Author Topic: The Royal Irish Regiment  (Read 731 times)

Offline holbrookm

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The Royal Irish Regiment
« on: Thursday 28 June 18 09:30 BST (UK) »
Hi - can anyone help me with my research into the attached photos, found in a house in Brislington, Bristol, England?

I believe the photo is of George Charles Bowles, born in Bristol on 13th November 1893, son of Edward Henry & Susan Bowles, and the wooden plaque (24cm diameter) is of The Royal Irish Regiment.

Please can anyone explain why George would be in The Royal Irish Regiment if he was from Bristol, as I can’t find any other links with Ireland in his family tree.

Online Jebber

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Re: The Royal Irish Regiment
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 28 June 18 09:46 BST (UK) »
Presumably you are talking about WW1, a time when Ireland was part of the UK. Men  would be sent to whatever unit was most in need of manpower, they were  often moved between Regiments as required,so there is nothing strange about a Bristol man being in an Irish Regiment.
CHOULES All ,  COKER Harwich Essex & Rochester Kent 
COLE Gt. Oakley, & Lt. Oakley, Essex.
DUNCAN Kent
EVERITT Colchester,  Dovercourt & Harwich Essex
GULLIVER/GULLOFER Fifehead Magdalen Dorset
HORSCROFT Kent.
KING Sturminster Newton, Dorset. MONK Odiham Ham.
SCOTT Wrabness, Essex
WILKINS Stour Provost, Dorset.
WICKHAM All in North Essex.
WICKHAM Medway Towns, Kent from 1880
WICKHAM, Ipswich, Suffolk.

Offline MaxD

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Re: The Royal Irish Regiment
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 28 June 18 10:18 BST (UK) »
There is a medal record for a G Bowles, corporal, (your man has the two stripes), who transferred at some time to the Royal Engineers.  His shoulder titles are not clear but are short as would be RE, Royal Irish titles were curved and said Royal Irish.
He also has 2 wound stripes which may suggest a photo later in the war thus after transfer to the RE as they weren't worn until late 1916.

Unfortunately it looks as if his service record was among the 60% or so destroyed in bombing in WW2.

MaxD
I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia

Offline holbrookm

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Re: The Royal Irish Regiment
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 28 June 18 20:28 BST (UK) »
Hi - Thank you both for your quick replies. 
That all makes sense, as I have now found his details in the WW1 Service and Medal Award Rolls, and see that George was noted to be a motor mechanic in The 1939 England Register.


Offline king ranger

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Re: The Royal Irish Regiment
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 04 July 18 16:17 BST (UK) »
When the 36th Ulster Division had so many loses on 1st of July 1916 at the Somme, many English soldiers ended up in that Division.

Offline holbrookm

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Re: The Royal Irish Regiment
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 04 July 18 22:05 BST (UK) »
Thank you for this very helpful suggestion - I can now see how the limited information that I had all fits together.