The First Volunteers

At the raising of the 11th Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment a meeting was held on Friday 21st May 1915 at the Catford Skating Rink to begin the task of encouraging volunteers to enlist in large numbers.

A few men had already enlisted as the news of a local battalion spread. George Alderton from Claremont Terrace, Lewisham had joined up in Deptford earlier in the week along with William Bailey, a Carman from Blackfriars in London. Their service numbers were G/8008 and G/8009 respectively but their paths would take a different course.
George Alderton was to reach the rank of Sergeant and was the battalion cook but lost his life in April 1918  after being wounded with the 1st Battallion of the Royal West Kent's while William Bailey deserted from the battalion while it was still being raised in Lewisham.

Other volunteers included Harold Henry Butcher G/8010 a 19 year old Bank Clerk from Hither Green, James Collins G/8012 a Gas Fitter from Catford, William Carne G/8013 a Decorater from the Old Kent Road and William Frasier G/8015 a 21 year old Cabinet Maker from Laleham Road, Catford (Picture Below) who was appointed Pioneer Sergeant.

Also enlisting was father of 8 Norris Harding G/8019 a 32 year old Scaffolder from Giffen Street, Deptford.

A newly raised battalion needed a nucleus of Non Commissioned Officers (N.C.O's), that backbone of any Army that trains and moulds the new recruits into a fighting force. Due to the sudden large expansion of the British Army during the latter part of 1914 early 1915 and the losses already incurred by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front, those men were few and far between.
But the 11th managed to find some amongst whom were a number who would live long in the memory of the survivors.
A number of these N.C.O's  returned home from India where the 2nd Battalion of the Royal West Kent's were stationed. These included Sydenham born Sergeant William Tranter L/4736 who had enlisted in 1896 aged 19, Sergeant William Ellis L/4239, Sergeant Major James Hayley L/5614 and William Johnson L/5971 who was appointed Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant while Sergeant William Garland L/8141 had rejoined the Army after serving over 11 years with the Border Regiment.
Another notable figure to join the battalion on that Friday in May was one Ephram Walter Goulds L/4956 who had joined the Royal West Kent's at Maidstone on the 4th November 1895 as fresh faced 21 year old from Hadlow in Kent.

It's hard to determine the number of men who initially joined the battalion after that first meeting but a study of the service numbers and enlistment dates of the records that survived (more of which I'll explain at a later date) gives an approximate figure of 40 men enlisting in the week following including the Gramson brothers Richard G/8046 and Henry G/8176 from New Cross and Deptford respectively as well as George G/8171 and Richard G/8175 Law both of Elm Terrace, Deptford.

So the battalion had its foundation of its first company, A Company but it also needed officers from the battalion commander to its most junior of commisioned ranks the 2nd Lieutenant.