Identification of cap/badge WWI

[George.]

I have a sub to Findmypast not Ancestry but if you would kindly let me have a link I will ask a friend to find it.

Thanks

[jim1]

You need to read the operational orders from this page. This will give the details & location.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kds/
21/Mancs. were part of the 91st. Bde. 7th. Div.
The other Batts. in the Bde. were 2/Queens, 1/S. Staffs & 22/Mancs.
The Batt. dug in inside the blue area with the Queens & S. Staffs on the flanks.
Their objective was the blue line & then to push forward & take surrounding farm houses.
This was part of a much larger operation going North & South.
Their first objective on the 26th. was to get to the purple line where they were to remain for 15 mins. while the guns re-ranged. The RA then set up a creeping barrage going forward by 200 yds. every 4 mins. The infantry moved forward staying 150 yds. behind it until they reached the red line (2nd. objective) which they consolidated by bringing up MG's & ammunition. From there the next wave leap-frogged the red line & pushed forward to their final objective the blue line which they also consolidated. When the shelling by the RA ceased they sent out parties to flush out the surrounding farm houses which would have been reduced to rubble but were a good concealment for German MG's.
They were relieved on the 27th. when your man was reported missing.
Unfortunately the whole of the battle front was reduced to a quagmire due to heavy rain & the 4.5 million shells that had been fired during the campaign. Many men just sank into the mud & were never recovered.
This link takes you to the full sector map. You need to zoom in on J 27.
http://maps.nls.uk/view/101464912

[George.]

Thanks very much for that, Jim.

My friend is going to print it out and send it to me.

Much appreciated.

[George.]

FAO Jim1 please,

Hello Jim, some weeks ago you very kindly helped me with identifying some of my wife's grand-uncles. One you identified as 18622 Cpl. Sydney Fenna 15 Batt. R.Scots. Transferred to 12 Batt.
Samuel's brother.
I have been unable to find any military records about him and my father-in-law, who is 93, is adamant that his uncle Syd was in a reserved occupation during WW1, working at the Crossley vehicle factory in Lancashire.
Are you able to provide a link for the information please?
Thank you,
George

[jim1]

There were no reserve occupations in WW1.
If a man believed he should be exempt from fighting he would have to present himself in front of a 3 man tribunal with an accompanying letter from his employer stating the reasons.
As he has the BW & V medals indicates that sometime after Nov. 1915 he went overseas & served in a theatre of war which is about right considering his age.
The 15/RS went overseas Jan. 1916.
So as he was too young in 1914-15 he would have continued in his normal occupation.
He may have been working at the Crossley factory at the time or answered the call for men to work there when they went over to full war production.
It may also be the case that his employer got him exempted when conscription came in but later he was sent his papers because of the shortage of men particularly after the Somme & Passchendaele.
These sort of jobs were now being done by women.

[George.]

Thanks for that, Jim. That's enough proof that he was in the army.

George