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Remembered Today:

1st Rifle Brigade 1914


Jerrymurland

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If anyone has the battalion history could they look up the initials of Lt. Col. Biddulph for me please? Trying to find his service file but have no initials for him.

Jerry

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Jerry,

His initials were H.M.

Andy

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Jerry,

Was that the one regarding the 25th? if so I replied to it. The article mentioned I can send this weekend (away at the moment) but I have the war diary on my secondary hard drive with me.

Andy

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Jerry,

Just looking for some other information on another officer and Harold Mavromichali Biddulph's bio on his death in 1961 was there, any use to you???

Andy

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His bio,

Rifle Brigade Chronicle 1961.

Andy

post-1871-1250431840.jpg

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Thanks Phillip - where did you source the picture from? Regimental photograph?

Andy - answer to your question is yes please.

Jerry

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Jerry

I have a fair amount of material here on Biddulph - the photo came with his pre WW1 medals - somewhere out there is the other half of his group - the 1914 Star trio.

Have you seen the book 'A Fine Chest of Medals - The Life of Jack Archer' by Colin Baker. ISBN 0 9542020 1 5 Archer served with The Rifle Brigade from 1889 and was taken prisoner in the opening stages of WW1. He was the RSM of the 1st Bn Kings African Rifles in 1908.

The book includes an excellent photo of Major Biddulph taken in 1904 and also John Gough VC when Lieut-Colonel. The Rifle Brigade.

For some reason I am having difficulties today attaching the smallest of photos so if you give me your email address I will send the picture by way of a pdf - file.

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Philip,

Not a bad book at all, quite good in places.

Jerry,

The piece you asked for from a Company Commanders experience of August - September 1914 with the 1st RB all sent to you, hope that it helps.

Andy

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Andy - thanks. By the way what is the title etc of the book? Is it the Rifle Brigade Chronicle? Who is the author?

Jerry

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Hi Jerry,

Glad that you got it all, quite a bit there. This was all in the 1938 Rifle Brigade Chronicle, these chronicles are the life of the Regiment during that year, detailing what each battalion did and Regimental records, Clubs, sports and pastimes. For example besides the piece sent to you there is also a rifleman's story of the loss of the 'Birkenhead, recollections of the 2nd RB in South Africa, the lighter side of Plebiscite, obituaries and so on. They are an invaluable source starting in 1890, but they are compiled rather than written on the life of the Regiment, for quite a few years Major H.G. Parkyn, O.B.E. compiled them as he did the 1938 issue.

Andy

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Jerry,

These chronicles can be purchased for a reasonable sum on the usual sites and the 1938 Chronicle would not be expensive, its knowing what is contained in each issue that is the trick in finding these priceless little gems of history with regard to WW1. The Chronicles from 1890 to say 1919 do tend to be expensive these days, especially the 1914-18 period, as, unlike the KRRC chronicles (which started in 1895) they were written during the war, the KRRC Chronicles were written after the war.

As to viewing them, I am unsure if your local library would be able to help you due to the limited run of the earlier issues but if you need anything from them I have them all from 1890 to 2003.

Andy

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Jerry,

I will have a look for you, in the 1916 Chronicle there is the Record of the 1st RB in 1914, but there are many other interesting bits and pieces such as the Lionel Lord Tennyson book "From Verse to Worse" with his accounts and recollections of mobilisation and 1914 in the 1st RB.

Andy

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  • 13 years later...

The war diary of No.2 Hospital Train for 18 September 1914 mentions a wounded Lt Col Biddulph complaining about being carried in a goods truck. The train OC, Major Myles, explained to the DMS and ADMS who were at the station in Le Mans that the train was totally packed to overflowing, and they went to placate Biddulph. 'The latter had small wound of foot,' Myles noted [dryly] in the diary.

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