unveiling of the class Roll of Honour, which contains the names of all those who are doing military service in various parts of the world.

Mr. A. Park, J.P., president of the society, was in the chair, and he was accompanied on the platform by Mrs. Park. Several friends, by giving voice and recitations, added to the brightness of the service, and the members of the Singing Class rendered musical items in pleasing fashion.

The Chairman made sympathetic and appropriate reference to the members whose names appeared on the roll, and mentioned the loss they had sustained by the deaths in action of Gunner William Booth, R.F.A., and Staff-Sergeant Harry Owen of the Royal Garrison Artillery.

Ms. Park gave a short address of patriotic and religious character, and then proceeded to unveil the roll of honour, which contains the following names: –

Sergeant Thomas William Boon, 1st South Wales Borderers.
Company Quartermaster-Sergeant John Williamson, 1/9 Manchester Regiment.
Company Quartermaster-Sergeant Herbert Bradshaw, 2/9 Manchester Regiment.
Staff-Sergeant Harry Owen, 1st Siege Battery, R.G.A., killed in action.
Staff-Sergeant Wm. H. Martin, 1/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private Walter Eastwood, 3/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private Harry Hobson, 2/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private Wm. Bromley, 1/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private John Oldham, 3/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private Roland Bromley, 2/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private John Seedall, 6th Cheshire Regiment.
Private Frank Briggs, 8th South Lancashire Regiment.
Gunner Wm. Booth, R.F.A., killed in action.
Gunner Geo. H. Watkins, R.F.A., 181st Brigade.
Private James Beaumont, R.A.M.C.
Private Harry Kerrick, 3/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private Stanley Townley, 3/9 Manchester Regiment.
Private James Hague, 3/9 Manchester Regiment.

Royal Visit to Ashton May 20, 1938

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth concluded their four days’ visit to Lancashire today with a tour from Knowlsey to Ashton-under-Lyne, and embracing: Wigan, Bolton, Radcliffe, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Oldham.

The King and Queen will set out this morning from Knowsley Hall, where they have been staying for the last two nights as the guest of Lord Derby, on the last stage of their tour of Industrial Lancashire. Today’s itinerary takes a zigzag course across the south-eastern part of the county, ending at Ashton-under-Lyne, where the King and Queen will entrain for London.

10:45am – Leave Knowsley hall and progress to Ashton-in-Makerfield.
11:10 am – Due Ashton-in-Makerfield, progress to Wigan.
11:33 am – Arrive Wigan Town Hall for presentations.
11:45 am – Leave Wigan for Bolton.
12:29 pm – Arrive Bolton Town Hall for presentations.
12:41 pm – Leave Bolton for Bury.
1:27 pm – Arrive Derby hall, Bury for presentations and lunch.
2:42 pm – Leave Bury via for Rochdale.
3:14 pm – Arrive Rochdale Town hall for presentations.
3:26 pm – Leave Rochdale for Oldham.
3:59 pm – Arrive Oldham Town Hall for presentations.
4:11 pm – Leave Oldham for Ashton-under-Lyne.
4:24 pm – Due Ashton Town Hall for presentations.
4:45 pm – Due Ashton Railway Station.

How Ashton Welcomed the King1

Lord Derby arrived in Ashton a few minutes ahead of the King and Queen. As the wireless message regarding his approach was received, his car was seen turning from Oldham road into Katherine Street, and a few minutes later he was being introduced to the Mayor and Mayoress and others on the platform. With the Town Clerk, he went over the list of people to be presented.

A THRILLING MOMENT

It was a thrilling moment when news was received that Their Majesties were in Ashton. Looking from the Town Hall, their car could be seen turning into Katherine Street. Flags were waved, and the cheering swelled into a deafening crescendo, as the car pulled up opposite the Town Hall entrance. The King and Queen were received by Lord Derby, the County Lieutenant, who presented the Mayor and Mayoress to them.

The Queen, smiling as she acknowledged the cheers of the dense crowd, was a radiant figure in a blue swagger two-piece with a hat to match. She wore a red rose on her left shoulder. The King, who looked well and fit, raised his hat in acknowledgement of the cheers.

The King broke off his conversation with the Mayor as the Regimental Band of the 9th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment played the national Anthem, and afterwards, with Lord Stanley, the hon. Colonel of the 9th Battalion, and Col. Barratt, the commanding officer, he inspected the guard of honour mounted by the Battalion, which had previously given the Royal Salute, under the command of Captain Hall. During the inspection, the Queen talked animatedly with the Mayor.

After the inspection, The King walked back to the platform and, with the Queen, ascended the dais on which two chairs had been placed for them. In front of the chairs was a blue carpet bearing the inscription “In commemoration of the crowning of King George VI, of Great Britain and Ireland, the Dominions beyond the seas, as King-Emperor of India, May 11, 1937. God save the King.”

The Presentations

After the presentations already named had been made, the following presentations were made by the Mayor to the King. Those to be presented sat on the right of the King and Queen, and as each was presented, after shaking hands with the King and Queen, they moved to the opposite side of the dais: –

The Deputy-Mayor, (Counsellor E. Meeks)
Borough Member, (Mr. F. B. Simpson and Mrs. Simpson)
Alderman R. S. Oldham, (Freeman of the Borough)
Alderman Col. J. Broadbent, (ex-Member for the Borough)
Alderman C. M. Bowden, (President, Portland House Social Centre)
Miss Margaret Bridge, (Matron, District Infirmary Ashton)
Miss A. Howard, (Matron, Ashton and District Sick Nursing Association)
Mr. Francis Dunn, (ex-Servicemen’s Association)
Alderman W. Wood, (National Gas and Oil Engine Co.)
Counsellor J. F. Davis
Alderman E. Broadbent, (President, National Chamber of Trade and hon. secretary Ashton Chamber of Trade)
Mr. J. Wolstencroft Jnr., (Secretary, Ashton and District Trades and Labour Council)
Mr. E. N. O’Hara, (Borough Treasurer)
Sir Charles H. Booth, (Magistrate’s Clerk)
Counsellor Mrs. M. E. Williamson, (President, Ashton Boy’s Club)
Rev. H. Whewell, (Rector and Rural Dean of Ashton)
Rev. G. A. Mitchell, (President, Ashton and District Free Church Council)
Father Bryan Hickey, (Roman Catholic Churches)
Mr. G. W. Fielding, (Secretary, Ashton and District Cotton Employers’ Association)
Mr. S. Howard, (Chairman, Limehurst Rural District Council) and Mrs. Howard
Mr. A. Brown, (Clerk, Limehurst Rural District Council) and Mrs. Brown

Royal Visit to Ashton May 20, 1938
“GOD SAVE THE KING!”

“GOD SAVE THE KING!” – Just after Their Majesties arrived at the Town Hall, the band of the 9th Battalion the Manchester Regiment played the National Anthem and everybody stood to attention. In the foreground will be seen the ladies-in-waiting to the Queen, Lord Stanley, Mr. A. Lascelles (the King’s private secretary), Colonel W. M. Barratt (1/9th Batt.), the Chief Constable (Mr. H. Dutton), Mrs. D. W. Bromley, the Town Clerk (Mr. D. W. Bromley), Lord Derby, the Mayoress (Mrs. J. Q. Massey), the Mayor of Ashton (Alderman J. Q. Massey), and Queen Elizabeth, King George VI, and Captain Hordern (Chief Constable of Lancashire).

After the presentations, the King and Queen walked over to the disabled ex-Servicemen, and spoke to a number of them.

SERVED IN HER BROTHER’S REGIMENT

“Oh! My brother2 was in the Royal Scots”, said the Queen to one of the disabled ex-Servicemen, Mr. Slater of Oaken Clough, Limehurst, after he answered her query as to the regiment he served in during the war.

Edwin Slater with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
Ashton May 20, 1938

ROYAL SCOTS – In the foreground can be seen Mrs. and Mr. D. Bromley, (The Town Clerk), the Mayoress (Mrs. J. Q. Massey), the Mayor of Ashton (Alderman J. Q. Massey), and King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and Mr. Edwin Slater M.M., (ex-Serviceman Royal Scots Regiment).

SHOWED QUEEN INVITATION TO PALACE

To ex-Private John Spicks, 80 Stockport Road, Ashton, who was blinded as a result of his war service whilst serving with the Shropshire Light Infantry, the Queen offered a few words of encouragement. When Mr. Spinks showed her an invitation he received to an entertainment in Buckingham Palace in 1916, the Queen emanated, “That was a long time ago.”

The Queen displayed an interest in the motor carriage in which sat Mr. Percy Sampson 13 Minerva Road, Ashton, and asked him how fast it could travel. In reply to the Queen’s questions Mr. Sampson told her that he was “knocked out” at Bethune in 1917 by an aeroplane bomb.

No Images found.

WITH THE DISABLED EX-SERVICEMEN – The King and Queen spent a few minutes talking with the disabled ex-Servicemen, who were given a place of honour on the right of the dais.

“What speed do you travel in your motor carriage?”, was one of the questions Queen Elizabeth asked of Mr. Livensy of 91 Timperley Road, Ashton, who served in the war in the King’s Liverpool Regiment, lost both his legs, had fifteen wounds and also sustained a broken jaw.

The Queen smiled when he replied, “Thirty miles per hour, when no one is looking!”

HOPED TRADE WOULD IMPROVE

In the course of the short talk which she had with him, the Queen told the Mayor that she thought Lancashire people were “wonderful” and that both she and the King had been impressed by the welcome they had received.

When the Mayor offered a compliment by remarking that the Scotch were also wonderful people the Queen replied, “Yes, they make a good combination.”

Told by the Mayor that the trade of the town was not as good as he would like to see it the Queen said she hoped it would soon improve.

The Queen said she was feeling rather tired after the tour and when the mayor said that she would, no doubt be glad to be able to return to the Princesses she said, “Yes, they are longing to see me.”

The King told the Mayor that he would take back with him happy memories of his visit to Ashton and expressed the hope that prosperity would return to the town.

BOUQUET NOT PRESENTED

It was intended that the Mayoress should present a bouquet of red roses to the Queen. Lord Derby, however, said that a rule had been made that no bouquets should be accepted throughout the tour. He promised that if the bouquet were placed in his car he would see that it was forwarded to Buckingham Palace.

After their conversations with the ex-Servicemen the King and Queen walked slowly back to the platform and stood for a moment acknowledging the cheering. Then they re-entered their car to a renewed burst of tumultuous cheering and drove away in the direction of Charlestown Station.

Queen’s Appreciation of Bouquet

In the handwriting of Lady Katherine Seymour, one of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting, the Mayor has received the following letter:

Buckingham Palace

“Dear Mr. Mayor,

The Queen commands me to write and convey to you her Majesty’s warmest thanks for the beautiful bouquet which you so kindly presented to the Queen at Ashton-under-Lyne yesterday afternoon.

The Queen was deeply touched by your charming thought of presenting the red roses of Lancashire to Her Majesty and the lovely flowers remind her most happily of Their Majesties’ memorable tour of Lancashire this week.

The Queen hopes so much that you were not unduly tired after receiving Their Majesties, as she fully realizes what efforts you must make to overcome your great infirmity.

The Queen does indeed appreciate your lovely bouquet of red roses.”

“Deeply Moved”

Lord Derby has sent on to the mayor a copy of the following letter which he has received from the King:

“The Queen and I are deeply moved by the loyal and enthusiastic reception so characteristic of the County Palatine that has been given to us during the past four days.

Will you please convey our heartfelt thanks to the people of Lancashire who, in sunshine and in rain, came in their thousands to bid us welcome with a warmth of affection that we shall never forget.

I appreciate that the arrangements for our visit could not have been as perfect as they were without a great deal of forethought and organization on the part of those entrusted with them. I send my hearty congratulations on their success to you and to all those who co-operated with you.”

The King’s Thanks

The Chief Constable of Ashton has received the following letter from the Chief Constable of Lancashire (Capt. Hordern):

“Dear Mr. Diston, Lord Derby has asked me to let you know that he has received the following telegram from the private Secretary to H. M. the King: –

“The King will be grateful if you will convey to all Chief Constables concerned, and to the members of their respective forces, His Majesty’s high appreciation of the services they have rendered while he was in Lancashire. Throughout the visit all the arrangements were, His Majesty considers, admirably planned and admirably executed.”

THE KING AND QUEEN END THEIR TOUR 3

The King and Queen ended their tour of Industrial Lancashire yesterday in perfect weather. They saw the mining and cotton towns of the county’s least attractive district bathed in sunshine, with a cloudless sky overhead, a kindly heat-haze shrouding the scarred and blackened landscape and an unwonted wealth of brilliant colour disguising the somber drabness of the streets and public buildings.

The day’s drive started at Knowsley Hall, where the King and Queen had been staying for the last two nights as the guests of Lord Derby. The procession was due to leave the park at 10:45, and as the zero hour drew near the pressmen who were to accompany the royal party were given an insight into the exceedingly thorough and complex precautions taken by the Lancashire County Police to ensure that the carefully planned programme should be carried through with the smoothness and precision of clockwork.

A police plane zoomed overhead, and on the radio of the control car in the park we heard its officer exchanging calls with stations at various points on the route. The advance pilot car, a big grey sports model with a large yellow circle on its tonneau cover, set off at 10:35, and the wireless operator warned the ‘plane the “X 50” – the royal landaulet – was ready to follow in a few minutes.  And so all through the journey the procession kept constantly in touch with patrols on the route ahead with the all-seeing occupants of the circling ‘plane ready for any emergency and assured of an unobstructed passage.

A TASTE OF SPEED

The royal car drove off, with hood down, some ten minutes late, and it is a tribute to the organization behind the nicely calculated time-table that it maintained this margin, within three or four minutes, all the way to Bury. Lines of chambermaids and scarlet-liveried footmen cheered the royal guests as they left the hall, and knots of labourers clustered behind the park railings at intervals to give them a farewell wave. Soon the procession had turned into the East Lancashire Road, and on our speedometer showed forty, fifty and sixty miles an hour.

But this rapid progress was possible only on short stretches, for at frequent intervals were stationed policemen holding red flags, to indicate a section where spectators could congregate to see the King and Queen pass slowly by. For two or three miles on either side of Ashton-in-Makerfield our speed was reduced to a crawl by the throngs of flag-waving school children and miners, who encroached on the roadway in almost uncontrolled but orderly enthusiasm. Even the window-frames of a half-built house were decorated with welcoming banners.

WIGAN’S WELCOME

As we approached the centre of Wigan the banks of school children lining the route grew broader and denser, their agitated flags became a dancing haze of colour, and church bells pealed above their vociferous greetings. In the Market Square the caravan drew up, and the King and Queen were received by Lord Derby, who had driven on ahead. Twenty thousand people sang “God Save the King” at widely differing speeds, and drowned its irregular conclusion in a hearty cheer. The King inspected a guard of honour provided by the Fifth battalion the Manchester Regiment, and then the Queen and he chatted with a number of crippled but proudly be-medalled ex-servicemen.

The Mayor presented a number of civic notables, and in less than ten minutes the cars moved off again on the Bolton road. Here, in depressed mining villages, surrounded by ugly slag-heaps and starkly motionless winding gear, the crowds were thinner and less exuberant in their welcome. There were gloomy faces in the groups of clog-shod colliers, as well as among the vendors of flags and favours whose hopes of further sales were ended by our arrival. And it was here, on a deserted stretch of road near Deane, that the first mishap of the day occurred.

The second royal household car, containing Lord Stanley, Mr. A. Lascelles (the King’s private Secretary), and a detective, suddenly drew into the side of the road, and for a moment the rest of the procession halted, while the police pilot car and the royal landaulet passed rapidly out of sight. Immediately the occupants of the car which had stalled jumped into one of the others, and the procession had reformed itself before the leaders entered Bolton. The defect – a fault in the petrol feed – was quickly remedied, and the car resumed its proper place when the party reached Bolton Town Hall.

At the boundary of Bolton mounted policemen met the party and trotted alongside the cars. When the royal car had passed one of the horses began to prance, but the officer quickly brought his steed to order.

In Bolton, the lines of cheering people were still more exuberant, and still less subject to official restraint. Constables were stationed more than a hundred yards apart in most of the streets, but the children resisted the temptation to push their flags through the press-car windows as we crawled at a snail’s pace through the narrow space allowed us.

“WRITE ME A LETTER”

As before, the King and Queen were received by Lord Derby and proceeded to inspect the guard of honour and ex-servicemen. One of the latter, Mr. J. Taylor, told the King that the local association for limbless veterans had ceased to exist. “It is twenty years since the war“, he added, “and none of us are getting any younger. We should like free passes on the corporation trams and buses, as they have in other towns.” “Well”, answered the King, “you must write me a letter about it” – which Mr. Taylor promised to do.

The presentations were made under a gorgeous canopy of blue and yellow, flanked by masses of flowers, and there were hundreds of people watching and taking photographs from the rooftops opposite, besides the thousands that thronged the square and filled the windows.  Before they left Bolton the King and Queen were greeted by a large board, bearing the words “You’re Gradely Welcome,” which was attached to a girder hanging from a crane beside the framework of a new building.

And so it went on, through Farnworth, Ringley, Stand and Radcliffe with everywhere flags, crowds, cheers, and hordes of children. Near Ringley Station the same royal car developed the same unfortunate trouble as at Deane, but otherwise the royal progress was without untoward incident.

By this time one had gained some sympathetic inkling of the trials and hardships suffered by a King on these occasions, when he must try to appreciate that for nearly every person in these endless crowds his passage is an exciting event, joyfully anticipated and long remembered, whereas to us who saw them from the moving cars their uniform appearance ad interminable cheers became so tedious that we almost jumped with relief and delighted surprise when we entered Bury – and found the school children waving coloured handkerchiefs instead of Union Jacks.

DIED AFTER MEETING THE KING

Less than three hours after he had shaken hands with the King and Queen at Bury yesterday, Herbert Fearing (52), a disabled ex-serviceman, of Buller Street, Bury, collapsed and died at his home while describing his experiences to his wife.

He served with the 15th Lancashire Fusiliers at the Gallipoli landing and was badly wounded.

Notes:

  1. This is an excerpt from an article that was originally published in the Saturday May 27, 1938 edition of the Ashton Reporter. It has been gently edited and slightly reformatted for accuracy and clarity. [back]
  2. The Queen’s brother, the Hon. Michael Claude Hamilton Bowes-Lyon, (“Mickie”), was a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Royal Scots Regiment at the outbreak of world war one. Eventually, he was promoted to Captain with the 16th Royal Scots and while serving with them was a German Prisoner of War from April 28, 1917 to Nov 29, 1918. [back]
  3. This is an excerpt from an article that was originally published in the Saturday May 21, 1938 edition of the Manchester Guardian. [back]

 

SMS Wolf

SMS Wolf
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.173

By late 1916 the German battleships were tied up in port by the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and the only avenue for striking at Allied merchant shipping was through the U-boat fleet and surface raiders. Wolf was a merchant ship fitted with seven hidden 150mm guns, four torpedo tubes, 465 mines, and a reconnaissance seaplane (“Wölfchen”).

SMS Wolf Seaplane ("Wölfchen")
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.110

Her major task was to lay mines off Allied ports in the Indian Ocean and act as an independent marauder. The Wolf was relatively slow, with a top speed of only 11 knots but her bunkers could hold 8,000 tons of coal, giving her a huge cruising range of 32,000 nautical miles at eight knots. And those bunkers were regularly replenished over the course of her voyage from the supplies of the merchant steam ships that she captured.

Loading Mines onto SMS Wolf in Kiel
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.004.

SMS Wolf mined, captured and sunk allied shipping during a round trip voyage from Germany lasting from November 30, 1916 to February 24, 1918. After a year at sea, accompanied by the captured Spanish steamer Igotz Mendi, she headed back to Germany. The Igotz Mendi ran aground off Skagen, Denmark and was seized by the Danish military. Wolf reached Kiel, Germany on February 24, 1918 after a voyage of 100,000 km over 1 year, 2 months, and 25 days.

SMS Wolf Route Map

For the first 3 months, the Wolf concentrated on laying mine fields around South Africa, Ceylon and India. After laying mines along the entrance routes to Bombay the Wolf started to focus on acting as a surface raider. After a few months of raiding, the Wolf arrived off the coast of New Zealand and laid mine fields off New Zealand and in the Tasman Sea before resuming its raiding activities on the way to Singapore, where it laid its remaining mines. From there, the Wolf started on the long voyage home taking shipping prizes as they became available.

South Africa

Mines were first laid of the coast of South Africa in January 1917.

Laying Mines off the Coast of Africa 16-Jan-1917
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The following ships, with a combined gross tonnage of 21,384, were struck by mines off the Cape of Good Hope and sank:

Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date
Matheran British 7,654 26-Jan-17
Cilicia British 3,750 12-Feb-17
C. de Eizaguirre Spanish 4,376 26-May-17
City of Athens British 5,604 10-Aug-17

The following ships, with a combined gross tonnage of 16,244, were struck by mines off Cape Agulhas (the geographic southern tip of the African continent) and were damaged but did not sink:

Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date
Tyndareus* British 11,000 06-Feb-17
Bhamo British 5,244 26-Aug-17

*The Tyndareus struck a mine about 10 miles (16 km) off Cape Agulhas. The explosion tore a large hole in the forward part of her hull and she began to sink by the head. On board were 30 officers and 1,000 men of the 25th (Garrison Service) Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment, who were bound for Hong Kong.

Despite rough seas, all the troops were successfully transferred to the SS Eumaeus and the hospital ship HMHS Oxfordshire, which had responded to Tyndareus’s SOS signals. A British cruiser, HMS Hyacinth, arrived from Simonstown accompanied by a tug to assist the stricken troopship. The captain of Hyacinth ordered that Tyndareus be beached, as it was a hazard to shipping, but Captain Flynn ignored the order and was able to pilot the sinking ship safely into Simonstown, where she was repaired.

Some accounts of the SMS Wolf appear to characterize SS Tyndareus as a “war ship” since it was acting as a Troop Transport rather than a pure merchant ship.

India and Ceylon

After laying mines off the coast of South Africa the SMS Wolf steamed to Colombo laying more mines off the Port of Colombo and the Southern tip of India. From there mines were laid along all the major access routes to Bombay.

SMS Wolf Mine Laying off Colombo 15-Feb-1917
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Launching a Sea Mine from the SMS Wolf
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.010.
Mines Laid on the Approaches to Bombay Harbour. February 1917.

The following ships, with a combined gross tonnage of 36,711, were struck by mines off the coast of Bombay, British India and either sank or were so damaged that they had to be scrapped.

Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date
Worcestershire British 7,175 17-Feb-17
Perseus British 6,728 21-Feb-17
Unkai Maru No. 7** Japanese 2,143 16-Jun-17
Mongolia British 9,505 24-Jun-17
Okhla British 5,288 29-Jul-17
Croxteth Hall British 5,872 17-Nov-17

** The Unkai Maru No 7 struck a mine from the SMS Wolf but photographic evidence indicates that it did not immediately sink and managed to make it into the Port of Bombay.

Unkai Maru View from Aft

The mines laid by SMS Wolf did not always stay in the place they were laid and several of them came ashore over the following months.

Mine being examined
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The following ship with a gross tonnage of 9,373 was damaged by a mine but managed to make it into the port of Bombay.

Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date
City of Exeter British 9,373 11-Jun-17

The City of Exeter, a passenger ship, struck a mine in the Indian Ocean, about 400 m. from Bombay. Number 1 hold filled at once, and the master gave orders for the passengers and crew to leave the ship. Then the master and chief engineer returned and, at grave risk, made a thorough examination of the ship. They decided that, with the exercise of the greatest care, the crippled vessel could reach Bombay under her own steam. The passengers re-embarked and the ship safely arrived in port.

New Zealand

The SMS Wolf laid mines around the coast of New Zealand in June 1917.

SMS Wolf Mine Laying in the Cook Strait June-1917
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The following ships, with a combined gross tonnage of 8,322 tons, struck mines laid by SMS Wolf and sank off the coast of New Zealand (off Cape Farewell and in the Cook Strait, respectively).

Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date  
Wimmera British 3,622 26-Jun-17  
Port Kembla British 4,700 17-Sep-17  

Australia (Tasman Sea)

In July 1917, the SMS Wolf laid mines in the Tasman Sea which quickly sank the following ship.

SMS Wolf Maine Laying off the Coast of Australia July-1917
Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date
Cumberland British 9,471 06-Jul-17

Singapore

After laying mines in the Tasman Sea the SMS Wolf meandered her way to Singapore eventually laying mines there in September 1917. No allied merchant ships were reported damaged or sunk by these mines.

Mines Laid around Singapore Sept 1917

Aden

Back in February, after laying the mine field, at Bombay on the 19th February, Captain Nerger began seeking out enemy shipping.

SMS Wolf Mine Laying Route Bombay-Colombo Feb-1917

With great irony, the first vessel encountered was the SS Turritella, a sister ship to Wolf, (previously called the Gutenfels), captured by the British at the beginning of the war, at Port Said, and subsequently renamed and sold to the Anglo-Saxon Oil Company.

On February 27, 1917 the Turritella was re-captured off Colombo. The ship was renamed Iltis, after a ship in which Captain Nerger had served in China in 1900. A prize crew was placed on board along with 25 mines and a 12 pounder gun. She was ordered to place her mines around the port of Aden.

Turritella
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.043.

Port bow view of the 5,528 ton British freighter, Turritella, alongside the SMS Wolf. Crew members line the railing around the bow of the Turretella, which has just been captured.

On March 5th, 1917, while laying a minefield in the Gulf of Aden, she was spotted and chased by the British warships HMS Odin and HMS Fox. The crew, however, managed to scuttle her to avoid her changing hands for the third time in the war.

Two ships were damaged by the mines laid by Iltis but neither one sunk or was damaged beyond repair:

Ship Flag Gross Tonnage Date
Danubian British 5,064 20-Mar-17
Hong Moh British 3,910 05-Jan-18

Surface Raider

From February 1917 onward, the SMS Wolf was primarily engaged as a surface raider. In all, 14 ships with a combined gross tonnage of 38,391 tons were captured by the SMS Wolf over the following months.

Ship Flag Grt Captured Sunk
Turritella British 5,528 27-Feb-17 15-Mar-17
Jumna British 4,152 01-Mar-17 03-Mar-17
Wordsworth British 3,509 11-Mar-17 18-Mar-17
Dee British 1,169 30-Mar-17 30-Mar-17
Wairuna British 3,947 02-Jun-17 17-Jun-17
Winslow USA 567 16-Jun-17 22-Jun-17
Beluga USA 507 09-Jul-17 11-Jul-17
Encore USA 651 17-Jul-17 17-Jul-17
Matunga British 1,618 06-Aug-17 26-Aug-17
Hitachi Maru Japanese 6,557 26-Sep-17 07-Nov-17
Igotz Mendi* Spain 4,648 10-Nov-17 22-Feb-18
John H. Kirby USA 1,296 30-Nov-17 01-Dec-17
Marechal Davout France 2,192 15-Dec-17 15-Dec-17
Storebror Norway 2,050 04-Jan-18 04-Jan-18

*Igotz Mendi was being sailed back to Germany but ran aground and was stranded off Skagen, Denmark on February 22, 1918.

SS Jumna

The 4,152 ton British merchant ship, Jumna, sinking, her bow and funnel still visible above the surface, as viewed from the SMS Wolf. She was captured 650 miles west of Minikoi Island.

Jumna Sinking
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.045.

SS Wordsworth

Captured 680 miles east of Mahe, Seychelles on 11 March 1917, her crew and passengers, totaling 30, and some of her cargo of rice were transferred aboard the SMS Wolf before she was sunk by explosives on 18 March 1917.

SS Wordsworth Dynamited
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.048
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Wairuna

The 3,947 ton New Zealand steamship, Wairuna, was Captured by SMS Wolf on 2 June, 1917. The Wairuna accompanied her to Sunday Island where the crew of 40 and her cargo of cheese, milk, meat and 1,200 tons of coal were transferred aboard the raider before the steamer was sunk by explosives on 17 June, 1917.

Wairuna
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.053.
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Winslow

The 567 ton United States four-mast schooner, Winslow, captured by the SMS Wolf, off Raoul Island in the Pacific Ocean on 16 June, 1917. Her crew and cargo were transferred aboard before she was set alight and left to burn on 22 June 1917.

Winslow Burning
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.088.

SS Beluga

Viewed from the deck of the SMS Wolf, smoke rises on the horizon from the 507 ton United States steam whaler, Beluga, captured in the Pacific Ocean off Howe Island on 9 July, 1917. She was sunk with 19 rounds of gunfire on 11 July, 1917. Her crew, master, and 12 passengers were taken prisoner, the second mate died aboard SMS Wolf on 10 October, 1917.

SS Beluga Sinking
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.060.

Encore

Smoke on the horizon from the remains of the 651 ton United States three-mast schooner, Encore, captured in the Pacific Ocean by the SMS Wolf on 13 July, 1917. After being relieved of some cargo, and her passengers and crew, oil was poured over the schooner and deck cargo, her rigging was cut away, and the vessel set on fire on 15 July, 1917.

Encore on Fire
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.089.

Matunga

Port bow view of the 1,608 ton British merchant ship, Matunga. After intercepting a radio message, the SMS Wolf stalked Matunga to Rabaul, New Guinea, and captured her along with her 500 tons of coal and supplies of liquor on 6 August, 1917. SMS Wolf and her new captive steamed in company for a week until they reached the remote island of Waigeo, where stores were transfered. On 26 August, 1917 46 crew and passengers were transferred to the raider as prisoners and Matunga was scuttled a few miles out at sea off the coast of New Guinea.

Matunga
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.064.

Hitachi Maru

The 6,557 ton Japanese freighter, Hitachi Maru, was captured south of the Maldive Islands on 26 September, 1917. Damage from SMS Wolf’s guns can be seen on Hitachi Maru’s hull. Passengers, including women, and crew members line the railings. Wolf jammed the radio transmission and fired 14 rounds into the ship, killing 16 and wounding 6 of the Japanese crew before she surrendered. For over a month the Hitachi Maru anchored with the raider at Suvadiva Atoll, where she was removed of her passengers, crew and cargo including a large amount of coal. She was scuttled among the Cargados Carajos Islands on 7 November, 1917.

A gripping account of her capture and the subsequent trials and tribulations as life as a prisoner of the SMS Wolf is well documented in the book, A Captive on a German raider, by Trayes, F. G.

Hitachi Maru
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.065.
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Igotz Mendi

Port bow view of the 4,648 ton Spanish steam ship, Igotz Mendi. The steamer was captured on 10 November, 1917, south of the Mauritius Islands in the Indian Ocean. Although the Igotz Mendi was a neutral ship, she was carrying 5,000 tons of coal for the Royal Navy. A prize crew was placed on board and 1,000 tons of coal was transferred to the raider as they sailed for the Cocos Islands. Both ships were painted grey and they travelled around the Cape of Good Hope and proceeded across the South Atlantic towards the Ilha da Trinade.

During February 1918, the SMS Wolf and her prize sailed through the North Atlantic en route for Ruhleben via Iceland. Both ships had been badly damaged when the raider had coaled from the collier at sea in rough weather. Conditions for prisoners on board both ships were almost unbearable, the temperature reaching as low as minus 10 degree Celsius. Violent storms were encountered with huge waves that constantly washed over the decks. The two ships made the coast of Norway on 21 February, 1918 but before reaching the safety of the port of Kiel the Igotz Mendi ran aground off the Danish coast in thick fog on 22 February, 1918. A Danish gunboat retrieved the crew and prisoners on board but the Igotz Mendi remained firmly aground and was abandoned by the Wolf.

Igotz Mendi
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.079.

John H Kirby

Sailors crowd the deck of the SMS Wolf (left), to view the sinking of the 1,359 ton United States three-mast barque, John H Kirby, her masts and stern still visible above the water. The barque was captured by SMS Wolf in the Pacific Ocean, 320 miles southeast of Port Elizabeth, Africa on 30 November, 1917. Her cargo of 270 Ford cars remained on board but she was stripped of useful supplies of toiletries and her passengers transferred aboard the raider before she was scuttled using explosives the following day.

John H Kirby Sinking
Image courtesy of Australian War Memorial, collection ID P05338.078.

Journey’s End

Wolf arrived back at Kiel, Germany on February 24, 1918 after a voyage of 100,000 km over 1 year, 2 months, and 25 days and without entering a single port of any kind . She had mined and sunk 13 ships with a gross tonnage of 75,888 tons and severely damaged five others with a combined gross tonnage of 34,591 tons. In addition, she had captured 14 vessels with a combined gross tonnage of 38,391 tons, sinking 12 of them.

References:

  1. Der Kreuzerkrieg in den ausländischen Gewässern, by Raeder, E.
  2. A Captive on a German raider, by Trayes, F. G.
  3. Additional pictures from, ‘Ruhmestage Der Deutschen Marine‘ by Kapitanleutnant Norbert v. Baumbach, Hamburg, 1933.