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Another Long Shot


Vicki Smith

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I am happy to send photos as attachments to anyone who can help me.

I know it is a tall ask but would love to be able to identify some of these people.

I have been given photocopies of photos of some English Ancestors who served in WW1 - I know that most of the family males and husbands of the females served but no one is now alive to tell me who is who!

I have searched each name on Ancestry.com on their WW1 records but as I only have their approximate birth year and know little about British Army uniforms I have had no success.

I have also checked the DocumentsOnline at The National Archives with little success - too many similar names to identify my Garner.

All the sons were born in London at Streatham and Norwood.

The family name is GARNER and the sons were -

*John b 1876

*William b 1881 - not sure if John and William served

*Theodore b 1888

*Edwin b 1889 - have copy of torn document which is from Cavalry Record Office, York Station dd 28Feb1918. I have to inform you that a report has been received from the War Office to the effect that (No)

"?? letters not decipherable followed by the number 1356" written in Ink

Cpl (Name) E. Garner

- piece missing - 11th Hussars - piece missing ...ner of War "arrived in Holland 24-2-18" written in Ink.

It appears that E. Garner - most probably Edwin born 1889c was a Prisoner of War.

I have searched Ancestry WW1 records but cannot find him.

*Reginald Herbert b 1890

*Christopher b 1892 - he definitely served because there is mention in a family letter of war injuries.

The daughters were Caroline, Rose Helen, Mary Jane, Alice Maud and Dorothy May. I know the names of two of the husbands.

I have six photos I am happy to share to try and obtain this info.

TIA

Vicki Smith

Geelong

Victoria

Australia

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Hi Vicki and welcome to the forum!

Based on his unit and service number, here's Edwin's Medal Index Card, although the clerk has got his first name wrong!

post-16303-1233044196.jpg

I think you can request certain details of PoWs from the Red Cross, but I'm not sure how. I hope another forum member can explain!

There are several possible matches for most of the other brothers in the MICs. Do your photos show uniform details like cap badges or shoulder titles to help narrow down the choice?

I can't find anything obvious in the Service/Pension records without further details. (Do you know if Christopher lived at 52 Grantham Rd, Manor Park, Essex, after the war?)

Are you descended from the even-older brother Charles, who appears on the 81 and 91 censuses? His son Charles J.A.L. has a WW1 service record on Ancestry, though he didn't serve overseas until very late due to his age. He gives his mother's address as c/o GPO Perth WA.

Can you post scans of the photos, or at least of any cap badges etc. if you don't want to show us the whole photos?

Alternatively, I'd be happy to do it for you, if you send them to me at

Adrian

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Vicki has sent me her photos and has kindly given permission for me to post them here.

To recap, we are trying to identify which photo belongs to which of these men:

GARNER John, b 1876

GARNER William, b 1881

GARNER Theodore, b 1888

GARNER Edwin/Edward, b 1889 (1356 Cpl "Edward" Garner, 11th Hussars)

GARNER Reginald Herbert, b 1890

GARNER Christopher, b 1892

and their brother-in-law

PIPER Alfred Thomas, b 1885?

All born in Lambeth district or thereabouts. And all survived the war.

Photo 1:

post-16303-1233085044.jpgpost-16303-1233085064.jpg

We are pretty sure this is Christopher.

There is an MIC for 8918 Pte & L/Cpl Christopher Garner of the Suffolk Regiment, which bears an address in the right part of London. Just need an expert to confirm that the cap badge is indeed the Suffolks! And is that a marksman's badge on his lower sleeve?

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Photo 2:

Are these artillerymen?

post-16303-1233085517.jpg

If so, one of them is probably Theodore, as the only Theodore GARNER in the MICs is 40017 4th Divisional Artillery Column, RFA. There is also an MIC for 124819 Gunner Reginald H GARNER, RFA, which could be Vicki's Reginald. Is there any visible difference between a Gunner & a Driver??

(The shoulder titles are not legible on the photocopies!)

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Photo 4:

I cropped his legs as they are in complete darkness. Vicki, can you tell from the original whether he's wearing puttees or riding boots?

post-16303-1233086399.jpgpost-16303-1233086422.jpg

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Photo 5:

The board reads SOMME BHOYS. Any ideas on the cap badge, folks?

post-16303-1233086957.jpgpost-16303-1233086974.jpg

This one is actually addressed to the Garner boys' sister Rose, wife of Alfred Thomas Piper. It's signed "Bill", but Vicki thinks it may be a picture of Alfred rather than of William Garner.

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Photo 6 and last:

Probably not one of the family, but Vicki sent it so I'll post it, as it's a nice study of what I think is a young soldier of the French 41st Infantry (?or Cavalry, considering the sword?) Regiment.

post-16303-1233087301.jpg

OK, Great War Forum pals, over to you :D

Adrian

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Hi there,

In the gloom of photo 4 and my tired old eyes can the cap badge be the Irish Harp, just my 2 penorth

Cheers Roger.

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Hi there,

In the gloom of photo 4 and my tired old eyes can the cap badge be the Irish Harp, just my 2 penorth

Cheers Roger.

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Hi again, if somebody can zoom in on the shoulder tabs there is something there.

Cheers Roger.

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Hi There,

Photo 1 - Suffolk Regiment with what looks like a creased conduct stripe.

Photo 2 - I think I can see riding boots on the chap standing on the left.

That's it from me - eyes are hurting!

All the best

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Adrian

If the family originated from Lambeth then it is worth asking for a look up on the Garners in the Surrey recruitment Registers here:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...beth&st=175

Lambeth was classified as Surrey at that time.

Regards

Mel

Ps Or drop a PM to ice tiger

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Photo 4:

I cropped his legs as they are in complete darkness. Vicki, can you tell from the original whether he's wearing puttees or riding boots?

post-16303-1233086399.jpgpost-16303-1233086422.jpg

I only have a photocopy of the photo which I scanned - have looked on Photoshop etc but cannot make out if wearing puttees or riding boots. Sorry.

Vicki

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