Territorial Service between the wars

[Dai_B]

This may not be the right forum but I was wondering if anyone here has information on the Territorials, now the TA between the wars. I have a relative  who after a long caree in the Royal Artillery retired  and became as he calls it a Territorial. In the RA he had been a signal instructor.

In  a few notes he left he records that
"I was sent to 64 Brigade Territorials as (PSI) as a regular Instructor for three years.  After three years I was awarded the Dartmouth Cup as my 64 BDE TER had the highest number of signallers pass out of the whole of the Territorial Army.”
I always thought that Territorials were only part time but as I can find no trace of a civilian occupation and given his note it seems he was a full time instructor.

Shortly after this at the outbreak of war he was taken back into the Regular Army as a PSI

I would appreciate any comments.

Dai

[ainslie]

Each Territorial Army unit had a small number of regular NCOs attached as instructors, and as specialist officers such as adjutant or quartermaster.  They were posted for two or three years before being returned to duty with their regular corps.
This was certainly the case post-1946, and I believe it was the same in the pre-and post-WW1 days.
Your man may not have retired from the regular army, but did not serve in a regular unit,  while attached as a Permanent Staff Instructor.
A

[Dai_B]

Thank you so much for the prompt reply.
Now it begins to make sense. he had a large family (14 children) and those still surviving cannot remember him ever having a civilian job. In his note on recall at the outbreak of war he does say he was recalled back to his regular unit which  seems to  suport your comments that he never really left the army.


He spent the first part of the war training RA signallers and then travelled the country training the Home Guard and also, strangely, women to wortk on switchboards.

Thanks for your insight and help.

Dai

[ainslie]

Those days in khaki can still be useful!
A