Definition help: 1) Attached to a unit, keep old unit name? 2) Assigned to a unit, get new unit name? 3) Detached from a unit, how get name? 4) Pool of men, like in this sentence: Detachment created as pool of men. Does this mean they are unassigned replacements?
IMO- 1) Probably. 2) Assigned to new duties, not necessarily a new unit. 3) Could have two meanings; a) Sent on side mission to main operations (ie "detached from main force to secure X") b) "Detached" as in separated from unit, possibly missing or PoW. 4) As in reserve force.
Now there's a thought; sure I've seen entries to the effect of "assigned to X Field Hospital" before.
Ambiguous as ever. Would a wounded man be "assigned to Field Hospital" or be on "detached duty to Field Hospital". Is a person in either status injured or going to help with the grunt work of setting up/breaking down the hospital? Where's the "bang head against the wall, repeat as needed" smiley?
He wouldn't be on duty if he was wounded, so "assigned" would be a convenient way of saying "sent/admitted to". If he was sent there on duty, I'd imagine attached/detached would be more appropriate. Again just MO.
If speaking of a unit it is fairly straight forward, if an individual then the subject can sometimes become more muddied, but there is still a protocol. I don't know about other Allied forces, but the United States did/does have a fairly precise definition for the terms. attach — 1. The placement of units or personnel in an organization where such placement is relatively temporary. (example: Co. B 1st Tank battalion is attached to 5th Marines for an operation. Co. B 1st Tank battalion is never intended to become a pemanent, organic component of 5th Marines; only to serve as an additional asset for a period of time and will eventually be returned to its parent organization, 1st Tank Battalion.) 2. The detailing of individuals to specific functions where such functions are secondary or relatively temporary. (example: Due to heavy casualties in the rifle squads, battalion weapons company personnel were temporarily attached to them to serve as riflemen. The personnel would only serve in the rifle platoons until trained riflemen replacements arrived and then they'd return to their primary job.) As per your question about names: The unit is virtually never renamed when it is an attachment. Detached is just the inverse of attached. However, the term detachment can also have the additional meaning of a permanent organization smaller than a battalion. Co. B 1st tank Bn would be a temporary detatchment owned by 1st tank Battalion, temporarily attached to 5th Marines or Marine Detachment U.S.S. North Carolina is a element about the size of two rifle platoons (86 Marines), permanently assigned to the ship with no intent that it be returned to another organizational entity. One of the problems you may encounter is that some writers that don't know better use attached and assigned as synonymous because that is correct in civilian usage. Civilian usage is not however intended to be as precise. So (in military parlance) to say that Lt. Newby was assigned to the 1/325th GIR would mean he was intended to be a permanent member, to say Lt. Newby was attached to the 1/325th GIR would mean he was temporarily operating with the unit and would at some point be returned to his parent unit. assign — 1. To place units or personnel in an organization where such placement is relatively permanent, and/or where such organization controls and administers the units or personnel for the primary function, or greater portion of the functions, of the unit or personnel. 2. To detail individuals to specific duties or functions where such duties or functions are primary and/or relatively permanent. Units may or may not be redesignated, most commonly regimental or higher organizations retain their designation. Battalions or smaller are absorbed and adopt or are redesignated to their new organizations name (again I said "most commonly", there is no absolute rule). As for pool in military terms it generally refers to a group of personnel, vehicles, units, aircraft, etc. with a specific purpose to be assigned out as needed.
Instructions for a British officers run ashore.. Atts and Dets 'ats will be worn and de'ts will be payed. But seriously, Each of the precise military definitions has operational, administrative and logistic implications - which can be qualified. https://fas.org/irp/doddir/dod/jp1_02-april2010.pdf
