Postcards

[marlat]

Attached is a photo that I thought was a great uncle Russell Brown, but upon review of his medal card, I am not so sure. Any one have any thoughts?

[Murrough]

Not Irish Guards I think - they have always worn their Caubeens with the badge on the right and pulled down on the left.

Internet sources seem to indicate that the Micks only adopted this style in 1921 and previously wore the badge on the left and pulled down the caubeen on the right.

There is a illustration half way down page here http://st.louis.irish.tripod.com/irishwarpipe/id1.html

[Khaki]

Hello mariat,

The badge looks to me to have 'Prince of Wales feathers ' at the top, so maybe one of those regiments that wore them.

khaki

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi,

I believe he could be 24th (Service) Battalion The Welsh Regiment (Welsh Pioneers. This battalion landed in Salonika 24/8/16.

The Prince of Wales Plumes cap badge and the Rifle and Pick collar badges are the clues.

There is a MIC for 25000 Russell Brown who lands in the Balkans in September 1915, he could have changed battalions, you would need to check the actual medal roll.

Hope this helps

regards

John

[Yorkshire Dragoon]

City of London Yeomanry or king Edwards Horse perhaps?

Justin H

I'm voting King Edwards Horse.... Just based on the shape of the badge have a look at this film http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060023374

[squirrel]

Internet sources seem to indicate that the Micks only adopted this style in 1921 and previously wore the badge on the left and pulled down the caubeen on the right.

There is a illustration half way down page here http://st.louis.iris...arpipe/id1.html

Thanks Murrough, memory playing tricks again. Had a look through "The Pipes & Drums of the London Irish Rifles 1906 -2006" by George Willis & George P. Wiilis.

Indeed, according to this, the Irish Guards did not have a Pipe Band until 1916 and the first 12 Pipers of the Irish Guards were trained by the London Irish Rifles Pipers.

You are quite right about the way the Caubeens were worn by the LIR, again from the book, "Initially the badge was over the left eye but the Regiment soon followed the Irish Guards and located the badge over the right eye". This after the disbandment of the Irish Regiments in 1922.

The LIR still wear the Caubeen with the badge over the right eye (or somewhere between the right eye and right ear!) today.

[Chris G Anderson]

I’m attaching a postcard of my grandfather Sgt James Anderson with his squad of Chinese labourers somewhere on the Western Front. He was with the 8^th Royal Scots Fusiliers in Salonika when he was wounded in the hand, losing parts of three fingers. On recovery he was transferred to the Labour Corps. Some of the Chinese still had their pigtails when they arrived in France and were ordered to remove them for reasons of hygiene, I understand. This caused them some distress. One of them gave his pigtail to my grandfather for safe keeping. He kept it until he died in 1965 but unfortunately it was thrown out when his house was being cleared.

[Muerrisch]

Interesting to see the foreman Chinese or whatever on the left side with 2 or 3 chevrons worn lower arm ....... not the first I have seen like this.

[ce.bedford]

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u221/charondeathngfh/image.jpg

This is a recently discovered photo of my great grand uncle John James Farrell born 1890 Carrickfergus with his wife. The photograph was taken in Liverpool where I believe he ended up living. I have no info, service number, regiment etc. Any extra info gleaned would be most helpful! Love this thread. John survived WW1, his brother Edward and his brother in law John Porter weren't so lucky. Edward died in Liverpool 29 September 1916 from gunshot wounds received in action in France, John Porter was KIA in France and I believe buried there.

[CarrickRollofHonour]

http://i169.photobuc...hngfh/image.jpg

This is a recently discovered photo of my great grand uncle John James Farrell born 1890 Carrickfergus with his wife. The photograph was taken in Liverpool where I believe he ended up living. I have no info, service number, regiment etc. Any extra info gleaned would be most helpful! Love this thread. John survived WW1, his brother Edward and his brother in law John Porter weren't so lucky. Edward died in Liverpool 29 September 1916 from gunshot wounds received in action in France, John Porter was KIA in France and I believe buried there.

Great pictire of John James Farrell - I am writing a book profiling all the servicemen from Carrickfergus during the Great War and i have to be honest and say until today I hadn't even heard of John. Do you have any more details on him? Who were his parents? Where his brother amf brother in law from Carrickfergus? I will look into this at my end and see what I can find.

[ce.bedford]

Great pictire of John James Farrell - I am writing a book profiling all the servicemen from Carrickfergus during the Great War and i have to be honest and say until today I hadn't even heard of John. Do you have any more details on him? Who were his parents? Where his brother amf brother in law from Carrickfergus? I will look into this at my end and see what I can find.

Ah, well it's not totally straightforward lol! Is it ever?! Johns father was Peter Farrell 5th Dragoon Guards and was stationed in Carrickfergus when his wife gave birth to John, shortly after they were then posted to Aldershot, I can scan in a copy of Johns birth certificate and post it if that helps, prior to Carrickfergus Peter married Elizabeth Caroline Hartfield in 1888 at St Anne's Cathedral and their first child Elizabeth Mary Farrell was born 3 months later...... Their 3rd child Alice, my gt grandmother, was born in Aldershot, the next two children Frederick Matthew and Edward William (2nd battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 4/3645 died 29/9/1916 Liverpool from wounds) were born in Nantwich, Cheshire while their father was on reserve and was working for Cheshire Police. It seems he didn't like the police force much because as soon as his reserve period was up with the Dragoons, he moved the whole family back to Belfast where in 1899 their final child together Thomas Herbert Farrell was born. Frederick and Thomas emigrated in the 1920s to NSW Australia.

There were three more children but none of them were Peters as once back in Belfast it seems Peter re-enlisted in the army, as his occupation on Thomas's birth certificate says soldier but his wife is shown on the 1901 Irish census living with her half sister and brother in law along with the eldest girl Elizabeth and the youngest Thomas, the other children are missing. However, John, is working as a farm servant with a family of the name Watters and lists his birth place as Carrickfergus which is correct, John is nowhere to be found on the 1911 Irish census or the English census so I suspect he may have already joined up at this point. In 1911 Johns mother is listed as widow and has all the children living with her including Elizabeth, her husband John Porter and their first child.

Peter Farrell was also known as Patrick, his place of birth is given as Haddington on his service record for the 5th Dragoon Guards but on his Police service records his place of birth is given Edgeworthstown, Co Longford and his fathers name is given as Matthew with a previous occupation of Footman. John James was also known as Jack, a bad habit in our family which has made research a nightmare lol!

Hope all this helps!

[Chris G Anderson]

Private John Pratt, 7th Black Watch, KIA 24 May 1915, Festubert

[Chris G Anderson]

Thanks, high wood. You are absolutely right. The postcard was taken from a group photograph. I don't have the group photo but I know it existed from this page in the Fife Almanac for 1916. The text says ".... making a gap for the gun." I think it is a misprint for "........making a sap for the gun." Chris

[Khaki]

I’m attaching a postcard of my grandfather Sgt James Anderson with his squad of Chinese labourers somewhere on the Western Front. He was with the 8^th Royal Scots Fusiliers in Salonika when he was wounded in the hand, losing parts of three fingers. On recovery he was transferred to the Labour Corps. Some of the Chinese still had their pigtails when they arrived in France and were ordered to remove them for reasons of hygiene, I understand. This caused them some distress. One of them gave his pigtail to my grandfather for safe keeping. He kept it until he died in 1965 but unfortunately it was thrown out when his house was being cleared.

Is it my imagination or is the man (rear row left) missing his left hand?

khaki

[Chris G Anderson]

I see what you mean, khaki, but I think he has his hand on his hip with his thumb visible pointing outwards. His forefinger is against his hip pointing downwards ? Cheers - Chris

[dundeesown]

Nice pics Chris.

Gary

[Khaki]

I see what you mean, khaki, but I think he has his hand on his hip with his thumb visible pointing outwards. His forefinger is against his hip pointing downwards ? Cheers - Chris

Thanks Chris.

You are correct, I will go back to looking at faces in clouds etc.

khaki

[Jerry B]

No.3 Squad 3/4th Welsh F.A. June 1915 (Bomd E Lockyer).

[Jerry B]

South Wales Borderers. Good clear view of the cap badge and the metal shoulder title.

[Muerrisch]

I see what you mean, khaki, but I think he has his hand on his hip with his thumb visible pointing outwards. His forefinger is against his hip pointing downwards ? Cheers - Chris

Its the Chinese mincing position, and the man is Mai Long Sliev.

[RaySearching]

Unknown soldiers Yorkshire Regiment and ?

regards Ray

[Jerry B]

School of Musketry?

A great card.

[RaySearching]

Thanks Gerry

The soldier on the left is Emma Myers The mother of Robert and John Ernest Appleton who were both KIA

here are my notes on Robert and John

APPLETON ROBERT

Rifleman ROBERT APPLETON
R/3954 13th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps

Robert enlisted in to the Yorkshire Regiment (Pte 10292) on the 8^th September 1913 giving his occupation as a labourer in a slag brick works and his address as 7 Walker Street Middlesbrough He purchased himself out of the army on the 19th November 1913 on the payment of £10 having served 10 weeks

Robert re-enlisted into the KRRC on the 6^th September 1914 and was killed in action aged 21 on the 13th July 1916 in actions close to the village of La Boiselle during the Battle of the Somme.

He was the son of Emma Myers previously Appleton (a general dealer) and the late Henry Appleton (died 1898) his widowed mother married Robert Myers in Middlesbrough in 1906

Robert can be found on the 1911 census residing with his mother and siblings at 98 Marsh Road Middlesbrough employed as a steel works labourer

His brother John Ernest also fell, His brother William, ( Driver 27145 R.F.A) served and survived

Born and enlisted Middlesbrough

THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

APPLETON JOHN ERNEST

Private JOHN ERNEST APPLETON
11545 8th Bn Yorkshire Regiment

John was wounded in action during the Battle of the Somme in an attack on the village of Contalmaison He was evacuated to a casualty clearing station where he died of his wounds aged 32 on 11th July 1916

He was the son of Emma Myers previously Appleton and the late Henry Appleton and the husband of Caroline Appleton (nee or previously Layburn) the couple married in Middlesbrough in 1905

John can be found on the 1911 census residing at 10 Adam Street Middlesbrough with his wife Caroline and his three daughters Mary Emma, Annie Louisa, and Lilian employed as an ironworks general labourer

He was the brother of Robert who also fell

Born and enlisted Middlesbrough

HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE

The soldier on the right is Annie Buxton half sister of Robert and John

regards Ray

[Khaki]

Hello Ray,

Badge on the left 'Somerset Light Infantry' on the right can't really see too well, either school of musketry (with crown), or rifle qualification normally worn on lower sleeve. Note the service chevrons on the person to the left.

khaki

[RaySearching]

Hi Khaki

Thanks for the identification

I thought Emma may have been wearing her sons uniform (Yorks), Looked like Yorks cap badge to my failing eyesight

obviously not!

Studio portrait, uniforms supplied by the photographer

Don't think I would have messed with Emma though, She looks the type not to take prisoners

Regards Ray