2nd/3rd/4th Royal Fusiliers

[Guest ianehayes]

I have very recently discovered that my Grandfather, Arthur Henry Buckland ( L/7447, 4th Bn., Royal Fusiliers ) served as a private and died in Flanders on 26 October 1914. He is commemorated on the Le Touret memorial. He left a widow who subsequently disappeared and 4 young children who were dispersed into various forms of care. Family stories had him dying in India and the only surviving record we have is a photograph of him in tropical army dress taken in Mandalay. The help I am seeking is this. There is no record of the 4th being in India. Prior to the BEF they are recorded on the Isle of Wight. The 2nd battalion was sent to Calcutta and the 3rd to Lucknow before being brought back and sent to other theatres, especially Gallipoli. Does anyone have any evidence of servicemen either changing regiment or ceasing service prior to 1914 and then re-enlisting?

Many thanks in advance

[Retrac]

Hi, the quick answer is 'yes'. My grandfather John Edwin Carter joined R Fusiliers in March 1896, giving his age as 18 years 4 months, he was actually 16 years and 4 months. He was in 2nd Battalion at Home until February 1898 when he transferred to 1st Battalion in India until 7th January 1901. He was then moved to 2nd Bn in Burma from 8th January 1901 to 28 February 1902 when the Battalion went to South Africa remaining there until 21st October 1902. He returned to England and remained on the strength until 2nd March 1912. He was in Special Reserve in 7th R Fusiliers until the outbreak of War. The Battalion went to Falmouth from where he was sent on a draft to Gallipoli in June 1915. After being wounded he returned to England and transferred to MGC. He survived the War.

It would appear that your grandfather was in 1st or 2nd Battalion prior to the War, but as a Regular, indicated by the L Prefix to his number, he was transferred on the outbreak of war to 4th Bn and sadly killed in the battle around Neuve Chapelle. There is an account of the engagement in O'Neills History of the Royal Fusiliers in the Great War. I haven't found his record in any of the online collections.

[SteveE]

Ian

His service number L/7447 indicates 'Regular' service with the Royal Fusiliers and would date to an enlistment around the end of August/beginning of September 1899 (L/7448 enlisted 1st September 1899), this would have been on terms "5 years with the colours & 7 years on Army Reserve".

He was with the 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers in 1903-1904 as he qualified for the Tibet Medal, awarded for the campaign there between 13th December 1903 & 23rd September 1904.

His five year 'colour' service would have finished in 1904/1905 and he would have been placed on Section 'B' Army Reserve for the remainder of his 12 years service. Army Reserve was effectively being a civilian but with the Army retaining the right to recall him if necessary. I presume this happened as (as long as I have the right man) he was back in civvy street as a fishmonger getting married to Florence Watson in 1907 and was shown as a "coal porter carman" on the 1911 census.

His twelve years service would have come to an end in 1911 but he could elect to extend his Army Reserve commitment for a further four years by enlisting into the Section 'D' Army Reserve, details of the Army Reserve types can be found Here, I again presume he did this as he retained his original number in 1914.

The Reserves were mobilised at the beginning of August 1914 and a significant number were posted to the 4th Battalion on the Isle of Wight.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[Guest ianehayes]

To David and Steve,

Many many thanks.

Steve, you are correct. Florence was my grandmother, but, given her disappearance, I have an uphill task to put together the family history. With this knowledge on my grandfather, though, I am very encouraged and significantly further on my journey.

Ian