8th Essex - Role during the Great War
Before the war the role of the 8th Battalion involved coastal patrol and home defence which in Essex was especially difficult given the length of the coast and the number of tidal inlets and salt marshes.
The Battalion, under the command of Lieut-Colonel J C Tabor, was one of the first to take up active service with an armed guard mounted at Harwich just a few hours after the declaration of war.
Over 60% of the Battalion volunteered for service in France but this was declined given their expertise on home defence.
Individually many of the Officers and men transferred to active units of the Essex Regiment as the war progressed.
The Battalion recovered special training in Observing, reporting, map reading and methods of communication. Privates were expected to be able to read a map as they were often on patrol without the officer who would normally read the map and give direction.
Many of the coastal roles involved long hours on sole sentry duty covering a stretch of coastline with shelter from one of the many guard posts that were erected on the coatsline.
While the role involved no direct contact with the enemy the 8th Essex still suffered casualties manly from accidents in operating in difficult terrain un darkness.
At the end of the war, members of the 8th Essex were not eligible for the British War Medal, the Victory Medal or the 1914/15 Star as these were only awarded to men who had been in theatres of war.
