On 12 October 1916 the Army Council issued a notification of the raising of two new forms of army reserve under the provisions of the Military Service Act (Session 2). They were for men whose services were deemed “to be more valuable to the country in civil than in military employment.” The details were issued as Army Order 355 of 1916.
Class T Army Reserve
This reserve was for skilled tradesmen who would otherwise pass to Class W Army Reserve on leaving the colours, or on transfer from Class B Army Reserve. The trades were limited to the following:
Borer (engineering, if he had the skills to set up his own machine)
Constructional ironwork erector
Coppersmith
Draughtsman (engineering, but not a tracer)
Electrician (including wiremen, armature winders and instrument makers)
Examiner (fitter or turner)
Fitter and erector (engineering)
Fitter (metal pipe, excluding gas fitter or plumber)
Grinder (precision work)
Marker-off (fitter, turner or draughtsman)
Miller (universal or slab, if he had the skills to set up his own machine)
Millwright
Moulder (brass, iron and steel)
Planer (engineering, if he had the skills to set up his own machine)
Scientific instrument maker
Sheet metal worker
Slotter (engineering, if he had the skills to set up his own machine)
Smith, striker or hammerman
Stamper (hot-drop)
Tool fitter
Tool setter
Turner (engineering, but excluding capstan, turret and automatic lathe turners unless he had the skills to set up their own work and machine)
Viewer or gauger (fitter or turner)
Welder (acetylene, heavy work)
plus any other engineering trade which may be notified from time to time.
The man transferred to Class T would receive no further army pay or other emoluments from army funds. He would receive civilian wages from his employment.
Class P and Class P (T) Army Reserve
These two forms of reserve (the T being for Territorial Force) were for men fit for military service in medical category not lower than Ciii whose services were “deemed to be temporarily of greater value to the country in civil life than in the army but who, as a result of having served in the army or Territorial Force, have contracted disabilities which would, if they were discharged, have rendered them eligible for consideration for a disability pension, or who are qualified by length of service to receive a pension.”
The date of transfer to Class P or P(T) would be 21 days after such transfer was approved, and the soldier and his dependents would be treated for all purposes of pay and allowances, gratuity on discharge, pension and civilian clothing as if the man had been discharged on the date of transfer.
Men serving in Class P and P(T) did not qualify for the standard month of paid furlough when they were eventually discharged from reserve.
