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Messages - scrimnet

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1
Armed Forces Resources / Society of Genealogists Military Talks 2023/4
« on: Wednesday 24 May 23 20:17 BST (UK)  »
Just a quick heads up.

I have been engaged by the SoG to give a series of talks on identifying and dating military photos and badges.

https://members.sog.org.uk/events/6464b5df4f22ce000af23ea9/description?ticket=6464b5df4f22ce000af23eab

2
Armed Forces / Re: Cap Badge Query - unknown time period
« on: Wednesday 24 May 23 20:14 BST (UK)  »
7th City of London regiment is a much better fit with a narrower flame.

I totally agree...Most certainly NOT a woodentop (Guardsman) of any shape or form. The bracket at the bottom of the flame of the 7th is quite patent.

Most certainly the 7thbn London Regt...

Confusingly after the latest MOD shake up, all the remaining old London TA bns are now know as the "London Guards" and their full dress is now scarlets with bearskins!!!

3
Armed Forces / Re: OUTRAM BARRACKS, LUCKNOW, INDIA BETWEEN THE WARS
« on: Wednesday 24 May 23 20:02 BST (UK)  »
The 20 year period between the end of the first world war and the start of the second means that around 10 to fifteen infantry battalions could have been rotated through the Lucknow Garrison during the period. The rank of Rifleman helps to narrow things down a bit as only certain types of Infantry call their private soldiers by this title: mainly they are the Rifle Brigade, the Light Infantry and regiments whose title ends in Rifles, eg th Royal Ulster Rifles.

A quick check through some of the likely candidates for his unit shows that the 2nd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry were stationed in Lucknow in 1930, although their overall stay in India spanned the period 1923 -1934. The 1st bn the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry were in Lucknow in 1927, and 2nd bn the Durham Light Iinfantry were in the North West of India during the period 1920-1936 so could have spent time in Lucknow. There are no records I am aware of which list the occupants of the individual barracks within the Lucknow District. Around 1927 - 30 the 6th Lucknow Brigade consisted of 4 infantry battalions at any one time.

As Cathy has already mentioned there is a death entry in the Army Overseas Death Returns in the period 1931-35 for an Edward T Richards aged 27 who died in 1932. The place recorded is Calcutta, but that may have been where he was in hospital after the incident. You can get a copy of the death certificate from the GRO to see if this gives further details which might confirm if this was your man. I would expect there to have been a Board of Inquiry into his death. This is somewhat similar to a coroner's Inquest in civilian life. Nothing comes up immediately on a TNA search for his name.

In the period 1921 to 1942 one can always find a soldiers unit by his number.

The KRRC had the number block 6837001 to 6905000 allocated to them.
Its always easy to find the unit thus... ;)

4
Armed Forces / Re: Minimum Age to join the british Army in 1886 ?
« on: Wednesday 24 May 23 19:34 BST (UK)  »
Boy soldiers could also buy themselves out during training up until VERY recently.

Adults were always allowed to do it, but the cost was VERY prohibitive.

The reasoning behind it is that each boy (Junior Soldier/ Junior Musician) would cost a lot to train and if they sign up for an extra number of years (6, open 22...ie 6 years with an option to do the full 22 year service) they get extra pay for commitment and that has to be recouped to the public purse.

A false attestation is clearing defined in Kings /Queens Regulations and is an offence under the Army Act...ergo as a Parliamentary Act its the law of the land and is very bad news...ergo the reported 17 year old flogging as per above.

You could be jailed in a civilian jail after being dishonorably discharged. Stating an untruth in the army (lying) is one of the biggest no no's you could commit.

As bad as stealing another mans rations or stealing money from your comrades. In the 1980s if you were caught stealing from your comrades, you fingers would beheld over a table edge and a broomstick brought down upon them...Heavily...Very heavily. This was done by his comrades, usually unbeknownst to the chain of command. A form of army aversion therapy

5
Armed Forces / Re: Help to reveal regiment WW1
« on: Wednesday 24 May 23 19:20 BST (UK)  »
I cannot see enough of the shoulder titles, so this could either be Royal Artillery or Royal Field Artillery.

Its definitely Royal Artillery. Its the identification of which branch its is. Sadly as mentioned the shoulder titles are not visible

It could be

Royal Field Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery.

There were separate badges for the RHA until much later after the war.

But his spurs and puttees we can tell he has a mounted role of some sort, but as the British Army was not fully mechanised until 1937, the world and his wife used horses, even the infantry.

The bandolier is not indicative or any branch or arm in any photo. There was indeed a mounted version of this item of kit, but...the indicators are x4 more pouches on the rear, so sadly its never a help.

The 1903 pattern bandolier equipment was for all arms and branches of the infantry, and indeed the belt and bandolier were still being made in ww2 even though they had been superseded by the 1908 and 1937 web equipments. The full kit included ammunition pouches on the belt and various other items included the mounted and dismounted bandoliers.

Prior to 1908 the Volunteer Artillery units wore silver badges...It MAY be that that he is a pre war Territorial who is wearing his old badge



 


6
World War Two / Re: "Does anyone else have Ancestors who where in WW2 DUNKIRK?".
« on: Wednesday 17 May 23 22:32 BST (UK)  »
My Father now long deceased was at Dunkirk. Taken from the beaches at La Panne, Member of the BEF and the Northamptonshire Regiment.
I heard some of the stories of his escape, but he passed away before my interest in it became stronger.
Oh, how I would love 24 hours of his time now.

I have all the details of the Northamptons at Dunkirk and beyond...

7
World War Two / Re: What uniform is this Corporal wearing.
« on: Tuesday 02 May 23 19:04 BST (UK)  »
I'd agree with RAF corporal and late 40s or early 50s RAF by the medal ribbons. I can't quite make them out but I think they are probably mostly WW2 campaign and general service medals inclding the 1939-45 Star. One may be the Air Crew Europe Star.

He has no brevet, no even a half one. He wouldnt have the ACE star sadly

Good point - I've just checked my father's photos and he is wearing an AG (Air Gunner) half brevet on his F/Sgt uniform.

Does this mean that the person in the photo must have been ground crew?

Also, can you ID any of the medal ribbons? Assuming that he actually served during the war I assume that they would include the 1939-45 Star and/or the Defence medal and the War Medal. My father served in Coastal Command in the Indian Ocean from 1943-1945 and earned those three, although he didn't claim them until about 1990.

Sadly the pic is too poor to id most of the ribbons...39/45 Star one end, Defence Medal at the other.
Not everyone got the Defence Medal by a long chalk.
If the original of this pic is scanned at around 600dpi, there may be a chance of ribbon ID

And yes...Has to be ground crew of some description...But not Med Branch!

8
World War One / Re: New canal through the Somme
« on: Tuesday 02 May 23 18:55 BST (UK)  »
A little known fact is that the CWGC know the location of just about every body in France and Flanders. Not that they will admit it.

I worked for them for a while, and found out a load of shocking facts about them.....

9
World War Two / Re: What uniform is this Corporal wearing.
« on: Saturday 29 April 23 18:02 BST (UK)  »
I'd agree with RAF corporal and late 40s or early 50s RAF by the medal ribbons. I can't quite make them out but I think they are probably mostly WW2 campaign and general service medals inclding the 1939-45 Star. One may be the Air Crew Europe Star.

He has no brevet, no even a half one. He wouldnt have the ACE star sadly

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