pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 I am posting 3 photos of my grandfather, who was in a Manchester battalion, initially as a territorial. First theatre was Egypt in November 1914. I can't trace his service record, despite a visit to Kew, and I wonder if some kind soul can identify his battalion from the photos? Oops, looks as though I can do one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eirian Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Can you give any more details of his name/age? Eirian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 2nd photo 3rd photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Can you give any more details of his name/age? Eirian He's George Herbert Burton b. 12 may 1893 in Cheddleton, Staffs. I have his MIC and have copies of the medal rolls, which state last battalion as 6th before Labour Corps. Thank you for such a prompt reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 The spurs and bandolier suggest a mounted unit, but better minds will find more clues. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Since the medal rolls state he was in the 6th battalion, I'm wondering if the photos indicate that he started out in the 6th, and why do the uniforms vary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFayers Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 First photo certainly looks territorial - his shoulder insignia looks to have a 'T' over a number and regiment name (though the latter I can't make out). (A different shoulder title to that in the second photo.) As Daggers has mentioned, mounted duties are certainly suggested by the third photo - riding breeches, spurs, puttees wound 'cavalry style', and ubiquitous bandoleer equipment. I don't know enough of cap badges to help you with this one though. cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 First picture looks like it was taken in Egypt. Second picture no earlier than early 1918 as he is wearing a 1914 or 1914-15 medal ribbon. Third picture mounted duties certainly; possibly with battalion transport? I am unable to identify the cap badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Many thanks daggers, Steve & squirrel, that's very helpful. Family folklore provides the following: He was a farrier while in the army. Leading mules across a very narrow bridge in Gallipoli, the man in front was very scared and asked to swap places. Grandfather agreed and man, now behind, was shot and killed. Horse was blown up and head fell on grandfather's shoulder. So, I guess farriers worked with mules and horses? Were both used in most battlefields? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 The cap badge looks like The Manchester Regiment, but with the additional device for the 2nd Volunteer Battalion between the badge and scroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Farriers looked after the cold shoeing of horses and mules plus general horse "maintenance"; dealing with minor problems like galls, sores, cuts and bruises etc. Horses and mules would have been used in most theatres. Battalion Transport would use both; there were a few riding horses kept for the Officers, light draught horses for the wagons and limbers; pack horses and mules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eirian Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Sorry I can't help with the cap badge. But if his father was William Burton of Cheddleton, who was a master brewer, (if I've got the right one in the 1901 census) then perhaps George would have grown up with horses around, in use for the brewery drays, which might explain why he later served in a mounted regiment. Does his medal index card mention anything about the regiments? I've had a look but am not sure which one is his, as there are quite a few possible candidates. Eirian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 ... which might explain why he later served in a mounted regiment. Eirian Slight confusion here: the Manchesters were an infantry regiment, but like all infantry, certain sections would make use of horses/mules. Hence the need for a farrier. Men in those sections would wear the indicative clothing we see in photo #3: bandolier, breeches etc., instead of the standard infantry service dress worn by the rest of the battalion, nevertheless they were still infantrymen. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eirian Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Thanks for the clarification Mark E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 The cap badge looks like The Manchester Regiment, but with the additional device for the 2nd Volunteer Battalion between the badge and scroll. Many thanks for your sharp eyes. I've tried to get the detail on the shoulder title, but it's still not very clear, and this is the best I can do with the cap badge Farriers looked after the cold shoeing of horses and mules plus general horse "maintenance"; dealing with minor problems like galls, sores, cuts and bruises etc. Horses and mules would have been used in most theatres. Battalion Transport would use both; there were a few riding horses kept for the Officers, light draught horses for the wagons and limbers; pack horses and mules. Thanks, squirrel. That's really helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Looks like a 'T/6' and more than likely 'Manchester' to me in the last post and definately a Manchesters capbadge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Sorry I can't help with the cap badge. But if his father was William Burton of Cheddleton, who was a master brewer, (if I've got the right one in the 1901 census) then perhaps George would have grown up with horses around, in use for the brewery drays, which might explain why he later served in a mounted regiment. Does his medal index card mention anything about the regiments? I've had a look but am not sure which one is his, as there are quite a few possible candidates. Eirian Yes, Eirian, his father was indeed William, and George was very much a country lad in his youth. I sympathise with the MIC problem - I couldn't find it until I tracked down the family custodian of his medals to get his service numbers. And it wasn't helpful of him not to use his middle name! Thank you so much for your investigations and, in case you're collecting them in some way, this is his MIC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 24 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2009 Slight confusion here: the Manchesters were an infantry regiment, but like all infantry, certain sections would make use of horses/mules. Hence the need for a farrier. Men in those sections would wear the indicative clothing we see in photo #3: bandolier, breeches etc., instead of the standard infantry service dress worn by the rest of the battalion, nevertheless they were still infantrymen. Cheers, Mark Many thanks for this, Mark. I've Googled "bandolier" and there seem to be many different types. What would the type my grandfather's wearing be used for, do you think? And would he wear it, and the uniforms shown with it, every day? If so, and given squirrel's sharp spotting of a 1915 ribbon in Photo 2 giving a likely photo date of 1918, and the fact that the uniform is very different, it's presumably likely that he was transferred to the Labour Corps around the date of the photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 24 August , 2009 Share Posted 24 August , 2009 You can read more about the 1903 bandolier here: http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1903/pic...bandoliers.html http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1903/190...troduction.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamwd Posted 25 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 25 August , 2009 Many thanks, Matt & Graham. Your help is really appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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