Steve Berridge Posted 25 May , 2010 Share Posted 25 May , 2010 Hi, Are there any Middlesex Regiment experts out there who would be able to tell me when Fred joined the 23rd battalion from his G/20059 number? Name: LINNELL, FRED Initials: F Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Middlesex Regiment Unit Text: "C" Coy. 23rd Bn. Age: 28 Date of Death: 07/06/1917 Service No: G/20059 Additional information: Son of Edward and Anne Linnell, of Silverstone; husband of Mrs. J. L. Linnell, of Paradise Row, Silverstone, Towcester, Northants. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 49 and 51. Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL As I undersatand it the G meant that he was a wartime only enlistment and as the original battalion members appear to have been given F numbers and that he enlisted in Northampton I would assume that he was probably posted to the Middlesex Regiment as a replacement or to make the battalion up to war strength. His record appears not to have survived and I cannot glean anything date wise from his MIC. I am taking his Grandson over to visit the battlefields for the first time in the near future, particularly to the area of the 23rds action on 7th June 1917 around St Eloi but wondered as to when he joined the battalion where else he may have served i.e Flers on the Somme. Any help that pals could give would be much appreciated. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 25 May , 2010 Share Posted 25 May , 2010 There was a very small article in the Northampton Mercury of 17-8-1917 noting his being declared as Wounded and Missing: Unfortunately it doesn't give much information. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Berridge Posted 25 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2010 Hi Steve, Thank you for that, every little helps as they say. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 26 May , 2010 Share Posted 26 May , 2010 Steve The few Middlesex Regiment men I have with numbers in that range all appear to have been initially conscripted into the 28th (Reserve) Battalion in April 1916. Fred Linnell's number suggests that he joined between the 13th and 18th April. As you say, his number indicates war-time service only and presumably he was posted as part of a draft to the 23rd Battalion some time later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Berridge Posted 26 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2010 Steve The few Middlesex Regiment men I have with numbers in that range all appear to have been initially conscripted into the 28th (Reserve) Battalion in April 1916. Fred Linnell's number suggests that he joined between the 13th and 18th April. As you say, his number indicates war-time service only and presumably he was posted as part of a draft to the 23rd Battalion some time later. Hi Paul, Thats just the sort of information I was after as it now gives me a start point datewise for his service. From the information you gave I had another look at the mother LLT site and this suggests a possible connection for how Fred, a Northamptonshire man enlisted in Northampton and ends up in the Middlesex Regt:- 27th and 28th (Reserve) Battalions (Middlesex Regiment) Formed 1915 from the depot companies of 17th, 20th, 21st and 23rd Bns. Moved to Northampton in May 1916 on to Aldershot. 1 September 1916 : converted into 101st and 102nd Training Reserve Battalions of 23rd Reserve Brigade at Aldershot. 27th Bn later converted into 52nd (Graduated) Bn and 28th became 53rd (Young Soldier) Bn Many thanks for your help Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePenn Posted 12 January , 2011 Share Posted 12 January , 2011 Hi Steve Can you confirm that you have the right Linnell as Fred was my wife's grandfather and researching the family I came upon your request, as Silverstone had a lot of Linnells have you got a note of his family names? regards Mike Hi, Are there any Middlesex Regiment experts out there who would be able to tell me when Fred joined the 23rd battalion from his G/20059 number? Name: LINNELL, FRED Initials: F Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Middlesex Regiment Unit Text: "C" Coy. 23rd Bn. Age: 28 Date of Death: 07/06/1917 Service No: G/20059 Additional information: Son of Edward and Anne Linnell, of Silverstone; husband of Mrs. J. L. Linnell, of Paradise Row, Silverstone, Towcester, Northants. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 49 and 51. Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL As I undersatand it the G meant that he was a wartime only enlistment and as the original battalion members appear to have been given F numbers and that he enlisted in Northampton I would assume that he was probably posted to the Middlesex Regiment as a replacement or to make the battalion up to war strength. His record appears not to have survived and I cannot glean anything date wise from his MIC. I am taking his Grandson over to visit the battlefields for the first time in the near future, particularly to the area of the 23rds action on 7th June 1917 around St Eloi but wondered as to when he joined the battalion where else he may have served i.e Flers on the Somme. Any help that pals could give would be much appreciated. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Berridge Posted 12 January , 2011 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2011 Hi Mike, The Fred Linnell above was also the grandfather of a friend of mine - Rodney Eames. We took him on a trip to the Ypres Salient last May bank Holiday to visit the area where Fred was lost around the St Eloi sector and see his memorial at the Menin Gate. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePenn Posted 13 January , 2011 Share Posted 13 January , 2011 Hi Steve Many thanks for that information that ties up the connect, the pictures of the place look very nice that I have seen on the internet. Regards Mike Hi Mike, The Fred Linnell above was also the grandfather of a friend of mine - Rodney Eames. We took him on a trip to the Ypres Salient last May bank Holiday to visit the area where Fred was lost around the St Eloi sector and see his memorial at the Menin Gate. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 13 January , 2011 Share Posted 13 January , 2011 The 23rd battalion was the "Footballers' Battalion" and it was a wartime cration, those who enlisted specifically for that battalion would have received teh F prefix, the G (or GS, General Service prefix meant the man had enlisted for general service and so could be more easily transferred, all conscripts came under these terms). Regulars received an L prefix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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