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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Grandies on Saturday 04 August 18 09:36 BST (UK)
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This fellow is my gr Grandad. I have found records that I am convinced belong to him in the Durham Artillery 1896 to 1901 (including a possible AWOL in 1900). He was discharged totally unfit in June 1901.
Then I find him in the Northumberland Artillery 1902 till 1908.
This picture was taken from a family photo. From the number and ages of children, it would be about 1915. He would be 40 then, and a bit old for WW1?
However there are family stories that he wore a fez and said he could because he fought in Africa.
Was he a dreamer, or could there be any truth in the tales. Can anyone see enough of his uniform to identify it?
His name is John Scullion, born Ormesby Yorkshire 1871, grew married and died (in 1938) in Gateshead. Can’t find any other military records than the ones I mentioned. Any ideas ?
Many thanks, Eileen
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Don't know about the uniform but he wasn't too old for WW1, my paternal grandfather was in his 40s when he joined up and joined the veterinary corps. He was injured in 1915 but went back until the end of the war. Know his injury was 1915 as my father arrived May 1916 the youngest of the family. ;)
My maternal gt grandfather lied about his age, he was born 1862 and joined the labour corps - he was a master bricklayer.
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Granddad was born in 1866 and he served in WW1, so I agree, not too old.
Gadget
Added - have you checked to see if he has a WW1 record/medal card?
Added 2 - nearest I can find is King's Own Yorkshire
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The only clue is in the buttons, unfortunately they are not clear enough to make out his unit.
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Added - have you checked to see if he has a WW1 record/medal card?
Added 2 - nearest I can find is King's Own Yorkshire
I've been through a couple of listings now and Kings Own Yorkshire is the only one that it might be if he served.
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I haven’t been able to find any records for him in WW1, but wasn’t looking too hard, as I though he would be too old. But will check again, so many John Scullion’s !
I will check the picture again and see if I can get any more detail from the buttons.
Thanks for the replies.
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As to ages, 18 to 41 in both Wars. 19 to be sent abroad. However, there were many anomolies. large numbers of under age young men lied about their ages in WWI. Conscription only started in 1916 in UK, but 3 million men had volunteered in 1914/15.
My grandfathers sisters son was KIA in France 1915 aged 17. Buried at Rouen.
There were no doubt many officers and men who wangled their way to stay at the front beyond 41 in both Wars.
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There were no doubt many officers and men who wangled their way to stay at the front beyond 41 in both Wars.
Explain please ???
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I've read accounts, there's no need to explain anything to you.
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My grandfather certainly didn't 'wangle' his way into any war. He was asked to serve and he did.
I think your choice of words are extremely unfortunate and also your response to me.
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Have tried to isolate the buttons to see if they are any clearer.
Interestingly, he was born in Yorkshire, though he only lived there for a few years as a child.
Kings own Yorkshire sounds interesting. I will see if I can find any records for him in WW1.
He fudged his age on both the Durham and Northumberland Artillery records, making himself a few years younger, so could have done so again.
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Interestingly, he was born in Yorkshire, though he only lived there for a few years as a child.
Kings own Yorkshire sounds interesting.
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I found it in the medal card listings.
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I will see if I can find a record for him. Thank you.
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Looks like the 1915 'economy' jacket.
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Certainly looks like an economy model. Which outfit would have issued it?
Still cant imagine him fighting overseas. He had children born in 1914 (babe in arms at the time of this photo) and a son born in 1916.
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As I've already said my father was born in 1916 because my grandfather was injured and came home to recuperate. Some came home on leave as well.
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As I've already said my father was born in 1916 because my grandfather was injured and came home to recuperate. Some came home on leave as well.
So you did, thank you. I am totally new to military searching, finding my way.
After all, he didn’t need to be home for the birth!
The record transcribed Kings own Yorkshire Light Infantry actually opens to a record for Kings Own Scottish Borderers.
He was living in Gateshead, County Durham during the years leading up to the outbreak of war.
Which regiment would be most likely for him to be attached to?
I am trawling through WW1 records for information, and thank you for your help.
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There were no doubt many officers and men who wangled their way to stay at the front beyond 41 in both Wars.
Explain please ??? My grandfather certainly didn't 'wangle' his way into any war. He was asked to serve and he did.
I think your choice of words are extremely unfortunate and also your response to me.
Hard to see what you are objecting to, Gadget. Regorian rightly says that a number of men, who were officially disbarred from serving because of their age, managed to "pull strings', present inaccurate birth information or otherwise circumscribe the regulations in order to serve. Entirely honourable in its purpose even if technically wrong. Quite proper use of the term "wangling" I would have thought.
Regorian did not refer to your grandfather and there is nothing "unfortunate" in his choice of words, unless you have some other definition that we are not aware of.
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Thank you MaecW. I seem to generate hostility wherever I go. At a dinner for 8 a few years ago, a diner, former director of a public company and a former colonel looked across at me and called me a trouble maker. I couldn't receive a higher compliment. I'm the sort of person who if aware of Saville and his ilk would shout it from the rooftops. It's called civic courage, little or none of it in the BBC or NHS.
Last night on Radio4, latest of a series of 'Tommies'. Based on the War Diaries, 1915, an officer of Royal Engineers (Signals) aged 61!!!
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You're welcome, Gregorian,
I don't like to see people upset through simple misunderstanding: sometimes a little explanation is all that is needed.
Anyway, this has nothing to do with the OP, so I'll respond more on a PM.
Cheers,
Maec
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You missed this comment MaecW:
There were no doubt many officers and men who wangled their way to stay at the front beyond 41 in both Wars.
Explain please ???
I've read accounts, there's no need to explain anything to you.
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Captain Frederick Courteney Selous, 25th Battalion Royal Fusiliers
Born
31 December 1851
London, England
Killed
January 4, 1917 (aged 65)
Behobeho, German East Africa
My grandfather was a Private in his unit. Sadly I never knew this when my grandfather was alive or I would have asked him if he was with Selous when he was killed.
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Wow! 65 and still serving. So definitely a possibility that John was active in WW1.
I am interested in the location East Africa, as my gr grandfather talked to my father while he was a lad about his time in Africa (hence the fez ), sadly no more details.
Another detail, probably not relevant is that I have not been able to find him in the 1911 census. The family is split up and the wife’s record shows her as parted, struck through. They did reunite as the photo shows him with wife and 7 children in 1914/15.