Author Topic: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney  (Read 905 times)

Offline Alegroo

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 6
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« on: Thursday 01 April 21 15:48 BST (UK) »
Can anyone please help with the identification of this uniform. He is my great
 uncle who went overseas and never came home. He is Alfred Feeney born in Dublin circa 1906.  I think the photo was taken between 1926 and 1930 judging by the photographers name on the back. S.H. Brock Photographers, Maison Diea Road, Dover. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Offline DavidGreenall110

  • RootsChat Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 500
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 01 April 21 19:30 BST (UK) »
Royal Irish or Dublin Fusiliers?
Death, Sambles, Searle, Loates, Beamish, Brooks, Bates, Coates, Hughes, Lythgoe, Johnson, Rodgers, Hawthorne, Rhodes, Lister, Sneyd

Offline tonepad

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,345
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 01 April 21 20:24 BST (UK) »
The Royal Dublin Fusiliers were disbanded in 1922.
Many units have flaming grenade collar badges including:
Royal Artillery
Royal Engineers
Other Fusilier Regiments


Tony

Added: Welcome to RootsChat Alegroo
Aucock/Aukett~Kent/Sussex, Broadway~Oxfordshire, Danks~Warwickshire, Fenn~Kent/Norfolk, Goatham~Kent, Hunt~Kent, Parker~Middlesex, Perry~Kent, Sellers~Kent/Yorkshire, Sladden~Kent, Wright~Kent/Essex

Offline Alegroo

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 6
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 01 April 21 21:17 BST (UK) »


Offline Alegroo

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 6
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 01 April 21 21:20 BST (UK) »
The Royal Dublin Fusiliers were disbanded in 1922.
Many units have flaming grenade collar badges including:
Royal Artillery
Royal Engineers
Other Fusilier Regiments


Tony
Thank you Tony, is there any way of finding out which unit he was in.?
Added: Welcome to RootsChat Alegroo

Offline FROGSMILE

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 01 April 21 23:01 BST (UK) »
He’s definitely from a fusilier regiment, the 2-piece title typical of fusiliers is apparent on his shoulder strap, although by the end of WW1 over half of the fusilier regiment’s had adopted one piece titles.  Both RA and RE had modified their collar badge designs with ‘UBIQUE’ honour scrolls beneath in the early 1920s, and their shoulder titles did not include a grenade.  In general collar badges were ordered for universal wear across the Army on khaki service dress between 1922-24.  If we can determine which fusilier regiment was in Dover post WW1 it will be possible to make an ID.

Postscript:  I can confirm it was the 1st Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers, who were based in Dover in 1925.  This fits with the 2-piece shoulder titles, as along with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, they were the only two fusilier regiments to not adopt 1-piece titles (although the LF did later on). 

NB.  Do not rule out that he might previously have served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, as when the South Irish infantry regiments were disbanded in 1922 those men who wished to continue serving transferred to other regiments.

Offline Alegroo

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 6
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 01 April 21 23:29 BST (UK) »
Thank you Frogsmile. I have no idea how you got all that information but thank you so much. Now I am one step closer, next to find out what continent he was sent to.

Offline Alegroo

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 6
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 01 April 21 23:34 BST (UK) »


NB.  Do not rule out that he might previously have served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, as when the South Irish infantry regiments were disbanded in 1922 those men who wished to continue serving transferred to other regiments.
He was only 20 in 1926 (in photo) so I dont think this applies, but thank you anyway

Offline FROGSMILE

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Uniform Identification Alfred Feeney
« Reply #8 on: Friday 02 April 21 16:30 BST (UK) »


NB.  Do not rule out that he might previously have served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, as when the South Irish infantry regiments were disbanded in 1922 those men who wished to continue serving transferred to other regiments.
He was only 20 in 1926 (in photo) so I dont think this applies, but thank you anyway

It would be possible if he joined as a Boy Entrant.  Each infantry battalion was established for up to 12 Boys divided between two purposes, music and artisan.  The regimental band and separate corps of drums each had some, and then there were two regimental workshops, one for tailoring and one for shoe making.  Each of these had a Senior NCO in charge who was paid a stipend to train them and who received the money when each boy passed an examination in his trade, or skill.  Joining was aligned with the school leaving age and required a parent, or guardian’s written permission, with most enlisting at age 14 at that time.  The majority but not all of the boys’ fathers were either still serving or had retired from the army.  Boys received a special pay rate until they were 18 at which point they could enter a ‘service company’ if they wished. They were separately accommodated until they were 18 but paraded each day at their workplace to receive instruction.  All the Irish infantry battalions had a full complement of Boys in 1914, but unlike in the Boer War (where some had become casualties) they were sent to the regimental depot until they came of age and could join a battalion in the field.  It’s not impossible that your man was a Boy with an Irish regiment, but of course not a given either.  There’s no doubt that many of the Boys from the disbanded units ended up with different regiments.


NB.  Both Billy Cotton (musical showman) and Norman Wisdom (comedy actor and singer) enlisted as Boy Soldiers, Billy as a Boy Drummer and Norman in the Regimental Band.