WW1 Dispatch Rider formation

[GEOFREWAR]

Hi Everybody,

I'm writing a book about my Grand-ather and I need some detail about the begining of his career.

My Grand-father was a Dispatch Rider enlisted in november 1915 in London (Lambeth).

I don't known which was the duration of his formation and where this formation was.

I am looking for the date he joined the 4th Divisional Signals Company.

I also want to know if he was a volunteer to become Dispatch Rider and if he had to known riding a motorcycle ?

Can anyone help me ?

Thank you in advance.

Pierre from France.

[JustinL]

Bonsoir Pierre,

I guessed that your grandfather was the chap named in the message footer.

The medal index card (MIC) and medal rolls provide very little information, which you may already have.

George F. Warwick
Royal Engineers Corporal 77895
Royal Warwickshire Regiment Private 30468

The MIC does not state when he entered a Theatre of War, but he was not entitled to the 1914/15 Star.

I was unable to find a service/pension record for him on ancestry, so they may have been destroyed like so many other service records during WW2.

Maybe some of the experts on this forum can dig up some more information.

Justin

[GEOFREWAR]

Bonsoir et merci, Chère JustinL

I have these informations but I didn't  known my GF was a Private in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. This means he became a Dispatch Rider after he has been a Private ?

What do you think about this ?

Many thanks.

Pierre

[JustinL]

Pierre,

I must say, I wasn't entirely sure.

However,George was also recorded on the medal roll of the Warwickshire Regiment (see below). The heading of the third column explains the sequence of the entries.

It would be very interesting to know why he transferred from the signals to the infantry. I wonder if it was anything to do with his health. Maybe, he was initially rejected for infantry service, but the requirements were relaxed as the need for replacements increased.

Justin

[GEOFREWAR]

Justin,

it's very difficult for me to understand because in may 17, in his letters George gave his address which indicates 1st Bat. Royal Warwickshire Regiment and we have found an order for him to move  pigeons from a mobile loft, which is a Dispatch Rider's job.

What do you think ? Strange ?

Pierre

[JustinL]

Interesting.

I notice, however, that the officer who signed the order was a Lieutenant in the RE.

This might mean that George was attached to the Royal Warwicks to serve as the battalion dispatch rider at battalion HQ.

I think we need some greater expertise. Are you able to change the subject to 'WW1 Dispatch Rider in the infantry ??' ?

You might also ask the moderator to move this topic to the 'World War One' board.

Justin

[MaxD]

Not strange.  He was in the Royal Engineers Signals before the Warwickshire regiment.  Pigeons would have been part of his job in the signals.  It is possible that one of his last jobs in the signals was the pigeon job and he kept the order.  He then moved to the Warwickshires writing home to give them his new unit address.  In the RE his job was despatch rider but his rank according to his medal roll was Corporal, the same rank in the Warwickshires (his medal roll entry, his card was completed when he was a private soldier). 

It is always difficult to find the answer to the question "Why" as army records did not generally give reasons to things.  A very common reason was simply that the other unit needed men at the time perhaps because it had lost many in some action or need them for an upcoming action.

maxD.