War Diaries Talk

abbreviation

  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    What does "(squadron) employed on D.R. work" means? I find this in the war diary of the 2 CAVALRY DIVISION: 4 CAVALRY BRIGADE: 3 (KING'S OWN) HUSSARS. (1 JAN 1918 - 31 MAR 1919)

    Posted

  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Could you give us a page reference? I'll check it out. Thanks.

    Posted

  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    2 CAVALRY DIVISION: 4 CAVALRY BRIGADE: 3 (KING'S OWN) HUSSARS. (1 JAN 1918 - 31 MAR 1919)
    Image AWD00031xk page 538

    Posted

  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    I just tagged this diary a couple of weeks ago and I don't remember noticing "D.R. work" at all! But I'm wondering if it might be Divisional Reserve work? The troops and squadrons and dismounted parties of the 3rd Hussars went to so many places, you might have to read back a couple of pages to see if Divisional Reserve makes sense.

    Posted

  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Thanks for the link 😃

    @cyngast makes a good suggestion, but I wonder whether it might actually be 'despatch riding' - carrying messages around. Especially as they seem to have been attached to the brigade HQ.

    It's not an abbreviation I've come across before in this context, though, so it'd be interesting to hear whether anybody else has any light to shed on it.

    Posted

  • HeatherC by HeatherC moderator

    I think Rob is right about DR being despatch riding. The page contains extracts of a report from B Squadron who had been attached to one of the Infantry Divisions. They seem to have been employed on patrolling, doing recces and so on and in the entry for the 26th it says "one troop split up for despatch carrying".

    Posted