With the high loss of officers I assume the turn over of promotions was fast. I have just learned of a distant relative - fascinating link, too - who as in a tank battle at Cambrai (?) and ended the war as a major. He was not quite born into what I would call the officer class of that time so it must have been through rapid promotion.

Being of yeoman rural stock I assume he joined the cavalry - and hence became a tank man. Any sites where I can be off loaded for info would be of interest. Thank you.

What kind of info are you looking for P? If it's about your relative you might start here http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/britisharmysoldierafter1913.htm

Priscilla wrote:

With the high loss of officers I assume the turn over of promotions was fast. I have just learned of a distant relative - fascinating link, too - who as in a tank battle at Cambrai (?) and ended the war as a major. He was not quite born into what I would call the officer class of that time so it must have been through rapid promotion.

Being of yeoman rural stock I assume he joined the cavalry - and hence became a tank man. Any sites where I can be off loaded for info would be of interest. Thank you.

Like ferval, I am not quite certain what kind of info you are looking for, Priscilla, but you may find something of interest here


http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1543&AID=10402952&PID=3652204



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



And if someone else find an interest in someone German, you may have a look on this thread - some of it written in English

http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/index.php

I wondered how promotions were come by in WW1. I do not have enough details of the man - even his true name even .... 'Old Wally' or 'that old b****er' is not quite enough. Though everyone was agreed - and somewhat surprised that he ended the war as a major. And that must have been true as his veteran brothers would soon have demolished him. However, I'll pursue the links with thanks - and look up the battle, too.

I'm sure I've either read or seen that by 1918 around one-third of the BEF's officers had been promoted from the ranks. And the average age of a battalion commander [Lt Colonel] was only 28 compared with 50 in 1914.

An additional link to the National Archives, this one for researching officers;

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/officerbritisharmyafter1913.htm