Training Battalions in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

Training Battalions

Kitchener's New Army:
14th Battalion, Training Reserve

Want to know more about the Training Battalions?

There are:6586 items tagged Training Battalions available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Those known to have served with
Training Battalions
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Braycotton Samuel. Pte. 8th Btn. B Coy. (d.5th Jun 1918)
Buxton Arthur. 57th Training Reserve Btn.
Haigh Harry Kershaw. Sgt. 3rd Btn.
McNally Francis. Pte. 13th Battalion (d.23rd August 1918)
Simpson Hubert. Pte. 22nd Btn.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please. Add a Name to this List

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19th Nov 2024
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256663

Pte. Hubert Simpson 22nd Btn. Durham Light Infantry

Hubert Simpson is my grandfather but I never got to meet him. He enlisted on 21st of March 1917 shortly after his eighteenth birthday, probably conscripted. At the time of his enlistment Hubert was working as a dyer in a textile mill in Morley, West Yorkshire. His regimental number upon enlistment was 92184. Hubert started training as a Private in the 11th Training Reserve Battalion in Brocton Camp. He was transferred to the 273rd Infantry Battalion on 8th of August 1917 and to the 52nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on 1st of November 1917.
Hubert and my Grandmother, Naomi Batley, were married in Stockton-on-Tees on 2nd of March 1918. Naomi told me that after their wedding ceremony Hubert kissed her at the church gate and left to join his battalion. Hubert arrived in Etaples, France on 8th of March 1918 and was transferred to the 22nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry on 29th of March 1918. On 27th of May 1918 Hubert was reported missing in field. Hubert was confirmed a prisoner of war in Germany on 9th of July 1918 and Naomi received a letter advising her of his capture shortly thereafter. My Dad told me that Hubert was made to work in the coal mines in Germany while a prisoner of war. Hubert was not released from the camp until 31st of December 1918/1st of January 1919.
Hubert briefly returned to Morley, West Yorkshire after his release and apparently re-united with Naomi, my Dad was born in November 1919. On 20th of March 1919 Hubert was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Hubert was transferred again on 17th of May 1919 to the Royal Army Service Corps at Durrington Camp, Salisbury Plain. This is where he learned to drive a vehicle. Hubert was de-mobilized on 2nd of December 1919. Hubert went back to his occupation as a dyer at the textile mill in Morley, West Yorkshire. He and Naomi had 4 children together but parted ways in 1944. That is when my Dad lost touch with Hubert and why I never got to meet Hubert. Hubert died on 2nd February 1982 in Morley, West Yorkshire.
Elizabeth Mallabon

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256110

Arthur Buxton 57th Training Reserve Btn. Machine Gun Corps

Arthur Buxton of 147 Old Hall Road, Chesterfield enlisted into the Army in the 6th of May 1918 and joined the 57th Training Reserve Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. He was aged 23yrs 2 months, Height 5' 4" Chest 36 1/2 inches His next of kin was changed from Stephen Buxton 147 Old Hall Road, Brampton (father) to Elizabeth Buxton 72 Peak Lane, Pinxton Derbys (wife). He was demobilized and transferred To Class Z Army Reserve in 1919.
John Buxton

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255191

Pte. Samuel Braycotton 8th Btn. B Coy. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.5th Jun 1918)

Samuel Braycotton was the 4th child of 7 born to Samuel Bray Cotton and Harriet Parker. He married Gertrude Sadler on 2nd of May 1905 at the Register Office in Walsall. They had 6 children, 4 boys and 2 girls.
Samuel enlisted on 2nd of September 1914 when he was 28 years old. He was only in France for 68 days, believed to be in the Ypres area when he was admitted to hospital on 2nd of March 1916 from the No. 15 Casualty Clearing Station with bronchitis and discharged from the 9th Training Reserve on 7th of January 1918 because of class P sickness (chronic bronchitis). The family believed he was gassed while serving in France and he was later a patient in one of the 8 Exeter hospitals used during the war. He died from cancer or TB of the lungs. His wife received a pension of 27/6 per week and the children received a total of 17/6. Gertrude married again in 1919. (Needs must).
Peta Millard

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253811

Sgt. Harry Kershaw Haigh 3rd Btn. Manchester Regiment

My grandfather, Harry Haigh, was born in Rochdale on the 21st of September 1880, the youngest child of James Henry and Sarah. The family moved to live in Milnrow near Rochdale, the birthplace of his mother. Harry had been a soldier in the Manchester Regiment from 1902 until 1910 and was then in the National Army Reserve until he was called up at the outbreak of WW1. He had married in 1911 and had a daughter in 1912 and at the time they lived in Heywood near Rochdale
He rejoined on the 24th of September 1914 as a Lance Corporal in the 3rd Manchesters and on the 9th of November he was posted to the 1st Manchesters and was sent to France with them.
In December 1914 he was fighting in the Battle of Givenchy and in June 1915 he suffered a shell wound to his forehead and then a bout of enteric fever whilst with No. 2 Company of the 1st Manchesters, and was transferred to D on the 16th of July that year. He was sent to a war hospital in Preston, perhaps Dunstan House?, Lancashire.
He returned to service on the 6th of October 1915 and was posted to the 3rd Manchesters as an unpaid Lance Corporal, still serving in France and at some point in 1916 was posted B.S.O. to the 2nd Manchesters as a Lance Corporal and in September that year was again transferred, this time to the 21st Manchesters and by the 21st of September had been promoted to Corporal.
In 1917 he was at Mailly, France with the 21st Manchesters and on the 12th of January he was injured by a shell entering his forehead and he was sent to Bellhouston Red Cross Hospital in Glasgow on the 23rd of January 1917. His promotion to Sergeant came through before this attack and he rejoined the 3rd Manchesters as a Sergeant on the 10th of April 1917, remained in England and was posted to the 70th Training Reserve Battalion as an instructor. On the 14th May 1918 he was attached to the NCO's School as an instructor and was discharged from the Army on 31st of March 1920 having served 18 years 42 days.
He was awarded the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. He died in 1943 and is buried in Heywood Cemetery, Lancashire with his wife who had died a month earlier.
Dorothy Hargreaves

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248775

Pte. Francis McNally 13th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.23rd August 1918)

Frank McNally is my great-great uncle (paternal uncle of my maternal grandfather), and was born in Brierfield, in Burnley, Lancashire. His father is unknown, and he was born out of wedlock in 1900 to a mother, Margaret, of Irish parents and who was a cotton weaver. He spent the first few years of his life growing up in John McNally's, his grandfather's, home before moving two doors down with his mother. He had four younger brothers, John Thomas, William, Edward, and Alexander who were aged between 7 and 10 when he was killed, tragically aged just 18. He was formerly with the 72nd Training Reserve Battalion.
Josh Francis McLennon

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The Wartime Memories Project
- Training Battalions during the Great War -

Training Battalions

Want to know more about the Training Battalions?

Those known to have served with
Training Battalions
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - Training Battalions during the Great War -

Training Battalions

Want to know more about the Training Battalions?

Those known to have served withTraining Battalionsduring the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- Training Battalions during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
Training Battalions
during the Great War 1914-1918.