aim Posted 25 September Share Posted 25 September My man was born in Colchester, Essex, but just in case he got transferred he is 82854 EUSTACE ALEXANDER TAYLOR. Any chance of a look-up? Thanks, aim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 26 September Share Posted 26 September 15 hours ago, aim said: My man was born in Colchester, Essex, but just in case he got transferred he is 82854 EUSTACE ALEXANDER TAYLOR. Any chance of a look-up? Thanks, aim No problem which battery do you want the look up....245 (D) Ilkley of 246 (D) Otley I R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 26 September Share Posted 26 September (edited) On 25/09/2023 at 15:48, james drury said: Hi thanks for the reply that’s very kind of you :-) name is Joseph (Joe) Cross thanks again J. This is the chap Had a good look through the photographs but sadly there is no mention of your ancestor. It has to be said that thre are a large number of group photographs and not a lot of names. I think that what annotations there are were done many years after WW1 and it may be that the albums owner E J Cowling formally of the Ilkley Battery had been unable to recall who they were. The photo's themselves had belonged to Maj Kenneth Duncan who had commanded the battery during the war and passed to Cowling who was the secretary of the Comrades Assoc. who gave them to the old Otley Archaeological Society. number of the photos are in the form of postcards taken by H Stephenson,, an Otley photographer who had a sideline in photographing men from the battery and presumably selling them on to family members of the battery. There is mention of a unit history but this is not included in the archive that I have. This may held at Otley. Not sure if the museum is still open as I haven't been there since before covid but the the website has limited opening hours listed and a telephone number. May be worth giving them a ring to see if they have a copy of this history. The Ilkley Battery published their unit history and I have a copy but the Otley history may be hand written. James Cooper in his reply a few years ago mentioned the Leddle Collection at Leeds Uni. I think that their catalogue is online and the collection is fairly accessible to visitors. If you are local to this part of Yorkshire then it way be worth a visit to view any resources. An alternative resource is the Wharfedale Gazette, the local Otley newspaper which can be accessed at Leeds City Library. Like the Ilkley Gazette it reported extensively on local soldiers, although, unless it is digitised searchin it would be a long slog. Whilst looking through the album thought that the chap circled below bore some resemblance to your relative. Edited 28 September by ilkley remembers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james drury Posted 26 September Share Posted 26 September Thank you so much for the detailed reply, and taking the time to have a look! Very much appreciated. Joe Cross joined up in 1912 and was mobilised in 1914 so I guess he could be in some of the group pictures pre-embarkation. I would love to see some ? Is this possible. I know he was at Doncaster as he signed his agreement for overseas service there. He was a Tanner pre war and a driver in the battery so if any pictures of the men with horses they would be a particular interest. In 1918 he was appointed ‘saddler’ I very much appreciate all the help you have been and if you were willing to share any of the other pictures, either at Doncaster, the horse teams or in France I would be fascinated. thanks once again :-) james Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 26 September Share Posted 26 September 2 hours ago, james drury said: Thank you so much for the detailed reply, and taking the time to have a look! Very much appreciated. Joe Cross joined up in 1912 and was mobilised in 1914 so I guess he could be in some of the group pictures pre-embarkation. If Joe was a driver there is a possibility that he was attached to the Ammunition Column which was shared by both the 4th WR Howitzer Batteries ie 10th Otley later 246 D and 11th Ilkley later 245 D. The AC was based in Burley in Wharfedale which is a village in between Ilkley and Otley and was manned by men from all three locations, I would agree with you that if he had enlisted pre 1914 then there is a fair chance that he is in one of the photographs. I take it that you didn't think that he was the chap that I circled in the photo attached to my previous reply. This evening I am somewhat tied up so can I PM you Wed or Thurs about the photographs. Regards I R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james drury Posted 26 September Share Posted 26 September that's great thanks ... had a good look at the chap circled - could be - wasn't too sure. thank you :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aim Posted 27 September Share Posted 27 September On 26/09/2023 at 09:52, ilkley remembers said: No problem which battery do you want the look up....245 (D) Ilkley of 246 (D) Otley I R Many thanks. I have no idea which battery - all I know is that he started in Gallipoli and the Germans bombed his records! aim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 28 September Share Posted 28 September 22 hours ago, aim said: Many thanks. I have no idea which battery - all I know is that he started in Gallipoli and the Germans bombed his records! aim Had a look through the record of 245 D battery and can't see any mention of your relative in the various lists that are included. The nominal role in the appendix only covers those men who were with the battery in sept 1914 but he isn't there either. I'm no great expert on the RFA, although, there are some on the forum, but think his service number was allocated to one of the Midland territorial Divisions. Will check 246 D Battery to see if he is mentioned on the photograph album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 29 September Share Posted 29 September ilkley remembers wrote: "I have copies of the digital photographs of the Otley Battery (246 D RFA) which 'Cooper' passed on to me a few years ago. Don't think that he has accessed this site since last year so if you give me the name of your relative then I can check through the album to see if there is a mention of him" I would appreciate it very much if you would be kind enough to see if any of the photographs you have provide an image of Lieutenant Victor Whitaker, MC who served with D/246 Battery, RFA and D/245 Battery, RFA and received the Military Cross while serving with the second unit. I have a copy of A Record of D 245 Battery 1914-1919 by Gee and Shaw. Thanks and regards, rflory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 29 September Share Posted 29 September 11 hours ago, rflory said: ilkley remembers wrote: "I have copies of the digital photographs of the Otley Battery (246 D RFA) which 'Cooper' passed on to me a few years ago. Don't think that he has accessed this site since last year so if you give me the name of your relative then I can check through the album to see if there is a mention of him" I would appreciate it very much if you would be kind enough to see if any of the photographs you have provide an image of Lieutenant Victor Whitaker, MC who served with D/246 Battery, RFA and D/245 Battery, RFA and received the Military Cross while serving with the second unit. I have a copy of A Record of D 245 Battery 1914-1919 by Gee and Shaw. Thanks and regards, rflory Yes no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 2 October Share Posted 2 October On 29/09/2023 at 06:17, rflory said: I would appreciate it very much if you would be kind enough to see if any of the photographs you have provide an image of Lieutenant Victor Whitaker, MC who served with D/246 Battery, RFA and D/245 Battery, RFA and received the Military Cross while serving with the second unit. I have a copy of A Record of D 245 Battery 1914-1919 by Gee and Shaw. He is not named on any photographs in this collection. Checked Noraman Tennants book about 11 battery but again no joy. On 27/09/2023 at 17:24, aim said: Many thanks. I have no idea which battery - all I know is that he started in Gallipoli and the Germans bombed his records! aim Sorry but couldn't find his name in the collection of photographs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aim Posted 2 October Share Posted 2 October 4 minutes ago, ilkley remembers said: He is not named on any photographs in this collection. Checked Noraman Tennants book about 11 battery but again no joy. Sorry but couldn't find his name in the collection of photographs Thanks for trying, aim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 2 October Share Posted 2 October Thank you very much for looking for images of Lieutenant Victor Whitaker. Much appreciated. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon R Posted 19 October Share Posted 19 October (edited) For context and provenance regarding this collection derived from Otley Museum's documentary collection: For referencing purposes this material is catalogued at the Museum as O/OC/ph/1-98. The m.s. notes regarding names of men indicated in the postcard album were annotated by Eric Thackeray Cowling. Edited 19 October by Simon R Clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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