Queens own oxfordshire hussars

[John915]

Good afternoon,

Two very good sources of info are; www.researchingww1.co.uk/queens-own-oxfordshire-hussars-ww1 . Several more links given on there.

Or the book "The Oxfordshire Hussars in the great war" by Adrian Keith-Falconer. The book includes a list of all casualties including in  most cases where death occured.

Traditionally the Dukes of Marlborough have been the Colonel in Chief and from 1902 Winston was Colonel of the regt. The 1/1st were the first yeomanry/TF  unit to go to the front in sept 1914( courtesy of Winston) and served the whole war there. 2/1st and 3/1st never left England. Their war service is described on one page of the regt'l history.

Notable deaths were Maj Valentine Flemimg, father of Ian Fleming. Capt G Bonham Carter who I believe was Helena Bonham Carter's great uncle.

John915

[John915]

Back again,

Max, does your source of info on William in the Gloucesters give a date for his transfer to that unit.


The newspaper report says he was in hospital recovering from a serious wound, then being invalided out in the Nov, That doesn't fit with him being in a home service battalion. Unless he was transferred whilst in hosp but why would they do that.

The second photo shows a man who looks relatively fit and well and not someone recovering/recently recovered from a serious wound.

John915

[MaxD]

Can't help feeling that my (very small medicinal) Bucks Fizz at New Year caused my usually befuddled brain to become even more fuddled.  Thank you John for making me look at it all again.

The William I was looking at is the only William O'Connor, 64780, whose medal records (source medal roll) include the Worcestershire Regiment. His final unit was 17th Battalion Worcesters titled as such in France in Sep 1918.  But I too was struck by the healthy look of the second man but three wound stripes seemed to tell their own story (although the newspaper speaks of 11 wounds!).  He is wearing overseas service stripes which came in in 1918 which helps to date the pic.

However (always a however), that William is listed as a Serjeant and the pic has no rank stripes (and if he was a sub sjt he would have removed the GC stripe anyway).

More - the Silver War badge details for that man show service from 1907 and sickness as the cause of invaliding in Nov 18.

All that considered, I am now not sure of the ident of pic 2 as that William.  I don't yet have any other Worcester Regiment (newspaper and poster info) candidate however.

I shall edit my earlier posts and lie down in a darkened room  for a while.

MaxD

[acon66]

To try and clear up any confusion Albert the younger brother was in Worcestershire reg when killed in action. William wounded three times was in Gloucestershire reg. both started out service in oxon and bucks.i wonderd wether Albert could have started in QOOH. Cheers

[MaxD]

he confusion is solely mine, my application to be allowed to re-start 2018 is currently being processed.

The frustration is that I find no record for William O'Connor of Ox and Bucks and Gloucestershire Regiments and there should be a medal card at least.

And as said, if Albert started in QOOH but transferred to Ox and Bucks before serving overseas, then no record of QOOH would appear on his medal records.

MaxD

[John915]

Good morning,

Permission to restart 2018 granted Max. Could the QOOH be prewar, many signed up with regular units at start of war believing they wouldn't go as TF. They wouldn't have known that their colonel was going to send them straight in.

I find medal cards confusing at times, 14 and 14/15 stars had regt they went to war in. Other medals had their final regt. Without correct details you sometimes miss them, names were not always what you would assume them to be.

My maternal grandfather and gt uncle's surname was Bennett-Tedham, grandfather was enlisted as Tedham his brother as Bennett. Both started the war in Royal Sussex, my grandfather was transferred at sometime to Northumberlands but his medals, no star, say Queens R.

John915

[acon66]

I’ve got photo of Williams medal card some where. It spelt wrong William t Oconner,not Oconnor

[MaxD]

Would have been nice to know that earlier!

Served in 5th Ox and Bucks and 18th Gloucestershire (medal rolls) starting overseas after 1915.

MaxD

[acon66]

Yes sorry I’ve got a lot on at moment. Serious multi tasking. Sorry