Postcards

[ianjonesncl]

@charlie962 many thanks.

Confirms the succession...... and as can be seen by @FROGSMILE pics continues today as 74 (The Battle Axe Company) Battery RA.

I wonder if the adoption of the title on the photograph was adopted by the Company but was not in official use.

[charlie962]

1926, again via RA Museum an Ogilby Muster.

[charlie962]

The RA Journal vol XXXIV of 1912/13 has a long article on the subject of Battery honours.

This bit for 45 Coy is of interest. A nickname! 

Same source as prev two posts.

Edited 9 December , 2022 by charlie962

[FROGSMILE]

Very interesting to see the provenance and lineage, especially that a generally accepted nickname preceded ‘official’ recognition, as is so often the way with British Army traditions.  In another source by PERRY, dated 1887 (a fantastic reference work), which compiles its RA details from a combination of Duncan and Kane, it states that the original company was the 8th, which became renumbered 7th in 1817, eight years after the action at Martinique.

Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

The Gunner 1927, via RA Museum and Ogilby Muster, give this succession:

I am puzzled by the mention of Provost (Prévost**), as most other references say that Sir George Beckwith commanded the land element at Martinique in 1809, with the fleet commanded by the inimitable Admiral Cochrane. 

1 hour ago, ianjonesncl said:

Just looking at the Army List for August 1914 and I can see A Battery (The Chestnut Troop) RHA 

No mention of Eagle Troop.... nothing for N Battery RHA. 

And no honour title for 45 Company, which I still wonder where that came from. I presume there will have been some form of succession.

 

 

 

I don’t know what the story is concerning Eagle Troop, Ian, perhaps it too was a ‘nickname’ in 1914.

Afternote**  it seems that Beckwith commanded a two pronged amphibious assault from afloat, and Prevost was one of the general officers ashore.

Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[charlie962]

1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:

don’t know what the story is concerning Eagle Troop

Same 1913 source as the Prevost note 

Looks like they had to wait untill 1926 as per list I posted earlier.

 

Edited 9 December , 2022 by charlie962

[FROGSMILE]

49 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

I should be able to comment but cannot remember now. I read up on this event researching my Grandfather's Grandfather who was a Sergeant in the 90th Foot who participated. Although in theatre at that date my GGGF is not on the medal roll. I have a glass plate photo of him as an army pensioner in late 1850s so he was about when medals were issued. Perhaps he was sick. I digress- just these posts sparked a memory.

It’s been resolved in the other thread.  Prevost commanded one of two amphibious landings.  Beckwith commanded over all from afloat. 

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

Same 1913 source as the Prevost note 

Looks like they had to wait untill 1926 as per list I posted earlier.

 

Thank you that confirms that it was another nickname, as suggested elsewhere.

Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

"Yours Sincerely. Dvr. W.F. Brandon. Egypt"

Driver Walter Fardell Brandon.  1989 - 1117 - 970830.  B/301 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. 

Edited 14 December , 2022 by GWF1967

[Kath]

Family tree on Ancestry.

https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/walter-fardell-brandon-24-m7knh4

[GWF1967]

On 13/12/2022 at 09:45, Kath said:

Family tree on Ancestry.

https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/walter-fardell-brandon-24-m7knh4

Thank you, Kath. I had seen his family tree, and have made contact to see if they would like a scanned copy of the postcard.

[Raster Scanning]

A 7th Bedfordshire Regiment OR in the trenches in France in the winter of 1915/16. He appears to be trying to make a drain to allow water to run away from an already muddy trench.

[Raster Scanning]

7th Bedfordshire Regiment. An 'A' Coy sentry on lookout using a mirror on a pole, in a sap in the frontline Carnoy Trenches. March 1916. He appears to be wearing a Brodie Helmet which if the caption is accurate means it is a very early issue.

[steve fuller]

13 minutes ago, Raster Scanning said:

A 7th Bedfordshire Regiment OR in the trenches in France in the winter of 1915/16. He appears to be trying to make a drain to allow water to run away from an already muddy trench.

Familiar face - wasn't he an officer?

[FROGSMILE]

14 minutes ago, Raster Scanning said:

A 7th Bedfordshire Regiment OR in the trenches in France in the winter of 1915/16. He appears to be trying to make a drain to allow water to run away from an already muddy trench.

I think that might actually be a subaltern Officer.  I can see both a single cuff ring, suggesting a rear side view of his rank badge, and also the peak silhouette and buckled strap for the ear flaps on an officer’s pattern trench cap circa 1915-16.

Edited 14 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[Raster Scanning]

15 minutes ago, steve fuller said:

Familiar face - wasn't he an officer?

It appears he may have been Steve. Need to do a bit more research

 

15 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think that might actually be a subaltern Officer.  I can see both a single cuff ring, suggesting a rear side view of his rank badge, and also the peak silhouette and buckled strap for the ear flaps on an officer’s pattern trench cap circa 1915-16.

Thank you I agree having taken a better look. Pretty sure it was 'A' Company. Need to check my pictures.

[Shiny]

On 12/12/2010 at 13:39, Tyneside Chinaman said:

Second Lieutenant Fred Hare 1/7th Battalion Transferred to the Royal Engineers and ended the war as a Captain.

Second Lieutenant Albert Woodger wears two wound stripes.

I don't suppose anyone knows Tyneside Chinaman off the forum do they?

I've been trying to contact him for a few years now about getting a good scan of the front and back of this postcard of my great uncle, Albert Woodger, but can't get a reply. I'd really appreciate it if someone could pass a message on about it for me.

Thanks,

Michael

Edited 14 December , 2022 by Shiny

[FROGSMILE]

On 09/12/2022 at 14:23, ianjonesncl said:

@charlie962 many thanks.

Confirms the succession...... and as can be seen by @FROGSMILE pics continues today as 74 (The Battle Axe Company) Battery RA.

I wonder if the adoption of the title on the photograph was adopted by the Company but was not in official use.

Ian following these recent posts on the subject of RA honour titles I’ve treated myself for Christmas to the book on that subject by Major General B P Hughes.  I thought you might like to add this photographed excerpt from his book to your Blog.

It’s an incredible feat that the original axe has survived since 1809 and is still carried on parade, which makes it far older than most other objects used on ceremonial occasions.

NB.  The book is signed on the fly as a Christmas 1976 as a gift to another officer from Field Marshal Sir Geoffrey Harding Baker, GCB, CMG,CBE, MC (20 June 1912 – 8 May 1980), who was Chief of the General Staff from 1968 to 1971.  In 1976 he was the Master Gunner of St James’s Park.

Edited 14 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

19 minutes ago, Shiny said:

I don't suppose anyone knows Tyneside Chinaman off the forum do they  

@Tyneside Chinaman last logged in July 2021. 
If the same email address is in use, they may see the alert. 

[Shiny]

Thanks a lot, I have tried that before and sent a few PM's without any luck, fingers crossed though.

Michael 

[ianjonesncl]

12 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

@Tyneside Chinaman last logged in July 2021. 
If the same email address is in use, they may see the alert. 

The Tyneside Irish Brigade Memories Project may be able to help.

Tyneside Irish Brigade Memories - Tyneside Irish Cultural Society

[Shiny]

Thanks a lot, I'll give them a try.

Michael 

[tullybrone]

You could always contact Pen & Sword Publishers.

They may have contact details for John they will share or more likely be able to get a message to him.

Steve

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/John-Sheen/a/77

[Shiny]

Thanks very much Tullybrone, I had no idea he had books published, I'll give that a go.

Michael 

[ianjonesncl]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

It’s an incredible feat that the original axe has survived since 1809 and is still carried on parade, which makes it far older than most other objects used on ceremonial occasions.

Recovered from a rubbish pile 18 months after the First World War.... so only just survived !. Battle Axe Company was based just up the road from me when it was part of 39 Regiment RA. Local paper used to report Battle Axe Day.

Blog updated .... Battery Honour title booked on order.

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, ianjonesncl said:

Recovered from a rubbish pile 18 months after the First World War.... so only just survived !. Battle Axe Company was based just up the road from me when it was part of 39 Regiment RA. Local paper used to report Battle Axe Day.

Blog updated .... Battery Honour title booked on order.

I think it might stand good odds of being the oldest unit artefact still in regular usage.  The 1st Bn Border Regiment (as 34th Foot) captured some Napoleonic French Drums made of solid silver and used them for a long time, but I think that they’re in what passes for the regimental museum now.

You won’t be disappointed with the RA Honours Book, the quality of its construction is amazing and seldom seen now.  The paper is very heavy quality and the binding is done old style with stitched in thread and glue combined.  It’s a real keeper.  Happy reading!