Author Topic: Royal Engineers Uniform question  (Read 1460 times)

Offline jaamac

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Royal Engineers Uniform question
« 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.

Offline ShaunJ

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #1 on: Friday 15 March 19 14:26 GMT (UK) »
A wound stripe and a good conduct chevron, I think.
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Offline Jebber

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #2 on: Friday 15 March 19 14:30 GMT (UK) »
I agree.
CHOULES All ,  COKER Harwich Essex & Rochester Kent 
COLE Gt. Oakley, & Lt. Oakley, Essex.
DUNCAN Kent
EVERITT Colchester,  Dovercourt & Harwich Essex
GULLIVER/GULLOFER Fifehead Magdalen Dorset
HORSCROFT Kent.
KING Sturminster Newton, Dorset. MONK Odiham Ham.
SCOTT Wrabness, Essex
WILKINS Stour Provost, Dorset.
WICKHAM All in North Essex.
WICKHAM Medway Towns, Kent from 1880
WICKHAM, Ipswich, Suffolk.

Offline MaxD

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #3 on: Friday 15 March 19 14:44 GMT (UK) »
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
I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia


Offline jaamac

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #4 on: Friday 15 March 19 15:27 GMT (UK) »
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.

Offline Jebber

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #5 on: Friday 15 March 19 15:55 GMT (UK) »
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.
CHOULES All ,  COKER Harwich Essex & Rochester Kent 
COLE Gt. Oakley, & Lt. Oakley, Essex.
DUNCAN Kent
EVERITT Colchester,  Dovercourt & Harwich Essex
GULLIVER/GULLOFER Fifehead Magdalen Dorset
HORSCROFT Kent.
KING Sturminster Newton, Dorset. MONK Odiham Ham.
SCOTT Wrabness, Essex
WILKINS Stour Provost, Dorset.
WICKHAM All in North Essex.
WICKHAM Medway Towns, Kent from 1880
WICKHAM, Ipswich, Suffolk.

Offline MaxD

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #6 on: Friday 15 March 19 16:07 GMT (UK) »
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
I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia

Offline MaxD

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #7 on: Friday 15 March 19 16:32 GMT (UK) »
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?)
I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia

Offline jaamac

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Re: Royal Engineers Uniform question
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 16 March 19 14:52 GMT (UK) »
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