Horse Transport depots before the war
The depots received new regular army recruits and provided them with training in riding, driving, wagon drill and gymnastics as well as the basics of parade ground drill, marching, saluting, etc. They had a permanent staff of around 80. Recruits spent about three to four months there before being posted to a unit. The depot also accomodated mobilisation stores for around 2000 men.
The name is sometimes given as, for example, 3rd (Transport Depot) Company.
1st (Depot) Company at Aldershot Buller Barracks
2nd (Depot) Company at Woolwich ASC Barracks
3rd (Depot) Company at Longford, County Longford, Ireland. This depot closed in March 1912 and 3rd (Depot) Company ceased to exist. Men who were reservists and resident in Ireland, who would previously have mobilised at Longford in the event of war, would now do so in Dublin.
4th (Depot) Company at Hulme Barracks in Manchester. Relocated to Moor Barracks in Bradford in February 1914 and renumbered as 3rd (Depot) Company on 20 March 1914.
Horse Transport depots during the war
The Aldershot, Woolwich and Bradford depots continued to operate, nunbered as shown above.
They were supplemented by additional Reserve Depots, opened in the first quarter of 1915 to increase capacity for training war volunteers (and later Group System recruits and conscripted men):
Number 1 (Reserve) Horse Transport Depot opened at Deptford and later at Park Royal in London
Number 2 (Reserve) Horse Transport Depot opened at Blackheath in London
Number 3 (Reserve) Horse Transport Depot opened at Woolwich [I am still not sure of the complete purpose of this unit, for I only ever see it mentioned in connection with the transfer of men to reserve in 1918. It may have been the men’s administrative unit while they were actually serving on reserve]
Number 4 (Reserve) Horse Transport Depot opened at Bradford [similar comment to 3 (Reserve) above]
In memoriam
In memory of Private TS/1316 David Knowles Bedwell, who died at the Royal Albert Hospital on 8 December 1914. David was the son of Thomas Frederick and Kate Bedwell of 55, West Street, Deal, Kent. He had voluntarily enlisted on 24 November 1914 and was in the early stages of his training with 2nd (Depot) Company at Woolwich when late on 6 December 1914 he failed to respond to repeated challenges by a sentry. The sentry opened fire, a shot penetrating David’s arm, shattering the bone. He was taken to the hospital where his arm was amputated, but sadly he soon succumbed. David is commemorated at the screen wall at Greenwich Cemetery.
