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First World War

319 bytes added, 01:28, 24 May 2018
British Army Territorial Force troops in India
===Garrison Battalions===
Garrison Battalions were made up of soldiers unfit for front line duty. This decision was made at time of enlistment or after previous front line service where the soldier had suffered wounds or sickness. They were sent to various parts of the empire on garrison duties to release fit soldiers for front line duty.<ref> Anderson, Donny [httphttps://1914-1918www.invisionzonegreatwarforum.comorg/forumstopic/149267-csm-david-moody-12673-gordon-highlanders-rawalpindi-war-cemetery/index.php?showtopicdo=149267findComment&#entry1435248 comment=1435248 CSM David Moody 12673, Gordon Highlanders Rawalpindi War Cemetery] ''Great War Forum post]'' 3 July 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2018.</ref> By the end of the war there were 18 Garrison Battalions in India.<ref>ddycher [Dave] [httphttps://1914-1918www.invisionzonegreatwarforum.comorg/forumstopic/137376-garrison-bns-to-india-1917/index.php?showtopicdo=137376findComment&hlcomment= 2268587 Garrison Bn's to India 1917] ''Great War Forum'' 31 May 2015 Retrieved 31 24 May 20152018.</ref>
In India, men unfit for frontline duties in regiments about to leave India for war zones, were transferred into Garrison Battalions already serving in India.<ref> ddycher [httphttps://1914-1918www.invisionzonegreatwarforum.comorg/forumstopic/137376-garrison-bns-to-india-1917/index.php?showtopicdo=137376findComment&pcomment=2270920 Garrison Bn's to India 1917] ''Great War Forum'' 6 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 201524 May 2018.</ref>
Some of the soldiers who served in the Garrison Battalions in India served on the North West Frontier in Afghanistan in 1919, in the [[3rd Afghan War]], almost certainly along the lines of communication.<ref>Frogsmile [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=8117 Sgt William Connelly, 1st Batt Gordon Highlders, NW Frontier] Victorian Wars Forum 26 March 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2015.</ref>
Very little has been written about the Garrison Battalions of World War I in post-war regimental histories. Battalions were disbanded within days of returning from service overseas and their four or five year existence was apparently regarded as of little consequence in regimental history.
<ref> Great War Forum themonsstar [httphttps://1914-1918www.invisionzonegreatwarforum.comorg/forumstopic/index.php?showtopic=205407 post-1st-garrison-battalion-the-manchester-regiment/ 1st Garrison Battalion The Manchester Regiment] 20 January 2013 by 'themonsstar'Great War Forum'' 21 January 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2018.</ref>. A diary, including a description of the journey to India of a “unit of middle-aged and medically downgraded men”, and letters home may be found in ''1st Garrison Battalion The Manchester Regiment, India, Singapore, Hong Kong & Siberia'' by Robert Bonner.
The April 1919 ''Indian Army List''<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.284965/2015.284965.Indian-Army#page/n532/mode/1up ''Indian Army List'' April 1919, page 672]</ref> shows the following Garrison Battalions: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Garrison Battalions, [[Bedfordshire Regiment]]; 1st Garrison Battalions [[26th Regiment of Foot| Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)]], [[15th Regiment of Foot|East Yorkshire Regiment]]; [[44th Regiment of Foot| 2nd Garrison Battalion, Essex Regiment]], 1st Garrison Battalions [[92nd Regiment of Foot | Gordon Highlanders]], [[10th Regiment of Foot| Lincolnshire Regiment]], [[63rd Regiment of Foot| Manchester Regiment]], [[9th Regiment of Foot| Norfolk Regiment]]; [[5th Regiment of Foot| 2nd Garrison Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers]]; 1st Garrison Battalions [[43rd Regiment of Foot|Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry]], [[87th Regiment of Foot| Royal Irish Fusiliers]], [[83rd Regiment of Foot|Royal Irish Rifles]], [[21st Regiment of Foot|Royal Scots Fusiliers]], [[13th Regiment of Foot| Somerset Light Infantry]], [[South Staffordshire Regiment]] and [[19th Regiment of Foot| Yorkshire Regiment]].
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