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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: natjam on Tuesday 21 July 09 12:12 BST (UK)
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Hi all. I'm new to this site but it looks fab.
I wondered if any learned souls out there might be able to identify a uniform of my great great grandfather from this photo I've just been given. His two sons were also in the cavalry - I might post their photos too as I can't identify their cap badges!
I'd be fascinated if anyone could shed any light on this.
Cheers!
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Not an expert but it could be Hussars...did he have Great War Service? Have you a name to put to the photo?
The collar badge looks like 14/20th Hussars badge but it ISNT as they werent formed when the pic was taken
Im sure a cavalry expert will correctly identify it :)
Ady
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We think he is Arthur George Cole (b.1858 Essex, d.1942). I don't know anything (yet) about his Great War service - there are numerous A G Cole names on the NA site! But a regiment might start my search off nicely!
Thankyou!
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And these are his two sons. The gentleman on horse-back is Hoffman Cole (b. Aug 26th circa 1890, died Jul 26 1955) of Dedham, Essex. His brother is George Robert Cole (b. Apr 29th circa 1885, d. Jul 27 1945). Anyone recognise the cap badges?
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Hi natjam, and welcome,
According to BDM records,The soldier on the horse, Hoffman A Cole was born Q4 1899, died Q3 1955, so possibly did not serve in WW1, There are no ribbons on his uniform and the picture looks mid to late 20s to me,
Another thing, He don't half looks like Randolph Scott,(Famous Hollywood Cowboy)
Regards
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Ah ha, fab. Thanks. Any idea on possible regiment?
Yes - he has the same smile!
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Not at the moment,
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My best guess, without being able to see the detail, for Hoffman's cap badge, is 10th Royal Hussars.
There are several similar Yeomanry cap badges, but I discounted them given that he was from Essex and they are mainly Welsh.
I cant see an obvious MIC for him, even under H A Cole.
I came across this link that shows a connection between the Essex Yeomanry and 10th Hussars. Pure speculation though.
http://www.essex-yeomanry.org.uk/index.php?section=13
Phil
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http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3dgeorge%20r%7clast_name%3dcole%20%7ccorpname%3dhussars&catid=10&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*
2X George R Cole Medal Index Cards for Hussars 1 for 13th 1 for 15th just need positive id on Cap badges!
Ady
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My grandfather is George Robert Cole. At some time he must have been stationed in Scarborough where he married my grandmother (Constance Evelyn Fieldhouse) in 1919. There were three children (Lillian b.1920, d.2002), Richard (b.1921, d.1966) and Kathleen (b.1925) - my mother - who is still alive.
My mother often talks of 'Uncle Hoff', who used to ride a motorcycle from Essex to Scarborough to visit his brother during the 1930's. She also talks of an 'Auntie Reena' and an Auntie Violet, plus a couple of other sisters who she can't remember.
In the early 1970's my parents and I stayed in Essex for a week catching up with family. I remember visiting Dedham and also a stables or riding school in East Bergholt where I suppose I have distant cousins.
I have my grandfather's war medals and on the box it says: "47799 Pte. G. R. Cole 13-Hrs."
Good luck with the research.
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The first pic. was 14th Hussars and 1904 at latest. As born 1858, perhaps early 1890's. Looks too young for 1900 let alone any later.
Can't have had any active service at 56 in 1914. Just possible for a desk job.
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I agree with Forester re 10th Royal Hussars for Hoffman.
James
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The last soldier's picture (George) is probably wearing the 20th Hussars badge. It is not the 13th or 15th.
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Cole is a member of The 14th Hussars (amalgamated to 14th/20th Hussars in 1922)- can confirm this with another picture I found on the internet of some one from the same unit and from the same photo studio. Troops were stationed in Sandgate and Hythe.
http://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/images/Trooper14thHussars.jpg
Good reference to history of the 14th Hussars - http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Historical-Record-of-the-14th-Kings-Hussars-1715-1900
hope this helps, Kev
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Hello!
Wow! Hoffman Cole is my Great Grandad. Please get In touch!
Georgia
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Hello colefamily,
Sorry I didn't see your message until now. I'd forgotten about this site since I last posted in 2015. In the meantime my email address has changed so I didn't receive notification of your message last June.
What prompted me to look now was coming across my mother's address book with details of 'The Valley Riding School', Mill Lane, Dedham under the name Mrs. H. Cole.
Happy to hear from you if this rings any bells.
PS: Had to set up a new user name as I couldn't remember this site's password and couldn't reactivate because of the changed e:mail address.
Thanks
John
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Hello John,
We are able to update your old profile with your new details, are you natjam ?
Regards
Sarah
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Hello John.
Yes that riding schools is my family’s and was renamed as Lilhoff. Hoffman was my great grandad and Lillian was my great grandma. Their daughter, Patience Cole is my grandma!
Please get in contact via email as I would love to find out more:
Georgia
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Hello Sarah,
No, the previous post I did was as ‘jkr’. My grandad was Robert Cole, Georgia’s great grandad’s brother.
I guess there’s a distant relation - may be second cousin?
I don’t know much about Hoffman apart from a little my mother told me years ago and also visiting some of his other siblings in Essex in the early 1970’s.
John
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JKR only had the one topic, which was this one so there is no other topic history to worry about.
Regards
Sarah :)
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Hey John,
Amazing how i've found this years later. Very intrigued and would love to find out more information regarding Hoffman Cole.
Georgia
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Hello Georgia,
I’ve sent you two personal messages with more information.
John
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Hiya John and Georgia my name is Graham. Hoffman is my grandmas brother, my grandma Bland (reena) I think. I can also remember aunti vi a Cecil
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Prior to joining the army, Hoffman Arthur Cole had served as a stoker in the Royal Navy in WW1 from August 1917 to May 1919. Date of birth 26 August 1899.
His army number was 529904 per MoD listings of soldiers' records still held.
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Hiya Georgia for some reason I can't send you a message. I've lived in and around Colchester all my life, lived in Dedham for a few years, I'm in Brantham now near Manningtree.
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Hello Graham, so you and I must be related (second cousins??) as my grandfather and your grandmother were siblings.
My grandfather (George Robert Cole) was in the army and moved, or was posted, away from Essex to Scarborough in the former North Riding of Yorkshire before or just after WW1. He married my granny, who was from Scarborough, in 1919 and remained there until he died in 1945. They had three children, two girls and a boy - my mother was the youngest - but only two grandchildren, myself and my cousin who's the daughter of their first born child.
In the late 1920's/early 1930's my mother spent her summer holidays in Essex staying with either her Aunt Vi or Aunt Reena (can't remember which) but after becoming an adult didn't keep in contact with them apart from I remember visiting Essex for a few days in about 1970.
I lived near Scarborough until 1995 and then moved to Oxfordshire. After my father's death my mother also moved to Oxfordshire where she died earlier this year.
Georgia was able to fill in a few gaps for me regarding my grandfather's other relations.
Sincerely,
John