October 13, 1914

The Times

Final Instructions

SPORTSMAN’S BATTALION.

Attached to THE ROYAL FUSILIERS (City of London Regiment).

Colonel-in-Chief – THE KING.

Recruits who have already been Sworn In must report themselves for orders and assembly at the Indian Room, Hotel Cecil (Embankment Entrance), as follows:

RECRUITS FROM LONDON & SUBURBS to-day (TUESDAY), at 11.30 a.m.
RECRUITS FROM THE PROVINCES on WEDNESDAY, October 14th, at 11 a.m.

Any recruit who has not been Sworn In should process to the nearest Military Barracks or Recruiting office, and ask to be medically examined and attested for The Sportsman’s Battalion Royal Fusiliers on A.F.B. 2065, immediately reporting result to C.O., Recruiting Office, Hotel Cecil.

NOTE.- As regards equipment everything is found according to Army regulations. Those desirous of providing their own special comforts are at liberty to do so.

There are still a few vacancies for any able-bodied Sportsman up to 45 years of age, who must be thoroughly fit and sound and used to outdoor sports.

Pay at Army Rates. No financial obligations incurred.

Apply at the Chief Recruiting Office, Indian Room, Hotel Cecil, W.C. Hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Attestations – October 6 to October 11, 1914

The following First Sportsman’s recruits are recorded as attesting at an officially recognized location (military barracks or recruiting office) during the week starting Monday, October 5th.

October 11, 1914

Escanaba Morning Press

WOMAN RAISES TROOPS TO FIGHT THE GERMANS

LONDON, Oct. 10. – Recruiting the famous sportsman’s battalion is proceeding apace, the enrollment to date totaling about one thousand. In many ways it is a unique corps. It is raised and financed by Mrs. Cunliffe Owen and in all probability is the only battalion of any of the great modern armies to be brought into being by a woman.

Besides, it is the only battalion in British forces in which the age limit has been specially extended by the authorities.

The recruiting posters read:

“The Sportsman’s Battalion is a corps for gentlemen up to forty-five years of age.”

Among the distinguished men already enrolled as privates are Sir Norman Pringle,  Sir William Wallace, Sir Robert Newman,  and two sons of peers .

The percentage of rejection among the applicants is a low record for recruiting in the campaign. Up to date it is less than 5 per cent. The training ground will be the Grey Horn church, Rumford.

In the chief recruiting headquarters at the Hotel Cecil, a press agent occupies a prominent corner. Payment by the recruit for his equipment is optional.

The training and equipment are the same as required in an ordinary infantry company.

October 9, 1914

The New York Times

1,000 SPORTSMEN HAVE NOW ENLISTED

Titled Men in the Unique British Battalion – A Woman Financing It.

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES

LONDON, Oct. 8. – Recruiting for the famous Sportsman’s Battalion is proceeding apace, the enrollment to date totaling about 1,000.

It is in many ways a unique corps. It is raised and financed by Mrs. Cunliff Owen and is in all probability the only battalion of any of the great modern armies to be brought into being by a woman. It is certainly the only battalion in the British forces in which the age limit has been specially extended by the authorities. The recruiting posters read: “The Sportsman’s Battalion is a corps for gentlemen up to forty-five years of age.” Payment by a recruit for his equipment is optional. The training and equipment are what are required by any ordinary infantry company.

Among the distinguished men already enrolled as privates are Sir Norman Pringle, Bart.; Sir William Wallace; Sir Robert Newman, Bart., and two sons of peers who have not yet passed the military examination.

The percentage of rejection among the applicants is a low record for recruiting in the campaign. Up to date it is less than 5 per cent.

October 7, 1914

Dundee Evening Telegraph

Among 150 recruits of the Sports Battalion who have passed the doctor and who have been sworn in are Ernest Hayes and A. Sandham, the Surrey Cricketers.

October 6, 1914

Liverpool Daily Herald

THE SPORTSMAN’S BATTALION

The official medical examinations of the new Sportsman’s Battalion will take place today for London and on Friday for the country.

It is quite possible that, in view of the great success which has attended the movement, a second battalion may be recruited in the course of the next few weeks.

Among those who have already joined are two baronets.

Yorkshire Evening Post

SPORTSMAN’S COMPLETE INFANTRY BATTALION.

HARROGATE RECRUITING OFFICE.

To cope with the enormous number of number of applications received from the North of England, it has been decided to open a temporary recruiting office in Harrogate every day up to and including Wednesday, October 7.

This Special Battalion for active service, sanctioned by Lord Kitchener, is being recruited from sportsmen up to 45 years of age. There are still a few vacancies for the right men. Now is the opportunity to join a sportsman’s corps.

PAY AT ARMY RATES.

JOIN TO-DAY!

Recruiting Office:

WESTMINSTER CHAMBERS,
STATION PARADE,
HARROGATE.

Hours 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

October 5, 1914

Devon & Exeter Daily Gazette

The Sportsman’s Battalion,

For Active Service

Enrolment is now proceeding at the HOTEL CECIL, and now is the opportunity for Sportsmen and others to enlist in this exceptionally fine Battalion.

Non financial obligations.

For full particulars apply

S. D. GIRBARD, 121, Sidwell-street, Exeter.

October 3, 1914

Newcastle Daily Journal

SPORTSMAN BATTALION,
Westminster Chambers,
Station Parade, Harrogate.

Sir, – May I venture on your space re the Sportsman Battalion? This is the only battalion sanctioned by the War Office for men between 25 and 45 years of age. The men must be perfectly fit in every way, and will be only taken on for active service at Army rates of pay.

All recruits will have to present themselves in London on October 9th next. Will those wishing to join please call – not write – at above address and sign necessary papers not later than October 7th, as all papers must leave here by that date? This is a splendid opportunity given to our sportsman to show his loyalty at an age that would otherwise debar him.

As the battalion is fast filling up only a quick response will secure a place. Recruiting hours, 11 to 1, and 2.30 to 5p.m.

2nd October, 1914.          FRED KELLEY.

Sheffield Evening Telegraph

SPORTSMEN’S BATTALION.

Applications to join the Sportsman’s Battalion which is recruiting at the Hotel Cecil, continue to flow in but there still remain a few vacancies.

Among the most recent recruits as privates are a champion sculler of Australia, a well-known M. F. H., and several cricketers of repute.

“Nearly all the men want commissions,” it was stated to-day. “We are rather crushed out with officers. We rather want a few privates. Ex-officer, however, are willing to serve in the ranks.”

October 2, 1914

Birmingham Evening Despatch

Birmingham Daily Post

A SPLENDID RESPONSE.

LORD ROBERTS AND MIDLAND RECRUITING.

THE SPORTSMAN’S BATTALION.

There was only a small response in Birmingham yesterday to the call for recruits, the total number of men enlisted being 127.

[…] Since September 8 recruiting has been proceeding for the Sportsman’s Active Service Battalion, the members of which are being drawn from the ranks of sportsmen all over the country, such as hunting men, golfers, cricketers, and participants in other outdoor recreations. The unit is intended for active service, and will be fully equipped with transport, ambulance, and field guns. The headquarters are in London, but branch recruiting offices have been opened in Northampton, Nottingham, Bristol, Exeter, and the call will go out to Exeter tomorrow. In Birmingham, at the Stork Hotel yesterday, about thirty recruits presented themselves soon after the office was opened, and during the day about twenty additional members were enrolled. Owing to the satisfactory response the enrolment will be proceeded with again to-day. The battalion is already nearing full strength, the men including many who saw active service both in the commissioned and non-commissioned ranks during the South African war.

The men will examined and sworn in at the various stations on October 9, and those who pass will go into camp near London three days later.

October 1, 1914

Birmingham Evening Dispatch

SPORTSMAN’S BATTALION.

RECRUITING OFFICE OPEN IN BIRMINGHAM TO-DAY.

Fine, well-built, athletic young men, who are fond of outdoor pastimes, made their way to the Stork Hotel, Birmingham, to-day, in order to enrol themselves f0r the Sportsman’s Battalion, a recruiting office having been opened at the hotel for to-day only.

This unit will be composed entirely of sportsmen, and will number 1,300 all told. Devotees of all kinds of sport are to be found in the ranks, and the battalion has appealed to sportsmen form all over the United Kingdom.

The special battalion has been sanctioned by Lord Kitchener for active service, and sportsmen of up to 45 years of age are accepted on the usual terms obtaining for Kitchener’s Army, of which the battalion when completed will form a unit.

Among those who have already enrolled their names in the battalion are 350 men who have seen active service. More than the required number have filled in the necessary forms, but many have since enlisted in other regiments to get away more quickly, and a percentage of medical rejects is allowed for.

EARLY APPLICANTS.

Within the first hour of the office being opened at the Stork Hotel there were quite twenty applicants anxious to register their names as willing to serve. Golfers, oarsmen, and cricketers attended to learn the conditions and subscribe their name to the roll. The men who presented themselves in Birmingham to-day were of splendid physique, brought about by their love of outdoor games, and the officers in charge of the recruiting were well satisfied by their labours of the morning. Some well-known sportsmen from the city and the neighbouring districts attended during the morning, and it was anticipated that ere the office closes at 8 p.m there will be quite a goodly number of Birmingham names among the sportsman’s battalion.

Applicants are only required to fill up forms giving particulars of themselves at present.

On or before 9 October they will receive a communication from London inviting them to attend at the nearest Army recruiting office for the purpose of undergoing the medical test, and, if passed by the doctors, they will be instructed where to present themselves for training, which is expected to commence in twelve days’ time. A training ground has been secured near London, and when the recruiting is completed it is hoped to have one of the finest battalions in the country.

Up to the present 1,000 men have joined the Sportsman’s Battalion which is being organised at the Hotel Cecil, London.

Nottingham Evening Post

THE CALL TO ARMS.

NOTTM. RECRUITING QUIETER.

The raising of the standard to 5ft. 6in. and the chest measurement to 36in. coupled with the fact that certain regiments are closed for recruiting, probably accounts for the circumstance than in Nottingham as elsewhere there is a temporary decline in the number offering themselves for military service.

[…] There was a satisfactory response to the appeal to join the Sportsman’s Battalion yesterday, and if the applicants were not very numerous the right type of man put in an a appearance, including many young farmers from the country. An infantry battalion, the unit is intended for active service, and there is no ground for the impression which seems to have been formed in some quarters that those enlisting will be required to incur a lot of expenses or that they need necessarily be men of means.

Western Daily Press

RECRUITING FOR THE SPORTSMEN’S BATTALION.

A recruiting officer attended at the Royal Hotel yesterday to receive applications from those desirous of enlisting in the Sportsmen’s Battalion, which has been sanctioned by Lord Kitchener with an age limit up to 45 years. Already over 1,000 names have been sent in from various parts of the country, and these include well-known foxhound men and explorers, as well as prominent representatives of cricket, football, and other branches of sport. Only those used to outdoor sports who are thoroughly sound and fit are asked to apply, and candidates upon registering are provided with the following printed instructions with conditions of service: –

You will receive written notice asking you to attend a given place within certain dates for the purpose of medical examination and attestation by the War Office.

The conditions of service will be for a period of three years, unless war lasts longer than three years, in which case you will be retained until the war is over. If, however, you the war is over in less than three years, you will be discharged with all convenient speed.

The battalion will be housed, fed, clothed, and drilled until fit for active service, at a place to be notified later, when the name of the battalion will also be announced.

Donations towards the cost of raising and equipping the battalion will be gratefully received: but this is not a condition of enlistment. Everything will be found free of charge.

Pay at Army rates.

During the day a number of applicants for enlistment were received at the Royal Hotel.