Holding, Training and Reserve battalions

Discussion in 'General' started by RRTB, Aug 25, 2016.

  1. RRTB

    RRTB 145 Fd Regt (Berkshire Yeomanry) RA

    I have been coming across the terms Holding Battalion, Training Battalion and Reserve Battalion. I would be very grateful if someone could tell me what the difference is between them. I have tried Google without success, and I've tried to apply common sense (yes, honestly!) but there must be some small nuance which I'm not quite picking up. Any light being shed on this would be most appreciated.

    RRTB
     
  2. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    I'll have a stab as no one else has so far!

    My knowledge is on relation to Brigade of Guards more than Infantry of the Line or other formations... It's a complicated issue but here goes...

    TRAINING BATTALION

    After initial training or recovery from
    Illness/injury soldiers would be posted to a Regimental Training Battalion, usually UK based, for additional training to ready them for deployment on active service via a HOLDING BATTALION.

    HOLDING BATTALION

    As above trained soldiers could/would be posted to The HOLDING BATTALION pending a posting to an active service Battalion. During the war HOLDING Units could be UK or overseas based. At the end of hostilities soldiers returned from abroad could be posted to a Regimental HOLDING Unit pending demobilisation.

    RESERVE BATTALION

    A UK based unit - sometimes also called a Depot Battalion - more frequent in WW1 as a unit to
    which injured soldiers could be posted pending recovery and return to an active service battalion often via the TRAINING & HOLDING BATTALION.. Similar purpose in WW2 for injured & sick soldiers returned to UK.

    I'll leave it to others to pick
    holes (constructively criticise!) my "feeble" attempt to answer this query.

    Steve Y
     
    Owen and RRTB like this.
  3. RRTB

    RRTB 145 Fd Regt (Berkshire Yeomanry) RA

    Being with the Brigade of Guards is kind of perfect actually, as the war service record I've found these on is from a member of the Welsh Guards! Thank you very much, Steve.

    As a related question: would a Depot Company be a smaller section of the Depot Battalion? My chap was posted to 6 Depot Coy, for example.

    RRTB
     
  4. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Yes there would be a number if companies in a Reserve Battalion. There could likely be several thousand men "posted" to a Reserve Battalion but not all would be physically present all the time. Posting to the Reserve Battalion could be an administrative posting for a soldier in hospital and or convalescing after illness or injury.

    Steve Y
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Here's the info regards The Grenadier Guards Training & Holding battalions from their history.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Thanks Owen.

    Steve
     
  7. RRTB

    RRTB 145 Fd Regt (Berkshire Yeomanry) RA

    Thanks very much, folks. Much more than I had hoped for.
     
  8. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Need to add in 'Young Soldiers' Battalions which were another variation but did what it said on the tin.

    Also 'Home Defence' Battalions which were much more limited in scope of activities than Regular or 'Line' TA Battalions. Those have seen in 1940-1 were guarding Vulnerable Points etc.

    It is also worth saying that Battalions transitioned between these categories. So the 50th Holding Battalion of the South Wales Borderers became the 7th Battalion, South Wales Borderers in Oct 1940 after less than six months in existence and in doing so took up a full role as one of the three Battalions in 224 Infantry Brigade. However about a year later, in Nov 1941 it converted to 90th LAA Battalion in the Royal Artillery!!
     

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