Help with badge

[BRONNO]

Did the Notts and Derby move over to a standard 'economy' version as the war went on? There was a thread a while ago which stated that the TF stopped issuing the 5 and 3 tier shoulder badges. Could the same have happened to cap badges? Just a thought

still puzzling over the 344

Had a word with the Regimental Historian and Archivist today and they informed me that the Robin Hoods wore their own cap badges throughout the war and were very proud not to change it.

You have to bear in mind that many Foresters were in the same brigade and may have been cross posted or transferred, there are many reasons. One point might be is that as new recruits were enlisted and the war went on these men were issued with the regular version of the cap badge.

I agree with the T5,T6,T7 and T8 shoulder titles being stopped but not the RH cap badge, another Forester mystery. BRONNO.

[MBrockway]

Hello Mark, your absolutely right with regards to the "Robin Hoods" badge being very similar to the "The Rangers" and several other Rifle Battalions. The cap badges shown in the two pictures are the standard issue to the Forester Regiment, a bi-metal badge with the maltese cross surmounted with the kings crown and the Notts and Derby brass scroll etc.

The 7th and 2/7th (Robin Hood) Battalions did have their own issue as you have stated these being introduced in 1908 and worn throughout the war, they were previously the old Rifle Corps. So i don't quite know the full reason why, if one of them is a Robin Hood, why he's not wearing the correct badge. Could be a simple answer somewhere.

BRONNO.

Thanks for that BRONNO!

On looking at the badges in the two photos very closely, I know see they are both the standard Sherwood Foresters cap badge.

In my earlier post, I actually meant that the Robin Hood Rifles badge was like the Rifle Brigade badge, not the Rangers badge! I now realise the photo of J Lokes, 2nd/7th is in fact wearing the standard SF badge - I originally had thought it was the plainer KRRC-style maltese cross, but with a scroll underneath, like the Rangers badge, when we might expect it to be the Rifle Brigade style Robin Hood Rifles badge.

Perhaps the 2nd line of the 7th battalion did not adopt the RHR badge, or had trouble getting them?

Probably easier to see what I'm getting at with pics:

7th S'wood Foresters (Robin Hood Rifles) ..... Rifle Brigade WW1 version

Standard Sherwood Foresters ........................... 12th Londons (The Rangers)

(NB some of these examples are likely to be re-strikes)

Cheers,

Mark

[Timb]

Thanks very much for your help.

Would it be possible that it would be worn by a mother? We have two Sherwood Foresters in the family but both were killed, one aged 21 the other 23 so the lady concerned looks a little old to be a wife.

Private George Lokes 242604, 1st/6th Bn Sherwood Foresters

Died 11 March 1917

Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery

Private John William Lokes 265702, 2nd/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters

Died 9 April 1917

Vadencourt British Cemetery

We think that we have the photos the right way around but in reality we don't know which photo is which man.

Are there any clues in the uniform for the trained eye?

Thanks

Thanks for all the input guys.

Please be aware that I did say in an earlier post that we were not sure which photo was of which man! So beware of reading too much into them.

We can only find traces of our two men in Ancestry, with no evidence of the third man suggested by Bronno

265747 Pte J Lokes, 7th Btn (Robin Hoods). Missing 21.3.1918, was in "D" Coy.

We initially thought we had 2 men and 2 photos - maybe we have 3 men and 2 photos so heaven knows who is who!

Thanks for all your efforts.

Tim

[MBrockway]

Pals,

Some further info about TF and National Reserve numbering in the Sherwood Foresters (including 242604 George Lokes) is here:

Supernumerary Companies, what were they?

... most of it written by Pals who've already contributed here. I'm just linking it for background

Cheers,

Mark

[jamikl]

Hi from Melbourne. I am a Lokes. My grandfather, James Lokes. died in Auckland 3 months before my birth.

I would like to know more about him. He was from Nottingham and served in the Great War. He was

apparently gassed and taken prisoner. Date not known to me. He was ill for the rest of his life and died

aged 45 of a brain tumour.

He never discussed the war with his family so not much is known of him. He may have been a Bugler.

One story has it that he found the remains of one of his brothers whilst on patrol but don't know if this

correct. Another story is that one of his German guards was also named Lokes. He married a Grove

I think.

I wonder if he is the J Lokes , 265747, Robin Hoods mentioned on this thread as missing on 23/3/1918.

He would have been in the textile industry outside of the war years I think and may have, when young, won

some sort of award for lace design. That is all I know. Thank you for any help that might be forthcoming.

jamikl

[Timb]

Hi

I was wondering id anyone had had any further thoughts on an explanation for the three service numbers for George Lokes - including one issued when he was 12!

Thanks

Tim

[trenchtrotter]

Tim,

Cant assist your quest but I would like very much to see them posted into the Postcard thread in the uniforms section. These haunting and detailed images are the reason for that thread and they would be welcome additions to the archive.

Regards

TT

[PPCLI]

I was wondering id anyone had had any further thoughts on an explanation for the three service numbers for George Lokes - including one issued when he was 12!

Hi Tim,

Yes, I can help. The 344 number is a red herring - it was an administrative number used before the issue of the actual regimental number, in George's case 2817, most probably 24 Sep 1914. The details Mike gives in post 11 are correct, with the additional information that George was wounded 1 July 1916 at Gommecourt and that was the reason for his eventual change in Bn and number.

Stuart