Dates: 1915 - 1921

The Labour Corps was raised in 1915 and disbanded in 1921, today thier roles are undertaken by the Royal Logistics Corps.

The Corps grew to some 389,900 men (more than 10% of the total size of the Army) by the Armistice. Of this total, around 175,000 were working in the United Kingdom and the rest in the theatres of war. The Corps was manned by officers and other ranks who had been medically rated below the "A1" condition needed for front line service. Many were returned wounded. Labour Corps units were often deployed for work within range of the enemy guns, sometimes for lengthy periods.

In April 1917, a number of Infantry Battalions were transferred to the Corps. The Labour Corps absorbed the 28 ASC Labour Companies between February and June 1917. Labour Corps Area Employment Companies were formed in 1917 for salvage work, absorbing the Divisional Salvage Companies. In the crises of March and April 1918 on the Western Front, Labour Corps Units were used as emergency infantry. It became the 18th -19th Labour Corps in May 1917.

The Corps always suffered from its treatment as something of a second class organization: for example, the men who died are commemorated under their original Regiment, with Labour Corps being secondary. Researching men of the Corps is made extra difficult by this, as is the fact that few records remain of the daily activities and locations of Corps units.

Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving Labour Corps

" I’m not sure if this is appropriate in this spot but felt that this article from our this week’s local magazine was worthy of a read. Ninety two years ago this February 21st the third greatest tradgedy in the island’s maritime history took place about 11 miles south of ..."

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" Hi there. I’m trying to find out which Battalion my Great grandfather was in during WW1. Does anyone know if the Lincolnshire Regiment Was connected to the 3rd Battalion Of the South Staffordshire Regiment? (i will explain below)... I have his medal card and Medal Roll which state he was ..."

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" Quoting: John (scouse) Hirons Alright Sue, I’ve had a quick delve into my books, up to now all I’ve come up with is that from 1914 the S.I.H. served as divisional cavalry squadrons and then as 2 corps cavalry regiments. In 1917 the officers and men of both regiments were retrained as ..."

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" Quoting: Sue Jennings nee McCarthy Hi John Thanks for the information and I investigated the link you quoted even further and found my grandfather’s name in the links about despatches (I still don’t know why he was mentioned - he was one of three names from the SIH) but I do know he was ..."

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" There is a martin Burke, Connaught Rangers listed in the national archives, it costs £2.00 to download  his medal card. Medal card of Burke, Martin Corps Regiment No Rank Connaught Rangers 7847 Private Connaught Rangers 7847 Private Labour Corps 703250 Private Date 1914-1920 Catalogue ..."

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