Letters from James Murtagh, item 4

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Service history of 

SPTS/5192 Pte. James C. Murtagh,

10/Royal Fusiliers


(Note:

Unfortunately, James Murtagh's Service Papers appear to have been destroyed during World War 2. However, with use of the medal rolls in correspondence with his Army numbers (along with the information contained on other associated records), it has been possible to work out, approximately when he would have enlisted (and how) and his subsequent transfers and movements).


 Photo of a circular medal with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense," a Tudor Rose, a crown on the top, and what appear to be flames coming out of the top. 


Born and raised in Dublin, by the time of the start of the Great War in August 1914, James was living and working in Rusholme, Manchester. In October 1915 he enlisted, in Manchester, under the "Derby Scheme" of recruitment (see notes below). After the standard examinations and form filling, he attested (most likely through personal choice - though he was destined never to actually serve with either of these battalions) in the 23rd or 24th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (1st and 2nd Sportsman's battalions) and was given the regimental number SPTS/5192 before being sent back to civilian life to await his call.


Notes on the Derby Scheme of 1915


By spring 1915 the flow of recruits was dwindling. The government, torn when it came to the question of compulsory military service, tried a half-way house scheme. 


Born in 1865, Edward Stanley became the 17th Lord Derby in 1908. He played a major part in raising volunteers, especially for the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, before being appointed Director-General of Recruiting in October 1915.


In spring 1915, enlistments averaged 100,000 men per month, but this could not be sustained. The upper age limit was raised from 38 to 40 in May 1915 in an effort to keep the numbers up, but it had become clear that voluntary recruitment was not going to provide the numbers of men required. The government, therefore, passed the National Registration Act on 15 July 1915 as a step towards stimulating recruitment and to discover how many men between the ages of 15 and 65 were engaged in each trade. All those in this age range who were not already in the military were obliged to register, giving details of their employment details. The results of this census became available by mid-September 1915: it showed there were almost 5 million males of military age who were not in the forces, of which 1.6m were in the "starred" (protected, high skill) jobs. On 11 October 1915, Lord Derby was appointed Director-General of Recruiting and he brought forward a programme five days later, always called the Derby Scheme, for raising the numbers. Men aged 18 to 40 were told that they could continue to enlist voluntarily, or attest with an obligation to come if called up. The War Office notified the public that voluntary enlistment would soon cease and that the last day of registration would be 15 December 1915. The men who registered under the Derby Scheme were classified into married and single, and into 23 groups according to their age. Group 1 was for single 18 year-olds, then by year up to group 23 for single 40's; then Group 24 was for married 18 year-olds up to group 46 for married 40's. At the same time, a war pension was introduced, to help entice men concerned about supporting their dependents given the all too-obvious chance that they may not survive.

Transcription saved

Service history of 

SPTS/5192 Pte. James C. Murtagh,

10/Royal Fusiliers


(Note:

Unfortunately, James Murtagh's Service Papers appear to have been destroyed during World War 2. However, with use of the medal rolls in correspondence with his Army numbers (along with the information contained on other associated records), it has been possible to work out, approximately when he would have enlisted (and how) and his subsequent transfers and movements).


 Photo of a circular medal with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense," a Tudor Rose, a crown on the top, and what appear to be flames coming out of the top. 


Born and raised in Dublin, by the time of the start of the Great War in August 1914, James was living and working in Rusholme, Manchester. In October 1915 he enlisted, in Manchester, under the "Derby Scheme" of recruitment (see notes below). After the standard examinations and form filling, he attested (most likely through personal choice - though he was destined never to actually serve with either of these battalions) in the 23rd or 24th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (1st and 2nd Sportsman's battalions) and was given the regimental number SPTS/5192 before being sent back to civilian life to await his call.


Notes on the Derby Scheme of 1915


By spring 1915 the flow of recruits was dwindling. The government, torn when it came to the question of compulsory military service, tried a half-way house scheme. 


Born in 1865, Edward Stanley became the 17th Lord Derby in 1908. He played a major part in raising volunteers, especially for the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, before being appointed Director-General of Recruiting in October 1915.


In spring 1915, enlistments averaged 100,000 men per month, but this could not be sustained. The upper age limit was raised from 38 to 40 in May 1915 in an effort to keep the numbers up, but it had become clear that voluntary recruitment was not going to provide the numbers of men required. The government, therefore, passed the National Registration Act on 15 July 1915 as a step towards stimulating recruitment and to discover how many men between the ages of 15 and 65 were engaged in each trade. All those in this age range who were not already in the military were obliged to register, giving details of their employment details. The results of this census became available by mid-September 1915: it showed there were almost 5 million males of military age who were not in the forces, of which 1.6m were in the "starred" (protected, high skill) jobs. On 11 October 1915, Lord Derby was appointed Director-General of Recruiting and he brought forward a programme five days later, always called the Derby Scheme, for raising the numbers. Men aged 18 to 40 were told that they could continue to enlist voluntarily, or attest with an obligation to come if called up. The War Office notified the public that voluntary enlistment would soon cease and that the last day of registration would be 15 December 1915. The men who registered under the Derby Scheme were classified into married and single, and into 23 groups according to their age. Group 1 was for single 18 year-olds, then by year up to group 23 for single 40's; then Group 24 was for married 18 year-olds up to group 46 for married 40's. At the same time, a war pension was introduced, to help entice men concerned about supporting their dependents given the all too-obvious chance that they may not survive.


Transcription history
  • October 31, 2017 14:25:35 Thomas A. Lingner

    Service history of 

    SPTS/5192 Pte. James C. Murtagh,

    10/Royal Fusiliers


    (Note:

    Unfortunately, James Murtagh's Service Papers appear to have been destroyed during World War 2. However, with use of the medal rolls in correspondence with his Army numbers (along with the information contained on other associated records), it has been possible to work out, approximately when he would have enlisted (and how) and his subsequent transfers and movements).


     Photo of a circular medal with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense," a Tudor Rose, a crown on the top, and what appear to be flames coming out of the top. 


    Born and raised in Dublin, by the time of the start of the Great War in August 1914, James was living and working in Rusholme, Manchester. In October 1915 he enlisted, in Manchester, under the "Derby Scheme" of recruitment (see notes below). After the standard examinations and form filling, he attested (most likely through personal choice - though he was destined never to actually serve with either of these battalions) in the 23rd or 24th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (1st and 2nd Sportsman's battalions) and was given the regimental number SPTS/5192 before being sent back to civilian life to await his call.


    Notes on the Derby Scheme of 1915


    By spring 1915 the flow of recruits was dwindling. The government, torn when it came to the question of compulsory military service, tried a half-way house scheme. 


    Born in 1865, Edward Stanley became the 17th Lord Derby in 1908. He played a major part in raising volunteers, especially for the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, before being appointed Director-General of Recruiting in October 1915.


    In spring 1915, enlistments averaged 100,000 men per month, but this could not be sustained. The upper age limit was raised from 38 to 40 in May 1915 in an effort to keep the numbers up, but it had become clear that voluntary recruitment was not going to provide the numbers of men required. The government, therefore, passed the National Registration Act on 15 July 1915 as a step towards stimulating recruitment and to discover how many men between the ages of 15 and 65 were engaged in each trade. All those in this age range who were not already in the military were obliged to register, giving details of their employment details. The results of this census became available by mid-September 1915: it showed there were almost 5 million males of military age who were not in the forces, of which 1.6m were in the "starred" (protected, high skill) jobs. On 11 October 1915, Lord Derby was appointed Director-General of Recruiting and he brought forward a programme five days later, always called the Derby Scheme, for raising the numbers. Men aged 18 to 40 were told that they could continue to enlist voluntarily, or attest with an obligation to come if called up. The War Office notified the public that voluntary enlistment would soon cease and that the last day of registration would be 15 December 1915. The men who registered under the Derby Scheme were classified into married and single, and into 23 groups according to their age. Group 1 was for single 18 year-olds, then by year up to group 23 for single 40's; then Group 24 was for married 18 year-olds up to group 46 for married 40's. At the same time, a war pension was introduced, to help entice men concerned about supporting their dependents given the all too-obvious chance that they may not survive.


  • October 31, 2017 14:13:36 Thomas A. Lingner

    Service history of 

    SPTS/5192 Pte. James C. Murtagh,

    10/Royal Fusiliers


    (Note:

    Unfortunately, James Murtagh's Service Papers appear to have been destroyed during World War 2. However, with use of the medal rolls in correspondence with his Army numbers (along with the information contained on other associated records), it has been possible to work out, approximately when he would have enlisted (and how) and his subsequent transfers and movements).


    Photo of a circular medal with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense"


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    3798 / 46800
    Source
    http://europeana1914-1918.eu/...
    Contributor
    Maine Delaney
    License
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
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