Syllabus of infantry training for Junior Training Reserve, Young Soldier and Graduated Battalions

Syllabus for Junior Training Reserve, Young Soldier and Graduated Battalions

Defined in Appendix IV of Army Council Instruction 1230 of 1917

This training schedule applied from October 1917 and was undertaken by newly recruits who had been conscripted under the terms of the 1916 Military Service Act.

First two weeks

Physical training 6 hours (including physical exercise connected with bomb [grenade] throwing)
Squad drill without arms 16 hours
Musketry 10 hours
Interior economy 12 hours (kit inspection, care of equipment, fitting of clothes, marching order, etc)
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Special lectures 6 hours (camouflage, co-operation with other arms, trench warfare, etc)
Organised games (football, boxing, etc) and school education (to second class certificate level) 12 hours
Total 64 hours
Inoculations

Imperial War Museum photograph Q23579. “New recruits, most of them teenagers, at a British army base camp at Etaples, 16 July 1918.” This caption is most misleading, for new recruits had gone through the training syllabus listed on this page – as a minimum – before they went to France.

Weeks 3 and 4

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad drill without arms 9 hours
Squad drill with arms 9 hours
Musketry 16 hours
Interior economy 4 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 72 hours

Weeks 5 and 6

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad drill 20 hours
Musketry and miniature range practice 16 hours
Interior economy 3 hours
Night work 3 hours
Guards 3 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Special lectures 3 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours
Inoculations

Weeks 7 and 8

Physical training and running 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad drill 18 hours
Musketry and miniature range practice 18 hours
Interior economy 2 hours
Night work 3 hours
Guards 3 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 3 hours
Route marching without packs 3 hours
Special lectures 3 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 9 and 10

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad drill 12 hours
Musketry 20 hours including firing of Part I Musketry Course
Interior economy 2 hours
Night work 3 hours
Guards 5 hours
Field engineering 2 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 3 hours
Route marching without packs 3 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 11 and 12

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad drill 12 hours
Musketry 20 hours including firing of Part II Musketry Course
Interior economy 2 hours
Night work 3 hours
Field engineering 4 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching without packs 3 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 13 and 14

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad, platoon and company drill 12 hours
Musketry 20 hours including firing of Part III and IV Musketry Course
Field work and engineering 15 hours
Anti-gas training 1 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching without packs 4 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 15 and 16

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Squad, platoon and company drill 8 hours
Musketry 16 hours including firing of Part III and IV Musketry Course
Field work and engineering 21 hours
Anti-gas training 1 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching in marching order 2 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 17 and 18

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Drill and musketry 12 hours
Interior economy 2 hours
Field work and engineering 24 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching in marching order 6 hours (in conjunction with field work if convenient)
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 19 and 20

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Drill (including ceremonial) and musketry 12 hours
Interior economy 2 hours
Field work and engineering 28 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching in marching order 2 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 21 and 22

Physical training 10 hours
Bayonet training 6 hours
Drill (including ceremonial) and musketry 8 hours
Interior economy 2 hours
Field work and engineering 32 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching in marching order 2 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

Weeks 23 and 24

Physical training 8 hours
Drill (including ceremonial) and musketry 8 hours
Interior economy 2 hours
Field work and engineering 32 hours
Anti-gas training 2 hours
Bombing 6 hours
Route marching in marching order 8 hours
Special lectures 2 hours
Organised games and school education 14 hours
Total 84 hours

On conclusion of this training, the recruit would become available for an overseas posting unless he was medically classified as “A4” (men who were not yet at the minimum age for overseas service).

Links

Training to be a soldier

The Training Reserve

The remodelled Training Reserve of 1917

Syllabus of infantry training for senior Training Reserve and Reserve Garrison Battalions