WWI. 51st btn rifles

I realise that this site deals with BAOR after WWII but I am hoping that someone may be able to provide information on a regiment post WWI.
The 51st btn Rifle Regiment, based in Ipswich, spent time in Germany between 1918 and 1920. If anyone has come across info on this battalion or now where the records are kept, please let me know.
Many thanks

Hi all,

Easy to forget the British army occupied part of Germany after WWI until 1929; should have stayed longer!

I had an uncle who joined the Northamptonshire Regiment [why he lived in Southend] late in 1919, and went to Germany based somewhere near Koln.
A lot of questions about his service; how long; why a married man aged 29 and with a child
From what I can find out, the Northants Regiment formed three TA untis about this time.

Anyone with more information would be great

Regards
Tony

cheers Tony, My grandfather lived in northamptonshire and joined the 53rd btn young soldier rifle regiment (based in northants) in 1918. He transferred to the 51st after completing training. I don't know if the 51st was connected to the 53rd. Did they have the same insignia? Were the 51st and 53rd connected to the northants?
Not knowing anything about the make-up of the army, I always assumed they were completely different units. Any info or enlightenment that you can offer would be appreciated.

if you log onto the long long trail you will find a few experts on there who know a lot on post ww1 british ocupation troops.graham.

Stu

I wonder if you have the correct full title for your grandfather's unit?

The Rifles is a relatively new name, created when a number of longstanding County Regiments together with the Light Infantry and the Royal Greenjackets were forcedto amalgamate and reduce in numbers

At the end of WW1 The Kings Royal Rifle Corps or The Rifle Brigade may have been the regiments concerned but to complicate matters many TA Infantry Battalions included the word Rifle in their full title to indicate their local recruiting area or professions who supported them. Within the London Regiment there were for example , The Post Office Rifles, The Civil Service Rifles, The Kensington Rifles, The Tower Hamlet Rifles. The same rules applied elsewhere in the UK.

On a personal note my maternal grandfather left home in Northampton at the start of the Boer War to join the Rifle Brigade not the local County Infantry Regiment

When you are talking about the 53rd & 51st Battalions I think you mean the RIFLE BRIGADE not Regiment

http://www.1914-1918.net/rb.htm

Other Battalions

51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 237th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 19th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 14th (Reserve) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (see above). A training unit based at Welbeck, it was part of 206th Brigade in 69th Division. Moved in January 1918 to Aldfershot, went on next month to Ipswich and from June was at Foxhall Heath.

52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 241st Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 21st Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 11th (Reserve) Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment. A training unit based at Clipstone, it was part of 207th Brigade in 69th Division. Moved to Colchester in February 1918.

53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 18th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 15th (Reserve) Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps. A basic recruit training unit based at Northampton, it was part of 4th Reserve Brigade.

As far as I can tell this matches what you know, and is a basis for further reseach, they do not seem to have served in Germany after the war, so he must have been posted to one of the Battalions that did? He probably wore the King's Royal Rifle Corps badge his whole service..

Yes of course, you are right, it is Brigade. Serves me right for doing it from memory. I will contact the Ipswich records office to see if they hold info. Can someone enlighten me as to what 'graduated' refers to.
Many thanks
stu

What it says on the tin! Young Solders were moved to 'Graduated' battalions on completion of training and ready to move to Service Battalions in drafts.

http://webstats.ordersofbattle.darkscape.net/site/warpath/armyinfo.htm