During the early part of the war a number of Manchester
Regiment soldiers were transfered to the Rifle Brigade, In this article
by Andy Pay, historian of the Rifle Brigade, he explains the circunstances
and it's history
In response to Lord Roberts appeal, the National Reserve
was formed in the years just before the war. Every man with previous military
service of any kind was eligible, and all who enrolled undertook an honourable
obligation to serve in the event of a war. Thus in August 1914 large numbers
of old soldiers joined up throughout the country.
At first their duties were ill defined. They were not uniformed or armed
and they began by combining with the Police in guarding railways, bridges
and such vulnerable points, in anticipation of sabotage which, in any
event, was frustrated by the very efficient round up of German agents
on the outbreak of war.
Gradually the duties of the National Reservists became more military.
They were recognised by the War Office on 17th August 1914, and on 22nd
August were attested and appointed to Home Defence Companies which were
supernumerary to the eight service companies of their local Territorial
Battalions.
This was not an ideal one, and as the Territorials Divisions
moved from their peace stations to the theatres of war, these companies,
with no higher organisation, were scattered throughout the kingdom. They
were far too numerous for the prospective duties required, for by this
time it was clear that the War would not be fought on this side of the
Channel, they also included a large number of those who were capable of
playing more active parts.
Thus it was that on 29th July 1915 the War Office decided to concentrate
a number of these companies at Halton Park, near Tring, and form them
into Garrison Battalions, withdrawing all fit men and sending those unfit
to existing Home Service Provisional Battalions.
As mentioned previously, the seven battalions of these Garrison troops
formed and recognised in December 1915 were lumped under the Rifle Brigade
banner as the only three regiments at this time that had no Territorials
were the Guards, K.R.R.C., and the Rifle Brigade.
Their record and Pay office were seperate from the R.B.'s they just had
the R.B. name, hence the mass of these Territorials became R.B.'s simply
as the head of recruitment of the day suggested these seven battalions
were put under the R.B. banner.
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