MOD can reissue returned WW1 medals

[tazzie]

Hi dorsetapplecakes...


Just out of interest I wonder if the first photo was taken on Dunstable Downs as there looks to be a chalk patch in the right of the photo. Its not far from Leighton Buzzard my old home town.

Tazzie

[Dorsetapplecakes]

Hi Tazzie ,

Thank you for your reply and sorry for the delay in responding ......

The photo is marked on the back ‘ the day we went to Studland’ , my brother believes c1920 .Studland is a local beauty spot in Dorset .
We do have lots of photos of training at Leighton Buzzard and Houghton Regis with written dates in the photos from  may , June and July summer 1915 . I wonder if you would recognise where any of the pictures were taken ?
I have emailed RE museum as Jim suggested but it said it could be several weeks before they respond to emails xx

[fortmap2]

Great photos.
Can you find any more with medal ribbons?

Hello,
I have another two of William Ernest Keeling with ribbons, 'hats on' and 'hats off'.
The 'hats off' one has ranks and names on the back, except for Ernest's. He is back row, second from right.

[fortmap2]

This time, I will try to attach the photos:

[fortmap2]

And a close up of our man in the last picture, hat off:

[fortmap2]

As far as I can make out, the writing goes:

Back Row
Sgt Holmes, Cpl Harry, Sgt Crofts?
Cpl Murphy, a fine chap, Sgt Husaley?.

Front Row
Q.M.S. McMacland, R.M.S. Prescott, Sgt Newman?

[tazzie]

Hi ....... I might be able to help with the Leighton Buzzard photos if you want to post I would be interesting.


Tazzie

[fortmap2]

Hello Tazzie,

Here are some of the Leighton Buzzard photos.

1: William Ernest Keeling is not in this one.
2: He is at the top of the truck, with an X to the right of his head.
3: He is the man in the middle, left of centre.

May, June, July 1915

[tazzie]

Hi......

I can tell you where the first two are. The statue used to be outside the old fire station at the top of the high street near the market cross. It began life as the town hall with the ground floor housing a market. It was built from 1851. The lower floor was bricked in and it was used for storage becoming the fire station in 1918 I've always known it as that because the new fire station was built on a new site in 1963 just before I was born.
The second one is Church Square at the other end of the high street. The terrace behind the soldiers was built in 1855 and an incentive to buy was the offer of a first class rail ticket valid for 21 years. The parish church is just out of sight behind the end terrace and so is the war memorial, a huge piece of granite. My school was right next door in the old Cedars House. Mary Norton who wrote the Borrowers lived here as a child.
The third one I'm not sure I thought at first Spinney pool but that was dug out in 1920s. Leighton has many old sand pits around it so could be another nearby.

Lovely photos.

Tazzie