Dock Battalions in WW1

[golflimatango]

Until I looked at the Electoral Roll for Bootle for 1918 I had found nothing in my research to indicate that my paternal grandfather served in the forces during WW1. Now I discover that he was listed in 1918 as an absent voter on military service.

I have searched the military records on Ancestry and cannot find any trace of him. When my father was christened in 1917 my grandfather's occupation was given as dock labourer. I think that if he had been on military service that would have been shown. That was certainly the case in the next entry in the same Parish Register which happens to be the christening of my father's cousin. In that entry my grandfather's brother is clearly shown as serving in HM Forces.

I know that dock battalions were formed and think it is possible that he was in these. Does anybody know the best place to go for details of those who served in these dock battalions?

According to a post on The Great War Form

the best source of information on the Liverpool Docks Battalions is Keith Grieves article ‘The Liverpool Dock Battalion: Military Intervention in the Mersey Docks, 1915-1918' in Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire for the year 1981.

so I will be visiting the records office to look for that.

Beyond the general background and story behind these battalions I am wondering if anybody knows where there might be actual lists of those who served? Alternatively has anybody been down this road before and have any personal experience of such research?

Correction 11 Jun 2012: Dock Battalions rather than Dockers Battalions

[Katie]

What was his name? and address

[MaryA]

I don't have any first hand examples, but have seen some entries in the past of service records of Liverpool men who served in Docks Battalions. I don't think they were soldiers as such, and their attestation papers were different and related only to dock work. It's probable that they didn't serve overseas.

Sorry not to have any more information.

[golflimatango]

Mary A,
Thanks. I realise these dock battalions were not engaged in fighting 'on the front' but they were fully attested and were therefore under military orders and regulations. I gather that there were also a number of transport battalions that served a similar role. Hopefully the article I referred to earlier will give me a better understanding of their exact role. I will post an update when I have read it.
_______________________________________

Katie,
My grandfather was James (Henry) Thomas of 59 Beatrice Street in Bootle. It is possible that similar might apply to two of his brothers and a brother-in-law but I've not yet looked at them in detail.

Thanks,

[Katie]

I have has a look in the index I am compiling and I have the following soldier I have tried to locate his medal card but I cant get any matches to see what his first name is.

Regiment: East Lancashire Regiment
Rank: Private
Initial: J
Number: 32249
Surname:Thomas
Home Town: Bootle
Cause: Wounded

I have double checked the number and it is right.

If I come across any more entries which may be of help I will let you know

[Hilary]

Crosby local history library will have a copy of the 1981 Transactions. It is quite a long article and speaks of 2 dock battalions one formed in 1915 and the other in 1917. They were later amalgamated. No names of men are mentioned in the article.

[daggers]

The battalions were 1st and 2nd Dock Battalions, (not Dockers) according to 'British Regiments 1914-1918' by Brig E A James. He adds nothing about their activities, others than years or formation. It's members would not have earned campaign medals, serving only at home. I do not know if any records survive and it will be interesting to learn from the 1981 article.
D

[Hilary]

The article which I have in front of me us 20 pages long does say

Dock labourers were to attest and be placed under military law for home service. membership of the NUDL was a requirent of all who sought to join the battalion.

There is no mention of separate records so I would assume any attestation papers would be amongst the general army attestation papers.

[golflimatango]

I managed to read the article I mentioned in my initial posting and for the sake of completeness it seems appropriate that I post a very brief summary to close the thread that that I started.

The Dock Battalions were an experiment sponsored by Lord Derby who subsequently became their commanding officer. The aim was to relieve chronic congestion in the Port of Liverpool by providing an organised and disciplined workforce, in contrast to the otherwise predominantly casual workforce, allegedly depleted by the loss of those who had enlisted and left. There was also some suggestion, naturally enough denied, that the Battalion was formed to overcome any disruption caused by strikes. It was seen as a model that might be used to mobilise major war industries such as shipbuilding and munitions.

All recruits were members of the trade union (NUDL) and they were attested and placed under military law, so they were “proper.” soldiers albeit non-combatant. Rates of pay were generous enough to create some enthusiasm to enlist because they were given military pay in addition to their normal pay.

The idea was not a great success, less than 2,000 men were involved and it was not extended to be used elsewhere (there were some volunteer schemes but they were not attested or under military law)

• It did not cure the congestion in the Port
• It caused friction in the workforce
• It was very costly because the guaranteed wage was a burden when the battalion was not fully employed.

Eventually the Battalions were depleted as suitable men were combed out to join combatant units in France.

[MaryA]

I thought your information would be useful to others so have copied it to the "For Posterity" Board, with credit to you.
http://www.forum.liverpool-genealogy.or ... 16&t=11997

[daggers]

Here is some more on Dock Battalions, from South Lancs Regiment rather than Kings Liverpool. Info from Steven Nulty.
D

There were 3 Bns of the South Lancashire Regiment engaged on Dock, and Dock related, work throughout the war:-
15th (Transport Workers) Battalion

The battalion was formed at Kimmel Park in December 1916, and in February 1917 was moved to the Bebington Show grounds near Rock Ferry, where it remained until September 1918, mainly engaged in work on Birkenhead Docks. It was then moved to a new station at Bootle, until being disbanded in March 1919.

16th (Transport Workers) Battalion

Formed at Prescot in April of 1917 and based in the Watch Factory. Mainly worked the docks at Liverpool, Salford, Birkenhead and Barrow. Finally moved to Litherland in April 1919 and eventually disbanded in August 1919.

17th (Transport Workers) Battalion
Formed in Bidston, Cheshire in May 1918, initially with 21 officers and 574 other ranks. They were employed on work in the canal system which linked the industrial Midlands with various ports. In particular, they looked after the transportation of explosives, chemicals, ammunition, etc. The battalion was disbanded in August 1919.


 

[Frenchy]

My Grandfather was the RSM and I recently found details of his military history from a sale of his medals (sadly I missed the sale).I´m trying to find more info,but this is what I have found
A Queens South Africa medal with four clasps; South Africa 1902, Transvaal, Orange Free State & Cape Colony, awarded to 3175 Pte P McKibbons, Scots Guards together with Aug-Nov 1914 Star & Victory Medal in their original box of issue posted to McKibbon in Liverpool in 1919, also including the Royal Victorian Silver Medal in case with certificate dated 15th May 1917 to Regimental Sergeant-Major Patrick McKibbins, Dock Battalions, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) and a photo of the recipient in uniform. (McKibbins died aged 46 after much involvement with dock workers and the Transport & General Workers' Union in Liverpool and Hull. His newspaper obituaries state that he was amongst the first British troops to enter Belgium during WWI and had been injured in the retreat from Mons. 'When Lord Derby, the stevedores and the dockers of Liverpool conceived the idea that dockers engaged on the essential work of shipping Government stores should be banded together as a Dock Battalion of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, it was natural that they should ask Pat McKibbon, then home on leave, to be Sergeant-Major. It is agreed generally that the success of the movement was due very largely to his personality, and it was so successful that all records for the port in the handling of cargo were beaten'. Letters of condolence from Ernest Bevin and other Union officials are included with this lot)

[promenade]

Hello,

You may be interested in the following :-

"Labour circles were well represented at the funeral at the Northern Cemetery, Hull, on Saturday afternoon of Mr Patrick McKibbins, M.V.O., National Organiser of the Transport and General Workers' Union, who died suddenly on Thursday. Mr McKibbins, who was 6ft. 3in. in height, was a Guardsman, and was one of the first British Soldiers to set foot in Belgium at the commencement of the war. He as sergeant-major of the Dock Battalion of The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, and in recognition of his services the King presented him with the medal of the Royal Victorian Order. Amongst those present at the funeral were Mr Ernest Bevin (general secretary), Mr W. Catley (Executive Council). Mr F. Sitwell (Central Office), Mr H. O. Pugh (Liverpool area secretary), Mr G. E. Farmery (Hull area secretary), Mr H. Dye (chairman area committee), Mr E. Horner J.P., Mr D. C. Lister and Mr J. Henson (group secretaries, Hull). Mr J. Shields Mr J. Devanney, and Mr W. Neylon (dock officers, Hull), and the Medical Officer of Health (Dr W. Allen Daley) who represented Lord Derby, the Colonel, and other officers of the Dock Battalion. The service was conducted by Rev. Father McEntgart and the pall bears were Messrs A. Campbell (docks officer), R. Wales (member of the National Dockers' Groups), E. Pyke (Goole), G. Allen (waterways officer), R. Speed (docks officer), and Mr T. Murphy (transport workers). Amongst the numerous floral tributes were wreaths from Mr E. Bevin, Dr Daley, the No. 10 area Officers and staff, the Grimsby officers, the General Workers Co-operative Stevedoring Co.. Grimsby, the foremen of Messrs Dick and Dickenson, Hull, and the Mersey Shipping and Transport Company". (Hull Daily Mail - Monday 02 November 1925 p7)

He initially crossed to France as No 3175 with 1 Scots Guards on 15/9/14 - then tansferred to the Dock Battalion as No 1.

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. A great pity you missed the sale of the medals, I know how much these can mean to a family member.

Thank you Joe for bringing more information to this thread, I'm sure Frenchy will appreciate it.

[Frenchy]

Hi and welcome to the forum. A great pity you missed the sale of the medals, I know how much these can mean to a family member.

Thank you Joe for bringing more information to this thread, I'm sure Frenchy will appreciate it.

Thanks both for the welcome and the information.The salesroom have said they'll forward info on the buyer who bought the items because of union interest,so maybe he or she will sell the medals and photo.It would be nice to have them back in the family.