WW1 MEDALS SPECIAL RESERVE SGT BUSH 13TH BATTALION ROYAL FUSILIERS BRITISH ARMY

Offered is a 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named SR-302 C^PL (A.S^JT) E.BUSH. R.FUS.; British War and Victory Medals 1914 -18, impressed named SR-302 A.SJT. E. BUSH. R. FUS. Comes with copies of medal rolls and M.I.C.

Unfortunately, the records of Sergeant Edward Bush (service number SR/302) were destroyed during the ‘Blitz’ in WW2, however what is known is that he landed in France 18/8/1915 with the 13^th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (The 13^th Battalion landed 30/7/1915), he served with them until 27/5/1916. It is possible that he was wounded or invalided back to England after this and was discharged 21/3/1919.

Bush was a Special Reserve soldier (service no prefix SR indicates this). Men would enlist into the Special Reserve for 6 years and had to accept the possibility of being called up in the event of a general mobilization and otherwise undertake all the same conditions as men of the Army Reserve. Their period as a Special Reservist started with six months of full-time training and they had 3-4 weeks of training per year thereafter. A man who had not served as a regular could extend his SR service by up to four years but could not serve beyond the age of 40. A former regular soldier who had completed his Army Reserve term could also re-enlist as a Special Reservist and serve up to the age of 42.

Recruitment for the former Militia ceased on 15 January 1908 and from the next day men would be recruited into the Special Reserve.

It is possible that Sgt Bush 13^th Battalion R.F is this man: Edward Bush, born 1880 in Whitechapel, London who enlisted into the 5^th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (Militia) 11/10/1898 (service number 1922). He served in South Africa and was discharged on termination of enlistment as a Sgt 10/10/1904.