Silence Dogood Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 This is a relative. I think he may have been a dispatch rider in the British army and he probably belonged to a London regiment because that's where he grew up. Can anyone help? http://postimage.org/image/treqptcsv/ http://postimage.org/image/49be1c94r/ Could you also tell me whether this is a group of dispatch riders? http://postimage.org/image/wpphoqolr/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 Welcome to the Forum, I think that this is almost certainly the 9th Londons or Queen Victoria's Rifles Robert P.S. Looking harder at the image I believe that they may actually be 11th Londons (Finsbury Rifles). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 "Could you also tell me whether this is a group of dispatch riders?" I would doubt this as they appear to be normal infantrymen. I believe that despatch riders were part of the Royal Engineers, although this may have altered later in the war? All those on the front row sport wound stripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 They are a mixed bunch, as some have black Rifles buttons and some have brass. It is just possible they are on some sort of course, or are part of the same Brigade. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with the badge ID. The first one is more likely KRRC as it looks like a bugle centre rather than the St George of the QVR; and I can't see any of the wording (PRO/ARIS/ET/FOCIS) which would indicate the 11th Battalion. The second photo is the 16th London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles). I do not see anything definitive in the group picture to suggest dispatch riders either, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 I'd agree with Mr Yeoman: KRRC and Westminster Rifles. Nice collection of wound stripes in the group photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 10 October , 2012 Admin Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Is that a Kings Own badge in the group photo? Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silence Dogood Posted 10 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Okay, I'm a little confused because the first two photos I posted are of the same person. Why would be belong to two different regiments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 "Is that a Kings Own badge in the group photo?" Hi Michelle, Yes, I think it could be, although at first I thought it was The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt when enlarged it does look more like the King's Own Royal Lancasters--or is it a badge with something over the top? Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Okay, I'm a little confused because the first two photos I posted are of the same person. Why would be belong to two different regiments? Why indeed!!--I suspect that identification of the badge is difficult due to the poor quality of the image and apparent/possible addition to the centre of the Maltese Cross. On enlargement I can see what appears to be a small grenade imposed on the centre of the badge--which makes it look like nothing I have ever seen before. Is it possible to take any close ups of the badges of the men in the group--just in case a more definite identification can be made? The centre circle on the Maltese Cross looks far too large to be either KRRC or 16/Londons. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Quite commong to transfer between regiments: almost more common than staying in the one regiment if you were wounded. I'd say I'm all-but certain the identifications of KRRC and Queen's Westminsters are correct; certainly so for the Westminsters. It's a very distinctive badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Quite commong to transfer between regiments: almost more common than staying in the one regiment if you were wounded. I'd say I'm all-but certain the identifications of KRRC and Queen's Westminsters are correct; certainly so for the Westminsters. It's a very distinctive badge. Yes, I agree with 16th Londons as most likely, now I have checked the image properly instead of using memory-failing!! but still think that the 3rd from left seated has a small flaming grenade implanted on top of centre of Maltese Cross. They look a 'likely' bunch and I just wonder if they are battalion/brigade 'Bombers' because they tended to make their own badges or at least modifications to existing badges to show their trade--I believe?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asanewt Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 The group certainly are mixed regiments the man with cigarette front row 2nd left seems to have fusilier collar dogs and what looks like his cap with badge showing under left hand. The man extreme left front has marksman or machine gun sleeve badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silence Dogood Posted 10 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2012 So maybe he started out in the KRRC and then joined the Queen's Westministers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Looks like it: if you post his name I suspect someone will tell you. Jules - you're quite right there, but blessed if I can see what the badge is. Anyone tell what the badge on that chap's cuff (B in a wreath?) is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silence Dogood Posted 10 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2012 His full name was Albert Thomas Lewendon Parrott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 This chap seems a decent fit: Name: Albert T Parrott Regiment or Corps: 16th London Regiment, Kings Royal Rifle Corps Regimental Number: 554615, 49164 http://search.ancest...532&recoff=9 11 Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silence Dogood Posted 10 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2012 I'm glad you agree. I thought that was him as well. I can't thank you guys enough. My grandmother will be very happy that she has some answers about what her dad did during the war. It's not proof, but it's close enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 11 October , 2012 Share Posted 11 October , 2012 There's another topic about Albert here: Chevron on upper and lower arm? It shows Albert and another soldier, both cap-less, on a Zenith motorcycle, hence Silence Dogood's thoughts on despatch riders. Silence - it would probably be worth starting a thread in one of the Arms & Equipment sub-forums to see if the Zenith was military issue. Interestingly Albert is shown there with blackened rifles buttons, whereas here he is wearing brass ones. He has a lance corporal stripe up though, so the other picture probably is later (usual caveats apply!). Other evidence in that photo indicates a 1918 date (RAOC on a fire bucket, not AOC, and other man has an overseas chevron up). Just to head off suggestions that blackened buttons might point to KRRC not QWRs, here some evidence that the QWRs wore both standard blackened rifles buttons (like the KRRC) but also a brass regimental button with the Westminster's portcullis motif: Pics of various button combinations in the 16/Londons (QWRs) There are also some good clear pics of the QWR cap badge - Albert is definitely wearing that in the group shot and the photo in the second link, while the first photo is most likely the standard KRRC with the strung rifles hunting horn in the central section. As it's very hard to see if the battle honours are in the cross arms, there exists a slim possibility that could be one of the other KRRC-connected London Regiment battalions, who would either have bare cross arms, or just the South Africa honours. Given Steve's identification of KRRC then transferring to 16/LR, my money's on photo #1 being KRRC. Transfers between the London Regiment rifles associated battalions and the KRRC and RB were extremely common. Higher up that topic, there's some general info on London Regiment buttons, which might be relevant to the rest of this group. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findabetterole Posted 2 November , 2012 Share Posted 2 November , 2012 The first badge is not 'KRRC'. The 'KRRC' has an LI-horn in the center, this badge has a Tower, so it is part of the London Regiment.. Finsby Rifle? I suspect hat the second is also part of the London Regiment. Seph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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