Hello, everyone!
I have found that the wartime British Army War Establishment is in the WO24 of the National Archives.(https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... s/r/C14233) But I do not have the page number to request a copy.
Does anyone have or know where I can find an index for the British Army WE of this document?
Or
Is there somewhere else I can order copies/scaned files of the British Army WE of WWII?
Thanks!
request for index of British Army War Establishment in The National Archives
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SergeantMitchell
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Re: request for index of British Army War Establishment in The National Archives
There is no such thing as "the British Army War Establishment". War Establishments are what the US Army calls "Tables of Organisation and Equipment", indicating in detail the strength, organisation and equipment of a given type of unit.
If you use that as a search term, you get https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... 45&_hb=tna
So for example, War Office papers concerning this subject for the period January-June 1940 are under WO24/937. That might be a big file and it is not digitised.
There was a WE Committee at the War Office which decided such matters as whether a new type of unit should be commanded by a major or a captain, and whether he would be entitled to a two-seater car or would have to make do with a motorcycle.
The composition and equipment of an infantry battalion, for example, was changed several times during the war. Here you can find the WE in force from June 1941 (II/1931/12F/2): https://vickersmg.blog/wp-content/uploa ... shment.pdf
Note such fine detail as "Scottish battalions and Irish battalions (except the Royal Ulster Rifles) will be allowed 1 serjeant piper and 5 pipers in addition. A battalion of Foot Guards will be allowed 2 drill serjeants (warrant officers, class II) in addition."
Not much later, an anti-tank platoon (with two- and later six-pounder guns) would be added to the battalion, and the heavy weapons and carrier platoons would be split off from the HQ Company. Every minor change would produce a new WE.
If you use that as a search term, you get https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... 45&_hb=tna
So for example, War Office papers concerning this subject for the period January-June 1940 are under WO24/937. That might be a big file and it is not digitised.
There was a WE Committee at the War Office which decided such matters as whether a new type of unit should be commanded by a major or a captain, and whether he would be entitled to a two-seater car or would have to make do with a motorcycle.
The composition and equipment of an infantry battalion, for example, was changed several times during the war. Here you can find the WE in force from June 1941 (II/1931/12F/2): https://vickersmg.blog/wp-content/uploa ... shment.pdf
Note such fine detail as "Scottish battalions and Irish battalions (except the Royal Ulster Rifles) will be allowed 1 serjeant piper and 5 pipers in addition. A battalion of Foot Guards will be allowed 2 drill serjeants (warrant officers, class II) in addition."
Not much later, an anti-tank platoon (with two- and later six-pounder guns) would be added to the battalion, and the heavy weapons and carrier platoons would be split off from the HQ Company. Every minor change would produce a new WE.
"The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man's observation, not overturning it." Edward George Bulwer-Lytton