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January 2005
Needs Must My earlier Brum ration articles about conscription tribunals came from 1916; by 191 7the shortage of men had become even more desperate. On 31 July, the opening day of Passchendaele (Third Ypres), the Warwickshire Appeal tribunal heard the following case which had been rejected by the local tribunal. A thirty-five year old greengrocer had been passed fit for labour duties abroad. His shop had a turnover of £80 to £100 a week. The man supported his widowed seventy-two year old mother. A sister assisted in the shop. The claimant for exemption, had already been granted two six month emergency exemptions and was requesting a third. A Captain Sydenham on behalf of the Army argued that the need for men was a 'hundred percent greater”. What decision did the Tribunal grant? Did it: (a) finally grant the man a permanent exemption to avoid more time-wasting tribunal appearances? The EMPIRE'S WAR EFFORT 1. Australia Constitutionally, if Britain was at war, so was Australia but the Dominion, as it then was could decide how. indeed if, it would participate. Nevertheless it immediately offered military forces to the Mother Country. During the war Australia mobilised, enlisted or trained 412,953 military and 3,586 naval men. Of these, 331.781 went overseas on active service despite there being no conscription. The soldiers constituted the Australian Imperial Force (AIR. The AIF: The country's peacetime military forces consisted of a small permanent administrative and instructional staff: a small permanent force of artillery and elements of certain administrative departments: and a Home Defence militia-These were not suitable for forming an expeditionary force so a completely new AIF was raised as follows- The 1st Division and 4th (independent) Brigade were formed at the beginning of the war and were sent to Egypt almost at once. Together with the New Zealand contingent they formed the Anzac Corps and took part in the Gallipoli landings. The 2nd Division was formed in 1915 and with the 1st. 2nd and 3rd Light Horse brigades took part in the later stages of that campaign. Light horse brigades were actually mounted infantry although they left their horses in Egypt The 8th Brigade arrived in Egypt in 1915; however the 3rd Division was raised in early 1916 and was sent to the UK. In February/March 1916 the 4th and 5th Divisions were formed in Egypt from the Independent brigades reinforcements and Gallipoli veterans. All five divisions went to France in 1916 and about May formed the I Anzac Corps ( 1st 2nd and 5th Divisions) and It Anzac Corps (4th Division and New Zealand Division), In 1918 all five divisions were brought together to form the Australian Corps under Australian command, Although the four battalion- brigade establishment was retained, recruiting difficulties in the absence of conscription meant that units could not be kept to full strength and the casualties suffered during the' April/May fighting eventually led to eleven brigades losing a battalion each. In addition to the above, there was an Australian air squadron in France as well as a number of army, corps and L of C troops serving there. A considerable number-of Australians also served with Imperial units. After the evacuation of Gallipoli the three light horse brigades, having been reunited with their horses, were joined by the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Light Horse Brigades and later formed the greater part of two mounted divisions, They took Part in the Egypt-Palestine campaign. Australia did not permit the execution of its soldiers. The Dominion financed the AlF including its transportation to theatres of war. NB: In the early months of the war, Australian and New Zealand forces Occupied Germany's Pacific. colonies. Naval: The Royal Australian Navy consisted of fourteen Ships. including a battle cruiser. It was immediately placed at the disposal of the British Admiralty and was later almost doubled in size. It operated as part of the 'Imperial' fleet and saw action in many parts of the world including the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and the North Sea. Casualties: Australian forces sustained a total of 214.360 battle casualties including 53,404 killed in action or died of wounds (in both cases including gassed), Honours and Awards: Sixty-five Australians gained the Victoria Cross and altogether 17.501 members of the AIF received British honours and decorations of various kinds. ANSWER to 'Needs Must' -- The answer is (c). The appeal Was dismissed with tl1e usual proviso (~that the claimant be allowed one month to settle his affairs. Although the man concerned was only fit for labour duties rather than active service he would free another man for the fighting line.
BOOK OF The MONTH The Committee has suggested that a book from our library should be nominated as “Book of the Month', preferably one connected with the month's talk. I'm happy to have a go but I would prefer members to recommend one which they have read. Do please remember that this is YOUR branch and YOUR BRUM RATION. I have not got the programme for 2005 at the time of writing. but how about WFA member Trevor Pidqeons The Tanks at Flers for a start?
DID YOU KNOW - that the ORBAT of the BEF contained such varied units as a typewriter repair shop, horse drawn mobile pigeon lofts, a wagon erection company. and a railway signal interlocking company?
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The Bulletin of the Birmingham Branch of the WFA Compiled by Bob Butcher |
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