xenachen Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 The man in the picture is Will Squires with his wife Dorothy (my great-aunt). Can anyone tell me what the uniform is, please, so that I can search further? Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xenachen Posted 31 January , 2013 Author Share Posted 31 January , 2013 Royal Hussars Guards perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest exuser1 Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 No! But almost there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan_Terrier Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 Nice photo Carolyn, he is wearing the uniform of the Grenadier Guards, with one good conduct chevron and a wound stripe (probably the reason for the cane) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 Is that a grenade badge above his Good Conduct badge and what does it signify? Nice view of the Guards shoulder titles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan_Terrier Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 I think it might be a qualification badge for the trench mortar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xenachen Posted 31 January , 2013 Author Share Posted 31 January , 2013 Awesome! Thank you. I found a record that suggested he might have been in the Royal Hussars Guards under William A.G. Squires, which are actually his initials. I'm going to trust your analysis instead though. Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyneside Chinaman Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 Hi Ignore Royal Hussars Guards no such regiment. Your man is 18409 William Alfred George Squires enlisted 7/9/14 entered France & Flanders 16/3/15 discharged as a Lance Corporal on account of wounds 11/9/18. Silver War Badge details are on ancestry. regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 It looks like he is on Ancestry's Medal Cards as William A Squires (reads "William Alfred Geo." on the actual card), No. 18409 in the Grenadier Guards. He was a Private/Guardsman and embarked to France on 16-3-1915. He enlisted on 7-9-1914 and was discharged due to wounds on 11-9-1918. EDIT: Ah, John has also got there. At least we agree! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 The Service Records of the Guards nearly all survive and you can obtain copies by contacting the Grenadier Guards archivist. See: http://www.theguardsmuseum.com/Family-Research However, I am almost certain that he would have been wounded during the Battle of Cambrai in November/December 1917. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 I think it might be a qualification badge for the trench mortar. Should be worn upper right shoulder in that case - unless it is another Guards "difference". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan_Terrier Posted 31 January , 2013 Share Posted 31 January , 2013 I Should be worn upper right shoulder in that case - unless it is another Guards "difference". I don't think so, I believe that the qualification badge would only have been worn there if rank chevrons were worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xenachen Posted 1 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 1 February , 2013 I got it all and recorded it. Thank you so much. Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 1 February , 2013 Share Posted 1 February , 2013 Trench Mortar and Bombers grenade badges were worn upper left arm by officers and men - British army Proficiency Badges Edwards & Langley, Grenadier Guards Senior NCO's already wore a grenade badge above their rank insignia so perhaps in the Grenadier Guards all ranks wore the grenade badge on the left forearm. One for Grumpy and Frogsmile I reckon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan_Terrier Posted 1 February , 2013 Share Posted 1 February , 2013 Trench Mortar and Bombers grenade badges were worn upper left arm by officers and men - British army Proficiency Badges Edwards & Langley, Grenadier Guards Senior NCO's already wore a grenade badge above their rank insignia so perhaps in the Grenadier Guards all ranks wore the grenade badge on the left forearm. One for Grumpy and Frogsmile I reckon. Interesting. Do you have a date for the instruction specifying wear in this manner? Perhaps it was changed later in the war? Here is a good photo of the badge in use as you described: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovetown Posted 1 February , 2013 Share Posted 1 February , 2013 Trench Mortar and Bombers grenade badges were worn upper left arm by officers and men - British army Proficiency Badges Edwards & Langley, Edwards & Langley in fact says upper right. I'm sure Mr Langley (Grumpy, for it is he) will confirm in due course. Cheers, GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 1 February , 2013 Share Posted 1 February , 2013 It is indeed upper right. An image of the written instruction/authority has been posted in the forum before, either by Grumpy, or by Graham Stewart. An interrogation of the search engine here should find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon2 Posted 1 February , 2013 Share Posted 1 February , 2013 When was this Trench Mortar proficiency badge introduced as it would help date a photo I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 1 February , 2013 Share Posted 1 February , 2013 Tartan-Terrier - Don't know left from right apparently! Mea culper...Bombers badge authorised AO 403/1915 according to Edwards & Langley simon 2 - according to Edwards & Langley WO letter 20th January 1915 and endorsed by GRO 1364 of 1917. Frogsmile - can you enlighten as to why the Grenadier Guards private is wearing what appears to be a grenade badge or something similar above his Good Conduct badge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 February , 2013 Share Posted 2 February , 2013 Frogsmile - can you enlighten as to why the Grenadier Guards private is wearing what appears to be a grenade badge or something similar above his Good Conduct badge? No Squirrel I don't know why for sure. However, it was already regulation for full sergeants and pioneers to wear a grenade above their ranks chevrons, but the photo shows (seemingly) a grenade above the good conduct badge (stripe). I can only speculate that it was battalion practice to wear on the lower left arm for all ranks, so that there was no danger of confusion/conflict with the sergeants and pioneers ranking. That would make sense and reflect the independence of Foot Guards in matters of dress when compared with line infantry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 2 February , 2013 Share Posted 2 February , 2013 Thank you Frogsmile - that was my thought too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon2 Posted 2 February , 2013 Share Posted 2 February , 2013 simon 2 - according to Edwards & Langley WO letter 20th January 1915 and endorsed by GRO 1364 of 1917. Squirrel - thanks I have posted this pic before to ascertain the regiment of the man standing. The man seated is a family member and it was the grenade badge above his stripes that I was enquiring about above. Is there any other item anyone can spot to help date it. The man I thought it was I am doubtful about now. This man had a recommendation letter dated 1912 (whilst serving in Malta with the 2nd Glosters) stating he should not be granted an extension to his service. Any help even the obvious would be grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 February , 2013 Share Posted 2 February , 2013 Squirrel - thanks I have posted this pic before to ascertain the regiment of the man standing. The man seated is a family member and it was the grenade badge above his stripes that I was enquiring about above. Is there any other item anyone can spot to help date it. The man I thought it was I am doubtful about now. This man had a recommendation letter dated 1912 (whilst serving in Malta with the 2nd Glosters) stating he should not be granted an extension to his service. Any help even the obvious would be grateful. The photo is poor on my screen and the cap badge just a white blob vaguely reminiscent of the Glosters shape. I also cannot make out the badge above the chevrons of the seated man. As for date I would suggest that given the ToS worn by the CSM and the general appearance of the pair it would be either, 1916 or 1917, but there is nothing concrete to pin that down. Any man with previous experience and a reasonable degree of competence would be valuable in time of war and the man who was under a shadow in peacetime 1912 could easily have made good in the very different wartime conditions and reached the rank of Sergeant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon2 Posted 2 February , 2013 Share Posted 2 February , 2013 Frogsmile, Cheers for your response. The pic I have is postcard size and when my scanner is repaired I will play with the settings to try and get a sharper image. From what I can see from the original it is a flaming grenade / bomb and on the man standing a small cloth patch with an oval or diamond in the middle above the crown on his left sleeve. If there is a chance it is still the man I thought it was he may have changd his name as there is no record of him MIC etc under his birth name. I agree with your comment that why would they not keep a man who had reached a certain level of competence. I'll have to keep digging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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