Author Topic: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?  (Read 1585 times)

Offline suzyf

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Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« on: Saturday 03 June 06 18:22 BST (UK) »
Farrington Walter No 5183 +R/30610
What  can I find out about his service?

We have his daughter's birth certificate,stamped at Winchester barracks in 1911.There is a WW1 medal record card for Victory,British + 14Star.Where does that mean he served? Medals and ? Clasp were amended in 1921 +1923 to read sargeant.On SWB list what does this mean?
He was not a soldier when he married in Manchester in Jan 1911,age 25 and his family continued to live there.
Would the posting about men transferring from The Manchesters/Territorials to the Rifles have any relevence to his service?
Later in life he always wore a patch on one eye,presumably a war wound
Photos attached are probably him.
Can anybody identify the regiment and were he's likely to be on the one abroad ?

Suzy F
Westmoreland -Farrer,Thompson,Park,Wharton,Airey
Lancs  Farrer ,Thompson,Clarke,Brewer,Reid,Howarth,Feast,Sladen,Southern

Ireland(Offaly)Reid
London -Feast

Offline neil1821

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 03 June 06 18:55 BST (UK) »
Hi Suzy,
Without actually seeing the medal card I'm only going on what you've mentioned here, but there's 3 medals, 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and it also mentions a clasp.

The only clasp that it can be in that context is the so-called "Mons" clasp for the 1914 Star. The wording on the clasp is actually "5th Aug. - 22nd Nov. 1914".
The 1914 Star was awarded to all those in France/Belgium between those dates. The clasp was awarded to those under fire during that period. The majority of the recipients were men of the prewar Army who landed in France soon after the outbreak (the Old Contemptibles) and took part in the retreat from Mons, hence the Mons Star.
Neil
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Offline harribobs

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 03 June 06 22:56 BST (UK) »
firstly don't worry about the other thread (manchesters to rifle brigade)  walter wasn't any of those

he was a soldier before the war, no doubt, in the Kings Royal Rifle Corp ( my grandfathers regiment)

the first picture is taken abroad, he's in tropical uniform with a wolsley helmet, black buttons  ( rifle regiment) , good conduct stripe ( or is long service?) the swagger stick is just for show  ;)

in the second picture i'd say he has to be the soldier on the right, he may well have a problem with his left eye, and if you notice he has black buttons again...rifle uniform, i can't make out the cap badge but it should be a maltese cross

winchester was the regimental base for the KRRC, fits right with his daugthers BC

1st Battalion in August 1914 was in Aldershot. 11 August 1914 : moved to France, landing at Le Havre, he would have been involved the 'retreat from Mons' and would have the 'clasp with roses' along with his 1914 star

the 1st battalion were part of the 2nd division, there's a potted history of them on the long, long trail site  here

http://www.1914-1918.net/2div.htm

the SWB is the silver war/wound badge, awarded to soldiers who were so badly wounded they couldn't serve any further



hope this helps...he was obviously a brave man, he has two wound stripes on his arm as well!

cheers

chris


Offline liverpool annie

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 04 June 06 00:03 BST (UK) »


His left hand in the first picture looks like a prosthesis to me !

I agree 2 wound stripes and I can't see the badge either ! it looks like a cap badge with something else underneath ....  ::)

Annie
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Offline harribobs

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 04 June 06 00:39 BST (UK) »
His left hand in the first picture looks like a prosthesis to me !

my first thought was, i doubt that annie, probably just a funny angle...can't see him being in the front line in ww1 with that ( the pic is from 1900's i thnk) but it  doesn't look right in the second ???


Offline harribobs

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 04 June 06 00:41 BST (UK) »

ohh!  no puttees in the second pic?

and medal ribbon!

Offline liverpool annie

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 04 June 06 00:47 BST (UK) »


I noticed the puttees and medal ribbon too ... and it looks like all three guys have different cap badges .... !
but his has what looks like - pins underneath !!  the kind people collect :-\ :-\ :-\ is that just my eyes .... ?? and what are those boys doing there ?

Annie  ::)
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Offline harribobs

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 04 June 06 01:31 BST (UK) »
pins ( little badges?)

under his cap badge?...hmmm  don't think even an nco would get away with that

probably a scuff on the pic

suzy....  can you do a high res scan of the cap  and the medal ribbon (left brest)  please

Offline liverpool annie

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Re: Kings First Rifles Service 1911- ?
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 04 June 06 01:44 BST (UK) »


This is the only way I can do it Chris .... you know me techno duck !! .......

http://static.flickr.com/56/159639051_8b7feceba7_o.jpg

doesn't look like a scuff to me !!

Annie  :)
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Be who you are and say what you feel -  because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind ! Dr. Seuss

Erect no gravestone .... let the Rose every year bloom for his sake ! Rilke Sonnets to Orpheus, I