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Territorial Army pre 1914 in Birmingham ?

Royston

knowlegable brummie
My Grandfathers WWI medals include the War Medal, Victory Medal and the Territorial Force War Medal engraved as " 602025 Sapper W T PLANT Royal Engineers".
In addition to these however are :-
"Territorial Efficency Medal" engraved as 2556322 SGLN W T Plant R.C.of SIG.
"Army Temperance Medal INDIA 1897 "
Badge or medalion with the number "6" and letters T , A and A and the date 1889.

There is also a photograph dated 1910 of him in a Military Brass Band with the inscription
"Telegraph Companies, Army Troops, Engineer Unit Southern Area"

It is understood that he joined the part time TA so that he could obtain the use of a French Horn and play music.
As practice would have been on at least a weekly basis the Band must have been local in the Alum Rock /Aston area.
Can any one shed light on location and extent of the TA before WWI
Thanks R0Y
 
The modern TA was formed on the 1/4/1908, but was just an extension of a force (Militia) which gave tribal chiefs the right to raise a standing fighting force in time of war from the working class's, which dates back to Saxon times, The Militia was formally raised by Royal Warrent 5/9/1645, (Charles 1st) during the civil war for defence of the realm. this continued until the 1790's when it was placed from an ad-hoc conception to a trained fighting force for the Nepolionic wars, then with the expansion of the British Empire it was felt that the parish's and Counties could raise a fighting force and the Militia became the Volunteer Force in 1859, then this was changed by act of parliment to the territorial army in 1908.
 
the british army promoted temperance as one of its core values in the late victorian early 20th C, soldiers could also get enhanced pay by signing the pledge, as most petty crime and sqabbles were inherant with alchohol, it was seen as good order and disapline in military terms.
 
Roy

The 8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment a Territorial Battalion were base in Aston. I think at the back of St Peters & St Pauls Church in Aston Church Road. It may be that your grandfathers section of the Royal Engineers were there also.

Tony
 
Thanks Chris, I checked the site and downloaded the appropriate forms which have now been sent off

Fingers crossed, hopefully for a positive response R0Y
 
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