RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: jaamac on Friday 15 March 19 13:45 GMT (UK)
-
See the attached photograph.
Is the thin vertical line below the stripe on the left sleeve a "Wounded Stripe"?
Also, what is the stripe on the sleeve. He was Sapper A W Baxter, lost an arm at the Battle of San Quentin Canal in March 1918, so if this is a wounded stripe then he must also have been wounded before that battle, since he has two good arms here.
grateful for any help.
-
A wound stripe and a good conduct chevron, I think.
-
I agree.
-
If this is Arthur W Baxter then he had sufficient service to qualify for a GC badge (2 years) having joined in November 1915 and discharged in December 1918. His number indicates 1 West Lancs Field Company, later 419 Fd Coy.
MaxD
-
Thanks, All, great help.
MaxD it is indeed Arthur Warner Baxter. I have a photo postcard from him with the following on the reverse:
426575 Sapper A.W. Baxter, 426 Field Company (W. Lancashire) R.E. left Carnarvon, N. Wales, 18.2.17 drafted from base Rouen to 503 Company. 16.3.17, and joined Company at Halloy on coming out of line at Wailly, Nr Arras.
I also have a brass "Wounded Stripe" and a piece of khaki cloth with two small sewn blue chevrons on it. would these also be Good Conduct stripes? They are much smaller than the one in the previous photo.
-
The blue chevrons were worn point upwards on the Lower right arm, they indicate time served overseas.
Earned after 1 January1915, if earned before the 31 December 1814, the first one would be red.
-
The small stripes are overseas service chevrons, explained here:
http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/overseas-service-chevrons
426 was a Reserve Field Company in UK where he seems to have started out.
Sent to France to 503 Company in 58 Division. Whether he stayed with them or changed companies -don't know without his record.
The wound stripe came in brass and cloth.http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/ww1-wound-stripes
MaxD
Overlap with Jebber, left for the links
-
He was still with 503 Field Company when he was among the six men wounded on 22 March 1918 as the company acted as infantry in efforts to repel the German advance fron the St Quentin Canal (source War Diary). The action took place in the vicinity of Tergnier at he bottom centre of the map/image at the link here:
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=13&lat=49.6988&lon=3.3182&layers=101465350&right=BingHyb
MaxD
It struck me you might like to look through the war diary from March 1917 to see if you can spot an earlier reference to being wounded. WO 95/2996/2 at the National Archives . It is also on Ancestry if you have a subscription?)
-
Thanks, everyone, for informative replies, very helpful. I have now got the war diary for 503 Field Company, ploughing through it, learning a lot. I feel I am getting to know the old boy through reading these records.
Any ideas on what the badge with Imperial Service on it is?
John
-
http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/imperial-service-badge
MaxD
-
His good conduct badge with effect 1 November 1917 was published in a list of 46 men of 503 Fd Coy in Commander Royal Engineers 58 Division Routine Orders dated 2 January 1918 - from the CRE 58 Div diary WO 95/2994/2.
MaxD