A.G.1 (R) The War Office Branch behind Soldiers Died In The Great War (S.D.G.W.): War Office Directory Entries 1918-1920

A.G. 1(R) crucially was in charge of setting policy and guidelines for the Army Record Offices to follow at a time when due to the huge expansion of the Army during the War, followed by demobilisation, pension, medal and other work, the limited human resources of the Record Offices were very much stretched by the demands placed upon them. Even the introduction of Parliamentary Suffrage (the vote) for men and women (of the right age) in 1918 meant that more work was required to keep lists of Army electors up to date.

War Office Directory 1918

A.G.1 (r)

Room	Tel.	Name.	Class.
142	1	Lieut.-Col. A.P.G. Gough, C.M.G., D.S.O., q.s. (Res. Of Off.) (temp).	Deputy Assistant Adjutant General.
	21	Maj. W.G. Baron Bentinck, C.M.G., D.S.O. (Res. Of Off.). Maj. G.H. Gwyther, D.S.O., Royal Welsh Fusiliers.	Attached
	82	Capt. and Qr. Mr. W. Brown (T.F.), General List. Capt. And Qr. Mr R.P. Macdonald, Special List.
	142	Clerks
		DUTIES Co-ordination of all questions in connection with the organization, administration and establishments (officers and clerical staff) of Record Offices. Selection and appointment of all officers for Record Offices, including Record Sections, 3^rd Echelon. All questions concerning a soldier’s service, re-engagement, and prolongation of service, and reckoning of service, for all purposes. Restoration of forfeited service in conjunction with A.G. 3 (L). Executive action in respect of compulsory retention under the Military Service Acts. Attestation forms and other documents of serving soldiers. Disposal of soldiers’ documents. Questions regarding the procedure in conjunction with branches concerned. Enquiries regarding whereabouts of serving soldiers in conjunction with branches concerned. Custody of South African Irregular Mounted Forces Records and of South African Casualty Indices. Parliamentary Registration Index in connection with the Representation of the People Bill, 1918.
Attached A.G.1 (r)
142	82	Col. E.W. Margesson (Res. of Off.), Norfolk Regt. (temp.) Col. C. Parr (Res. of Off.) (temp.) Maj. G.M. Neilson, Special List (temp.)…	Inspectors of Record Office. Assistant Inspector of Record Offices
		DUTIES Inspection of Record Offices, consultative duties in connection with the work in Record Offices

War Office Directory 1919

A.G.1. (R) War Office Annex? Note: National Archives Copy includes handwritten amendments (substituted here for printed names where amendments made).

Room	Tel.	Name.	Class.
160	470	Lt. Col. J.H.T. Cornish-Bowden, C.M.G. D.S.O. Temp Capt. R.P. MacDonald M.B.E. Special List.	Deputy Assistant Adjutant General Staff Captain Attached.
105	345	Maj. H.B.T. Hume, M.B.E. Extra Regimental List	Officer i/c Q.M.A.A.C. Records attached to A.G.1. (R)
		DUTIES Co-ordination of all questions in connection with the organization, administration and establishments (officers and clerical staff) of Record Offices. Selection and appointment of all officers for Record Offices, including Record Sections, 3^rd Echelon. System of regimental numbering in conjunction with branches concerned. Parliamentary Index in connection with the Representation of the People Bill, 1918.
Attached A.G.1 (R)		DUTIES Inspection of Record Offices, consultative duties in connection with the work in Record Offices.

War Office Directory 1920

A.G.1. (R) War Office Embankment Annex?

Room	Tel.		Name.	Class.
160 161	173 249		Lt. Col. J.H.T. Cornish-Bowden, C.M.G., D.S.O., Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (temp.). Temp Capt. R.P. MacDonald M.B.E. Special List. (temp.). Capt. And Qr. Mr. R.E. Steggall, M.B.E., General List.	Deputy Assistant Adjutant General Staff Captain Attached.
62	175 274		Clerks
			DUTIES Co-ordination of all questions in connection with the organization, administration and establishments (officers and clerical staff) of Record Offices. Selection and appointment of all officers for Record Offices, including Record Sections, 3^rd Echelon. Questions regarding documentary procedure in connection with transfers and postings. System of regimental numbering in conjunction with branches concerned. Parliamentary Index in connection with the Representation of the People Bill, 1918. Supervision of Details dealing with correspondence left over on break up of 3^rd Echelon, British Expeditionary Force, France.
Attached A.G.1 (R)
160 64		173 269	Bt. Lieut-Col. (temp. Col.) E.W. Margesson, C.M.G., q.s. (Res. of Off.), Norfolk Regt. (temp.). Lieut. And Qr.-Mr. W.R. Britton, M.B.E. , Extra-Regimental List.	Inspector of Record Offices. Attached Officer.
			DUTIES Inspection of Record Offices, consultative duties in connection with the work in Record Offices.

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