History of the Wolds Wagoners Special Reserve - page 30
Image details
| Corps | RPC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Books |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | History of the Wolds Wagoners Special Reserve |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1988 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1908 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
Margaret WoodIiffe E s father (above) joined the Wagoners Reserve which was originally started by Sir Mark Sykes, of Sledmere. The lads on the Wolds Farms drove horses all year round in pole-waggons, like those in the army. Therefore, it was felt that the training th^se boys had acquired would be of great value to the Army. Sir Mark Sykes approached the War Office with the suggestion that a Corps should be formed, of which the men should in return for a small yearly payment (£1 per year) undertake to give their services as drivers, at home or abroad, in case of >Jar. No other services was demanded of the men, who, when they were called-up, came with no military training of any kind, to offer their skill in driving \ teams and the care of horses. THU8 S aecbers of the \ ^Wagofiars Special Heserve- tat the honour of being the \ first civilians to serve tfceir Country overseas in X92A0 ^ My father often told us, that he was in the hay/harvest field one day and the next he was called to the Army & heading for Aldershot. It is said many of the lads appeared to have come straight from the fields. The first batch of Wagoners to leave the Depot for France consisted of the smallest men owing to a temporary shortage of the larger sizes of Khaki clothing. Most of these lads had been accustomed to handling horses since their childhood. These drivers were keen, intelligent & capable men, not given much to talking> but strikingly observant & ready to obey. It was customary in the Wolds, when their was heavy pulling; to work with a team of four horses, the driver riding the near J Wheeler 1 with a short rein for the off 'Wheeler 1 & using long reins for the 'leaders! \ • When the Wagoners arrived in France they found many \ occasions when the use of mechanical transport was , v difficult, or even forbidden on account of'the bad state of the roads, & under such circumstances horse J transport was in great demand & the wagoners' were in their element. The work performed by the Wagoners throughout the War was most praise worthy, & they bestowed great care on their animals, frequently standing in very exposed positions & often with mud nearly up to their hocks.~"^~"*- rf^ii' ?Kflrl$fMr S&llfiar /vi j±? A'oT /J#Jf |
| Book number | R0397 |