Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 2 April , 2009 Share Posted 2 April , 2009 Does anybody have any knowledge of possible (bulk ?) transfer(s) of men from 1/9th (Cyclist) Bn Hampshire Regiment to 1/6th Bn before the latter went to Mesopotamia in September 1917 ........................ ie transfer(s) between Feb 1916 and Sept 1917, though maybe more likely to be later rather than earlier during that period. thanks - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connaughtranger Posted 2 April , 2009 Share Posted 2 April , 2009 Hi Can't find anything in the Hampshire history about the 1/9th being used as a draft finding unit to the 1/6th. In fact, it mentions the 1/6th having its ranks denuded a number of times while in India to send off to Mesopotamia as fresh drafts (including to the 1/4th) and also as security detachments in India itself. Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 2 April , 2009 Share Posted 2 April , 2009 Not sure if this is the book 'ranger' is referring to, but the Hampshire TF Association war record doesn't mention any mass transfers between the battalions. The 2/9th were certainly sending lots of men out, but to regular or Service battalions in France. Hampshire boffin Marc Thompson may well know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 3 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2009 Steven - thanks for the heads-up - I've pm'd. Also with 1/9th Hampshires, in the UK prior to going to India, would a photographer called W.Churchill of Wareham ring any bells with anyone ? regards - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pounds14 Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 Steven - thanks for the heads-up - I've pm'd. Also with 1/9th Hampshires, in the UK prior to going to India, would a photographer called W.Churchill of Wareham ring any bells with anyone ? regards - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pounds14 Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 Steven - thanks for the heads-up - I've pm'd. Also with 1/9th Hampshires, in the UK prior to going to India, would a photographer called W.Churchill of Wareham ring any bells with anyone ? regards - Tom I have photo taken of 9th Bn (Cyclist) Hampshire Regt with W Churchill and Wareham printed on the surround. It could well have been taken at Corfe Castle but this is only conjecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 3 April , 2009 Share Posted 3 April , 2009 Odd. the Book I've already mentioned, confirmed by E A James' British Infantry regiments, 1914-18, doesn't mention Wareham. On the outbreak of war the battalion was at Commercial Road, Southampton, proceeding to war stations straight away. On 8th August they went to Lincolnshire, patrolling the coast between Grimsby and Skegness. In October they proceeded on a leisurely route to Chichester, then in April '15 to St Leonards (still on the Sussex coast). In November '15 they set aside the bicycles and joined the 2/6th R Sussex, 1/1st Kent Cyclists and 1/25th Londons at Chiseldon, before going to India. Now, I have no idea where Chiseldon is, but it doesn't ring any bells with Dorset, so not sure what the Wareham connection is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 4 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2009 Steven - I have seen a postcard from a man in the 1/9th to his mother saying they are "moving back to Corfe Castle". Unfortunately the postmark is far from clear but it appears to show 5th June and Wareham. (Corfe Castle to Wareham is about 4 miles). The Churchill photo is attached below, - but its possible transfers to 1/6th Bn in India which remains the issue. regards - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 4 April , 2009 Share Posted 4 April , 2009 If only the blasted man had put the year on it! I wonder - is it pre-war? If it was June '15, the bn was definitely in St Leonard's; if after, they were in India. Possible he was on detachment or a course, but looking at the photo, I wonder if it's a pre-war Camp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 4 April , 2009 Share Posted 4 April , 2009 Tom, Thanks for the PM. There is some evidence from the medal rolls backed up by the odd surviving service paper that approximately 100 men from 1/9th Hants transferred to 1/6th Hants in India prior to the latter battalion proceeding to Mesopotamia on 11th September 1917. Of these other ranks the ones that I have looked at were all still with 1/9th Hants in October 1916 (their names appear on a nominal roll of marksmen in the battalion journal). Further, the men have all been allocated 6 figure TF numbers in 9th Hants range which indicates to me that they transferred sometime post March 1917. The surviving service papers that I have located confirm that the men proceeded with 1/6th Hants from Bombay on 11th September 1917. I have no evidence to back this up but I would suggest that the men were transferred to bring 1/6th Hants up to strength prior to its move to Mesopotamia. 1/6th Hants were stationed at Meerut from March to September 1917 so it would have been during this period. In terms of the Churchill photograph, I would suggest that this is 2/9th Hants. In October 1914, "K" Coy 2/9th Hants took up duties in the Portland Garrison with Coy Headquarters at Corfe Castle. In February 1915, "L" Coy moved to Corfe Castle, to reinforce "K" Coy, on taking over all coast patrols between Swanage and Lyme Regis. Of note: 2nd November 1915 - A draft consisting of 2 officers and 90 other ranks left 2/9th Hants to join the 4th Provisional Cyclist Coy. 6th December 1915 - A draft consisting of 3 officers and 411 other ranks were transferred from 2/9th to 1/9th Hants for overseas. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 6 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 6 April , 2009 Marc - thanks for the detailed reply - that all makes a lot of sense, especially the 2/9th > 1/9th transfers 6/12/15.. The particular man I was looking at was Tom Stephen James Annetts - is he on your roll by any chance ? His BW&V roll shows him as Pte 431 in 1/9th Bn then Pte 355234 in 1/6th Bn - but of course that six digit number is a new issue 9th Bn number. I've noted your comments ref the relevance of Oct 1916 and March 1917. By the way - below is a photo of his "billet" whilst he was in ................................ ? - what do you think - India or Mespot (note the smoking kit on the mantlepiece). regards - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 7 April , 2009 Share Posted 7 April , 2009 Tom, Unfortunately, Pte Annetts name does not appear on the nominal roll of marksmen. By co-incidence, the five copies of the 1/9th Hants 'Gazette' that I have were orignally sent home by 356146 Pte Cull, one of those transferred to 1/6th Hants. See below for the rice sack that the Gazettes were sent back in. From the photo of his 'billet' I would err on the side of India (but I wouldn't rule out Mespot). Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan24 Posted 9 September , 2015 Share Posted 9 September , 2015 Tom, Is it possible for you to look at this thread linked below and tell me if the man in the photo is also in your group photo in post 8. I would be most grateful. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=231457&hl= Regards Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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