A True Terrier!
Warrant Officer Harry William Batchelor Royal Army Service Corps
1914-18 British War Medal. Victory Medal. Territorial Force War Medal.
Volunteer Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. Territorial Efficiency Medal.
The Man Harry William Batchelor was born in September 1868, son of Henry, a leather currier and Rosina. One of two children he had one younger sister Alice and lived at 174 King’s Road, Chelsea in the Parish of St. Lukes, London. Harry attended School in Battersea and on the 1881 census was living at 75 Grand Road. During February 1885 aged 16 he enlisted into the Territorial Force and on 9th July 1887 aged 18 without competition he was given a Civil Service Commission and appointed as a Postman working in London, one month later in August he became a sorter and also joined the 21st Middlesex (Civil Service) Rifle Volunteer Corps whose headquarters were based at Somerset House, London. He enlisted as Private with service number 2109, the 21st Middlesex specifically drawing many recruits from the Audit and Post Office staff. on 2nd December 1892 aged 25 he married Adelaide Francis Toole at St. Paul’s Church, Wandsworth with the Reverend Bell officiating. They lived at 42 Wroughton Road, Wandsworth Common and on 13th July 1893 had their first son Harry Lawrence, followed by Arthur Charles on 29th August 1896 and Christopher Francis on 18th January 1898. During 1898 Harry’s unit changed their title to The Prince of Wales's Own 12th Middlesex (Civil Service) Volunteer Rifle Corps, although it says in his records he joined them on 25th November 1896. By 1901 he had risen to an Overseer in the Post Office and was living with his family at 63 Leathwaite Road and in 1908 at 74 Lavender Sweep. On 1st April 1908 following the Haldane Reforms the Territorial Force was created and the 12th Middlesex VRC renamed the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own, Civil Service Rifles) with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House, Westminster. Harry transferred to 15th with new service number T/52 and signed his attestation on 24th April 1908 aged 39 years and 7 months old at Somerset House. At this time he was described as 5’ 10” tall with a 39” chest and 2” expansion range and certified as fit. He was awarded The Volunteer Long Service Medal in Army Orders dated 1st January 1909 representing 20 years service in the now defunct Volunteer Force. On 1st May 2008 he was transferred into the 2nd London T & S Column of the Army Service Corps and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 23rd May 1908. He attended training at West Camp, Salisbury Plain during August 1908 and promoted Sergeant on 1st February 2009 and re-engaged for a further three year period on 30th January 1909 and on 25th Februay 1909 attended a Transport Class at Aldershot in which he was assessed as ‘Very Good’. He was promoted again to Company Sergeant Major Sergeant on 1st May 1909. He reverted to Sergeant on 25th October 1911 and promoted to Company Sergeant Major (WOI) the same day. On 28th December 1912 aged 44 he re-engaged for a further four year period. On 24th April 1914 he was Attested again and at the time was living at 42 Wroughton Road. He volunteered for overseas service with the TF. He attended all his annual training camps West Down Salisbury Plain August 1908 and 1909, Shorncliffe 2nd – 20th August 1911, Ewshot, Aldershot 24th July – 11th August 1912. Following the outbreak of world War 1 on 4th August 1914 he was embodied on 5th and served at home and on 11th September 1914 was promoted to Staff Sergeant Major. On 10th May 1916 at 1015h he attended No 30 Hut, No 9 Camp, Sutton Veny for his medical examination and on 25th June 1916 landed in France as part of the 60th (London) Divisional Train, 519th Company Army Service Corps and was transferred into the regular Army ASC on 1st September 1916. On 4th November 1916 he was evacuated sick and struck off the unit strength, he was sent on leave from 11th – 21st December 1916 and was transferred to 318th M T Company on 2nd January 1917. He served until 4th May 1917 6th was posted to the Army Service Corps Base Depot NT&S and on 9yh was retuned back to England with written instructions to report to the Officer Commanding ASC High ‘Overleigh’ Roe Lane, Shuttford Lanes having fulfilled the conditions laid down in Army Order of 1916. He was discharged from the Army on 15th June 1917 aged 49 under Para 392 (xxi) of King’s Regulations 1912, termination of his appointment and was awarded a Certificate of sobriety and Trustworthiness. For his services he was awarded the 1914-1918 British War, Victory and Territorial force War Medals and in Army Order 491 of 1921 was also awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal. Little further details is known about his life until he died, but this story built entirely from archived records gives at least an overview of a long serving volunteer and one of the older soldiers seeing active service during World War One.
The Story This group was acquired on 24th July 1994 at Gloucester Medal Fair and subsequently sat in the author’s collection for 15 years and only called to mind following a presentation on the Territorial Army at the Birmingham Medal Society during 2008. It was a coincidence that the group fitted in with the author’s collecting interest and the TA. Little research was undertaken until 2009 when the Medal Index Card was acquired from The National Archives that indicated that in addition to his medals the recipient was also entitled to a Silver War Badge. This raised the possibility of his pension records existing as duplicate copies of soldiers who were injured or killed were kept by the relevant Pensions Department.
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The web site ancestry.com was subscribed to in April 2009 and within a few hours it was established that approximately 18 sheets of Harry William Batchelor’s First World War records existed. Not only did this enable a full name to be put to the group for the first time, but also gave much other important detail such as his wife's name, children, addresses etc. It was also then possible to search the census records to help build up an even more comprehensive biography on Harry Batchelor and once it was discovered he worked for the post office his initial appointment was found in the London Gazette. An example of just how the internet has enabled people whose memories have lain dormant for so long to suddenly be rekindled and some flesh but onto the bones of some undoubtedly unsung heroes.
Civil Service Rifles
Badge of the Civil Service Rifles
The Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles were a regiment in the Volunteer Force of the British Army from 1798 to 1921 and saw active service in the Boer War and World War I. Formed in 1798 as the Bank of England Volunteers, also known as The Somerset House Volunteers and renamed as The Bank of England Corps in 1802, they were disbanded in 1814 to be re-formed in 1860 and consisted of four corps:
21st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 2 Jan. 1860 from Audit Office and Post Office employees
27th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 10 Feb. 1860 from Inland Revenue employees
31st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 25 Feb. 1860 from employees in various Whitehall offices
34th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 22 Feb. 1860 In July 1860 the four corps were consolidated into the 21st Middlesex (Civil Service) Rifle Volunteer Corps with their head quarters at Somerset House. In 1898 they were renamed The Prince of Wales's Own 12th Middlesex (Civil Service) Volunteer Rifle Corps and on 1 April 1908, with changes in the volunteer regiments, they were renamed 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own, Civil Service Rifles) and transferred to the Territorial Force, with their HQ and companies still at Somerset House, Westminster. During the First World War the battalion fought on the Western Front and in the Middle East. On 7 February 1920 the battalion was classified as the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own, Civil Service Rifles) and reconstituted in the Territorial Army with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House, Westminster. On December 31st 1921 the battalion was amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles), to form 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen's Westminsters and Civil Service Rifles).
21st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 2 Jan. 1860 from Audit Office and Post Office employees
27th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 10 Feb. 1860 from Inland Revenue employees
31st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 25 Feb. 1860 from employees in various Whitehall offices
34th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 22 Feb. 1860 In July 1860 the four corps were consolidated into the 21st Middlesex (Civil Service) Rifle Volunteer Corps with their head quarters at Somerset House. In 1898 they were renamed The Prince of Wales's Own 12th Middlesex (Civil Service) Volunteer Rifle Corps and on 1 April 1908, with changes in the volunteer regiments, they were renamed 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own, Civil Service Rifles) and transferred to the Territorial Force, with their HQ and companies still at Somerset House, Westminster. During the First World War the battalion fought on the Western Front and in the Middle East. On 7 February 1920 the battalion was classified as the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own, Civil Service Rifles) and reconstituted in the Territorial Army with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House, Westminster. On December 31st 1921 the battalion was amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles), to form 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen's Westminsters and Civil Service Rifles).
Medal Details
- 1914-18 British War Medal: 52 W.O. CL.1. H.W.BATCHELOR. A.S.C.
- Victory Medal: .52 W.O. CL.1. H.W.BATCHELOR. A.S.C.
- Territorial Force War Medal: T52 W.O. CLII. H.W.BATCHELOR. A.S.C.
- Volunteer Force Long Service & Good Conduct Medal: 2109 PTE H.W.BATCHELOR. 12/MIDDX VRC
- Territorial Efficiency Medal: T4-240022 W.O. CL.1. H.W.BATCHELOR. R.A.S.C.
Page last updated 6 Dec 15