A few weeks ago I sat and watched an episode of Dad's Army, although I have to admit I don't usually need much of an excuse to do so. It was one of the first series - in black and white - and the storyline centred around an officious inspecting Major's assertion that Lance Corporal Jones was too old to be in uniform.
It prompted memories of a name on a war memorial in St. Mary's Church at Egton-cum-Newland, near Ulverston. It was a name that intrigued me a great deal when I first researched that particular memorial because I didn't recognise the unit listed and it took me a while to identify the man commemorated.
'Private' George Frearson was 60 years old when he died on on March 7th, 1917, at home, peacefully, in his bed. His was a military funeral, attended by fellow members of the Crake Valley Section, and also the Ulverston Section, of the 14th Battalion, Lancashire Volunteer Regiment, a unit of the Volunteer Training Corps affiliated to the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment).
But just who were the 14th (Barrow) Battalion of the Lancashire Volunteer Regiment, and what did they do? Fortunately, for anyone interested, there is an excellent description of the Volunteer Training Corps available on the website of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment Museum - http://www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com/ww1-volbnskorlr.htm - and I don't think it will serve much purpose to repeat it here. Suffice to say, the Volunteer Training Corps were the quasi-military forerunners of the Home Guard of WW2, and were employed locally, finding guards for strategic locations and industries. In reality, I think their existence was an excuse to enable men who were too old or unfit to serve in the regular forces to feel that they were still able to play their part - rather like Corporal Jones.
The pedant in me notes that the memorial at Egton-cum-Newland Church is actually wrong, since it gives Private Frearson's regimental details as 2nd (V) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). In fact his unit didn't receive that title until 1918, when Army Order 208 of that year authorised new alternative titles for the units of the Volunteer Force. At the time of his death, in 1917, it was still the 14th (Barrow) Battalion, Lancashire Volunteer Regiment, as correctly stated in his newspaper obituary.
Unfortunately, I know of no photographs showing men of the Volunteer Battalions of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), although I'm sure there must be some somewhere. However, the following two photographs come courtesy of a contributor to 'The Great War Forum', and show men of a detachment of the Volunteer Training Corps on parade in Manchester. This particular unit would later be styled the 2nd (Manchester?) Battalion, Lancashire Volunteer Regiment.
The oganisation and activities of the Volunteer Training Corps seems to be an aspect of the 'Home Front' during the Great War about which there is little known or written down. Perhaps it's a subject long overdue for some serious research.
But just who were the 14th (Barrow) Battalion of the Lancashire Volunteer Regiment, and what did they do? Fortunately, for anyone interested, there is an excellent description of the Volunteer Training Corps available on the website of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment Museum - http://www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com/ww1-volbnskorlr.htm - and I don't think it will serve much purpose to repeat it here. Suffice to say, the Volunteer Training Corps were the quasi-military forerunners of the Home Guard of WW2, and were employed locally, finding guards for strategic locations and industries. In reality, I think their existence was an excuse to enable men who were too old or unfit to serve in the regular forces to feel that they were still able to play their part - rather like Corporal Jones.
The pedant in me notes that the memorial at Egton-cum-Newland Church is actually wrong, since it gives Private Frearson's regimental details as 2nd (V) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). In fact his unit didn't receive that title until 1918, when Army Order 208 of that year authorised new alternative titles for the units of the Volunteer Force. At the time of his death, in 1917, it was still the 14th (Barrow) Battalion, Lancashire Volunteer Regiment, as correctly stated in his newspaper obituary.
Unfortunately, I know of no photographs showing men of the Volunteer Battalions of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), although I'm sure there must be some somewhere. However, the following two photographs come courtesy of a contributor to 'The Great War Forum', and show men of a detachment of the Volunteer Training Corps on parade in Manchester. This particular unit would later be styled the 2nd (Manchester?) Battalion, Lancashire Volunteer Regiment.
Volunteer Training Corps badge (King's Own Museum).
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