‘16/86 Correspondence regarding the Regular Army Reserve of Officers’ [‎36r] (71/88)

THE RESERVES OF OFFICERS AND HOW TO JOIN THEM
1. It is hoped that as many officers as possible who have retired or have been released from either the British or
Indian Armies and who fulfil the necessary conditions will volunteer to join the reconstituted Territorial Army. Full
details can be obtained from the local T.A. and Auxiliary Forces Association or the nearest T.A, unit. ANY OFFICER
WHO CAN SPARE THE TIME SHOULD JOIN THE TERRITORIAL ARMY.
2. There are, however, many officers who will be unable to afford the time to carry out the duties of an officer in
the T.A., but who would be required to serve again, either in time of crisis whilst the present state of emergency continues,
or in any future emergency. All released officers are liable to recall until the present emergency is declared at an end.
In the event of recall being necessary, or in any future emergency, it is important, both to the country and to the
individual, that officers should be fitted quickly into appropriate appointments. For this reason it is proposed to compile
new lists of officers in reserve, so that they can be fitted smoothly and quickly into suitable appointments should the
need to recall them arise.
3. Separate arrangements have been made for the following classes
(а) Released officers of the Supplementary Reserve and the Territorial Army— Officers of these classes who have not
joined the reconstituted Supplementary Reserve or Territorial Army will, as explained in para. 5, be retained
on the appropriate Reserve Lists without application until they reach the age limits applicable or the
emergency ends and they apply to resign their commissions.
(б) Released women officers. —A separate announcement regarding the appointment of these officers (women doctors
and dentists, nursing officers and A.T.S. officers) to an appropriate Reserve will be made in due course.
4. The Supplementary Reserve of Officers is also being reformed on a limited scale to provide units of types which
are not suitable for organization on a T.A. basis ; examples at present are R.E. (1 ransportation) and R.E. (Postal) ; other
categories may be added. Officers for these units are being found by direct approach through the appropriate civilian
organizations. Supplementary reserve officers who have not joined units of the post-war Supplementary Reserve (S.R.)
will be automatically retained on the appropriate reserve list.
5. The Territorial Army Reserve of Officers (T.A.R.O.) is the special reserve for the Territorial Army, and entry
to it will, therefore, in future be restricted to officers who have held T.A. commissions. They will thus be on the
most suitable reserve to ensure that they are kept on the appropriate Regimental list and are most readily available
for posting to units if required when the T.A. is embodied. Existing T.A. officers who have been released from
embodied service, and who have not joined units in the reconstituted T.A., and who have not reached the age for
compulsory retirement, are being transferred automatically to the T.A.R.O. They will be held to serve on that Reserve
until the present emergency ends and, if they then continue service voluntarily, will be liable to be called up in a future
emergency whenever the T.A. is embodied or before embodiment when necessary for the defence of the United Kingdom.
6 THE REGULAR ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS AND THE ARMY OFFICERS EMERGENCY
RESERVE ARE, HOWEVER, NOW OPEN TO RECRUITMENT, AND THE FOLLOWING CLASSES OF
OFFICERS AND EX-OFFICERS ARE NOW INVITED TO JOIN :— ,
(а) Ex-officers of the Regular Army who resigned with less than 10 years’ service and have not yet applied to
join the R.A.R.O. »
(б) Released emergency commissioned officers.
(c) Ex-officers who have relinquished short service commissions since the end of hostilities.
(d) Retired and released officers formerly of the Indian Army, whether they held regular or emergency commissions.
N b Retired officers of the late Indian Army whose substantive rank is Lieut.-colonel or higher are unlikely to be
able to join the T.A. owing to lack of vacancies. It is hoped therefore, that as many as possible will join the Regular Army
Reserve of Officers. „ , ,, , „
The essential differences between the Regular Army Reserve of Officers and the Army Officers Emergency Reserve are
described in the following paragraphs.
p w p 0se THE REGULAR ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS (R.A.R.O.)
7 The Regular Army Reserve of Officers is designed to bring the Active Army up to strength, to raise units from
lower to higher establishments, and to provide a reserve of officers for reinforcement purposes. Members are liable to
be called to Army Service at a time of national emergency, or when a national emergency appears imminent.
Eligibility
8. Officers of the categories mentioned in para. 6 who have been released from the British or Indian Armies are
invited to join the R.A.R.O. as under :— „ , , , • , , . ' , ,,
(а) Officers with the requisite qualifications who have held ranks of any sort of major and below, up to the age
of 45 years (53 years for quarter-master) :— ^ _
4 ^ R.E. R.A.S.C. R.E.M.E. R.A.E.C.
R. Signals. R.A.M.C. R.A.P.C. R.A.D.C.
R.A.Ch.D. R.A.O.C, R.A.V.C. R. Pnr. Corps.
Int. Corps—Officers of all Anns with qualifications for employment on intelligence duties.
R.M.P.—Officers of all Arms qualified in provost work.
Staff—Officers of all Arms who have had staff training or experience.
(б) Officers suitable for employment at regimental duty in all other Arms, provided they have not passed the
following ages and held the undermentioned ranks while serving :—
W/S Capt. J W/S Lieut. \ _ Quarter-master —53 years.
T/Major / 35 yearS * T/Capt. /'
-30 years.