Military Chat

Reply from Sandra sent as a PM.

Thanks very much for your reply. I found the website you suggested and it made interesting (and amusing) reading.
Sandra

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I forgot to say that OH's great-uncle, living in Lancashire, joined the Coldstream Guards in 1903, on a 3-year active service and 9 years in the Reserves. This of course meant that he was one of the first to be called up in 1914. We had never stopped to wonder why/how he joined the Guards. An interesting question. :-)

Here are some interesting/amusing suggestions. When you've read it, pick the most likely reason!! :-) :-)

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/topic/98554-determining-which-regiment-to-join/

He would probably have enlisted somewhere local and then been transferred to a regiment that needed troops.

I have just in the last few weeks found that my grandfather was in the North Staffordshire Regiment which isn't local to where he lived. I didn't even know he was in the army until I found him on an Absent Voters List in 1918 on Findmypast which gave his army number and regiment, next to his address.

His second wife came from Staffordshire and I had no idea how or when he met her but it could mean that he met her whilst stationed in Staffordshire - although I don't suppose I'll ever know for sure.

Kath. x

My great uncle served with the grenadier guards from 1909 until his death in 1915. He lived in Stoke on Trent and enlisted locally. How would he have been chosen for this regiment-or did he simply enlist and then was assigned to one? I presume the Grenadiers would not have been actively recruiting nationwide, as it was before 1914.