GREATWAR-L Archives

From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] D.L.I.
Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2001 06:44:01 +0100
In-Reply-To: <000201c11eaf$d046de60$3d7a89d4@c>

At 20:28 06/08/01 +0100, you wrote:
>Hello All
>
>After a recent visit to the PRO I found the records of my Uncle who was in
>the D.L.I. Labour Corps. His Reg No 112653.
>Attested 23. 9. 15
>Posted 24. 9. 15
>France 31.1.1916 to 31.1.19
>
>His papers have 21st. D.L.I. This has been crossed out and an insertion is
>as follows:
>Labour Corp 188 transferred
>Labour Compy under ACI 611 of 1917
>---- Emp Coy 832 posted 6.12.17
>D E Coy 232 Posted 31.6.18
>
>He was wounded in France in 1917 according to his Military History Sheet,
>unfortunately no dates are given for this incident. From this very scant
>information would it be possible to give me some idea which battles and
>where in France he may have served.
>
> Why would he be transferred to a Labour Battalion. Could this be due to a
>wound to his arm, noted on his Military History Sheet, or some other
>circumstances?
>
>Regards Carol

Carol,

The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was an infantry regiment that during the
Great War formed a total of 42 battalions from its pre-war structure of two
regular, two reserve and five territorial battalions. The regiment was
awarded a total of 59 battle honours and six of its officers and men were
awarded Victoria Crosses. The DLI lost 12,530 casualties during the years
1914-19. Thirteen battalions of the DLI took part in the Battle of the Somme.

The battalion referred to was:


The 21st (Reserve) Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry was formed at
Cocken Hall in Jul 1915 as a local reserve battalion from the depot
companies of the 18th and 20th Battalions. By Nov 1915 it had moved to
Catterick and the 20th Reserve Brigade. In Apr 1916 it moved to Hornsea,
Essex. On 1 Sep 1916 it became the 87th Training Reserve Battalion in the
20th Reserve Brigade at Hornsea. The Training Reserve battalions were
disbanded in late 1918 and early 1919.

Only one battalion of the DLI transferred directly to the newly formed
Labour Corps in Apr 1917, and that was the 25th (Works) Battalion raised at
Pocklington in May 1916.

The Labour Corps, an initially non-combatant organisation, was formed in
early 1917. The initial need for labour units during WWI had been achieved
with some 38 Labour Battalions established in 18 different infantry
regiments, and a large number of Labour Companies from other infantry
regiments. In addition there were a good number of Labour Companies in the
Royal Engineers and the Army Service Corps. All these became Labour Corps
companies in the spring and summer of 1917.

The Labour Battalions and later the Labour Companies of the Labour Corps
carried out a whole range of defence works duties in the UK and in overseas
theatres, especially in France and Flanders. These included road and
railway building/repair, moving ammunition and stores, load and unloading
ships and trains, burial duties and at home agriculture and forestry.

In general, men in the labour companies and later the Labour Corps had a
reduced medical category, due to wounds or disease, but were still capable
of physical labour and able to serve in rear areas in operational theatres.

Given the dates you cite, he seems to have gone to France with another
battalion of the DLI, been wounded and after recovery transferred to the
Labour Corps initially in the 188 Labour Company, later in 832 Employment
Company and then 232 Divisional Employment Company.

By the end of the war the Labour Corps had strength of about 380,000 men
stationed in the UK, in France and Flanders, Italy, Egypt and Salonika. In
fact the size of the Corps reached its greatest of almost 400,000 in Jan
1919. This included about 240 Labour Companies in France and Flanders, with
about thirty to fifty Labour Companies allocated to each of the First,
Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Armies, with a few kept aside as Lines of
Communication units. There were about the same number of companies serving
elsewhere overseas at Area, Divisional, Corps and Army level as well as
some 400 or so companies working in the UK. In late 1918 and early 1919
there were Labour Companies numbered from 1 to over 1000, with little
evidence of their origin.

Once it had been created, the Labour Corps was split into various Labour
Groups, each consisting of a Headquarters and several Labour Companies. In
addition there were Area Employment Companies, Area Employment (Artisan)
Companies, Divisional Employment Companies, and Agricultural Companies.

A Divisional Employment Company, Labour Corps was assigned to a division
and usually co-located with divisional HQ. The company establishment was
two officers, one Company Quarter Master Sergeant, 270 NCOs and Privates,
an Orderly Room Clerk and a Batman. The company role was a very varied one
including running the divisional baths, laundry, cinema, stores, and
officers mess as well as acting as divisional police and undertaking guard
duty. Within the company there were specialists such as tailors,
shoemakers, butchers and telephone operators.

Although initially considered non-combatants, the British companies of the
Labour Corps often performed their duties in forward areas, often under
heavy fire. In the spring of 1918 the corps assumed combatant status for
dealing with the last German Offensive of Mar 1918. Throughout the summer
of that year the men of the Labour Corps units in the forward areas worked
fully armed and some served as fighting soldiers when need arose. However
the vast majority of men continued to work in unarmed companies. Life in
the Labour Corps could be as bad as that enjoyed by front line troops; they
were often under continual shellfire for months at a time. Indeed 2,300 men
in the Labour Corps were either Killed in Action or Died of Wounds between
May 1917 and the end of the war.

When the war ended in Nov 1918, the Labour Corps continued their support
role and were also involved in salvage work, grave and burial registration
and as PW guards.

The Labour Corps was disbanded late in 1919.
Yours aye,

Iain Kerr in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
RootsWeb Sponsor and Listowner for the WORLDWAR2 Mailing List.

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  • Re: [WW1] D.L.I. by Iain Kerr <>