Photo - help needed to identify this regiment

[Shadrach]

This photo is a section of a larger group photo & one of my family's ancestors is in the group but we are not able to identify the regiment.   The ancestor was born in 1882 in Essex so perhaps it's an Essex regiment.  Can anyone help please?

Shadrach

[neil1821]

The Albert helmets with horsehair plumes mark them as Heavy Cavalry I believe, Household Cavalry or Dragoon Guards maybe?

Can rule out the Life Guards I think as they wore white plumes on their helmets.

What's your ancestor's name? I see one chap in the centre there is wearing his QSA/KSA pair from the Boer War. Maybe a check of the rolls would be useful.

Neil

[themonsstar]

The photo was taken in late 1914, the soldier at the bottom left as the Imperial Service Badge on, this would make the photo around 1914/15, as he had agreed to served overseas after the War had started, The unit is a Territorial Force Yeomanry unit, as your man is from Essex, you could try the Essex Yeomanry first, 1/1st Essex Yeo 4/8/14 Colchester they landed in France 1st Dec 1914.

1/2nd Essex Yeo Formed Sept 1914, but never left the UK

1/3rd Essex Yeo Formed in 1915, but never left the UK

[bernard_lewis]

Superb photo! Crystal clear.

Bernard

[Shadrach]

Fantastic to have some help, thank you all so much. 

It's a wonderful photo, the original was in good condition and we gave it a little bit of help! 

Our chap was Joshua Kemble Pudney, he married in 1908, the marriage is registered in Bury St. Edwards Suffolk, perhaps that is a clue too?  Are all the records and rolls available on the internet to check on the National Archives? 

Shadrach

[Shadrach]

Thanks everyone for your help, this is definitely an Essex Yeomanry Unit as confirmed by the Essex Yeomanry Association
Shadrach

[eyman]

Shadrach
Joshua Kemble PUDNEY enlisted as 1069, B Squadron, Essex Imperial Yeomanry on 14 March 1908. This was just before it was converted to part of the Territorial Force. He re-enlisted on 4 April 1908 as number 59 - his age in the muster roll is shown as 26 3/12 and his occupation as carpenter. Promoted Lance Corporal on 23 July 1910, Pudney was discharged time expired on 13 March 1912.

I have not traced any overseas service in WW1 but that doesn't mean he didn't serve at home.

This info comes from:
- the muster roll. The original is I believe on deposit at the Essex Record Office;
- Essex Imperial Yeomanry/Essex Yeomanry Magazine, at the British Library.

I hope this helps. It would be good to see the picture again. I don't know if you've removed it or if Rootsweb takes them off after a while to save space.

Best wishes
Ian

[Waikato]

Also an ancestor of mine - and my sister and I were speculating about the unit in a picture just the other day - may well be the same picture? It was gone by the time I found this site. Here he is, second left seated on the grass.

I have another picture of him in a cricket team of similar vintage and also individual portraits of Joshua and his bride, Harriet Blanche Lewis.

The originals are much better - these were photographed then scanned.

I have a silver cigarette case that dates from his Essex Yeomanry days. It has been excessively polished and the inscription is all but illegible but appears to be E.Y.X.C., Sanson, 1908. Does this mean anything to any one?

Regards

[eyman]

Waikato

Thanks for adding the picture. We know that it dates from the period between July 1910 and March 1912 since your relative seems to be wearing Cpl's stripes. I didn't know that he had been promoted Cpl.

I will need to do some digging to identify the officer as few of them had the KSA. The soldier on the right of the picture also sports a QSA plus at least 3 clasps and the Cpl immediately to the officer's right seems to be sporting a medal underneath his bandolier. It's a shame we can't see what it was.

I'm not sure what the inscription on the cigarette case might mean. I wondered if Sanson could be season?? The only man of a similar name happened to be with B Squadron and his service overlapped with Joshua:
492 Pte Edwin Thomas SAMPSON
Enlisted 1 February 1909; discharged 27 March 1912 by purchase


Ian