cwig Posted 27 February , 2013 Share Posted 27 February , 2013 Hi I have a postcard (attached a photo with closeups) I have been told it is a British PoW from WW1. which I have been trying to find out more info on,. I had posted on another forum and been recommended to try here. On the reverse is simply a British postal address (Mrs N? Sainsbury, 28 Ridge St, Lancaster), no other writing or stamps etc. Can you please give your thoughts on this, especially.. The shape of the pocket flaps - would this indicate a pre-war tunic (possibly still in use during ww1) The number 23 on the epaulets - I am not aware of any British military unit that used numbers like this (Excluding Cadet forces) I have included 2 close ups of buttons, one might be British Army General Issue button the other doesnt look right, but this might just be a trick of the light Which trades might have worn the chain? Does anyone know of any way of tying the numbers on the prisoner to a particular camp or even prisoner? Thank you in advance of any advice. Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 27 February , 2013 Share Posted 27 February , 2013 10952 Pte Nicholson Sainsbury, 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers (the old 23rd Foot). His MIC is marked "P of W". In 1926 he emigrates to New Zealand, and his home address on the manifest is 38 Ridge St, Lancaster. But "Mrs N. Sainsbury"?? According to the BMDs and parish records, he didn't marry until Jan 1919. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 27 February , 2013 Share Posted 27 February , 2013 Mrs S might be his mother. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwig Posted 27 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2013 Wow, I never expected to get that much info! thank you, I suspect the Mrs N Sainsbury is his Mother, who was presumably relieved to find out he was still alive. I think the cards were sent out to as propaganda to show the Enemy was human and treating them well. - There is no stamp I guess they were brought over to the UK in batches by an independent party and then distributed somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveGray Posted 27 February , 2013 Share Posted 27 February , 2013 10952 Pte Nicholson Sainsbury, 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers (the old 23rd Foot). His MIC is marked "P of W". In 1926 he emigrates to New Zealand, and his home address on the manifest is 38 Ridge St, Lancaster. But "Mrs N. Sainsbury"?? According to the BMDs and parish records, he didn't marry until Jan 1919. Adrian His mother ? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwig Posted 27 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2013 I can confirm you are correct the address is 38 Ridge St, not 28 as I put in my post is MIC, Medal Index Card? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hywyn Posted 27 February , 2013 Share Posted 27 February , 2013 Enlisted 5/2/1912. Taken Pow 21/10/1914. Released 20/12/1918. Was later renumbered 4180898 so his papers should be at MOD. Is he related? Hywyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwig Posted 27 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2013 Enlisted 5/2/1912. Taken Pow 21/10/1914. Released 20/12/1918. Was later renumbered 4180898 so his papers should be at MOD. Is he related? Hywyn Thank you Hywyn, no he isnt related, I just picked up the card for something I am working on at the moment, and was curious to find out more - I have had so much more than I ever expected. Assuming I can't find any living relatives, I will probably send the card to the RWF museum for their archives once I am done with it. - with all the info. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 28 February , 2013 Share Posted 28 February , 2013 His POW Records are also held by the Red Cross in Switzerland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 28 February , 2013 Share Posted 28 February , 2013 Wow, I never expected to get that much info! thank you, I suspect the Mrs N Sainsbury is his Mother, who was presumably relieved to find out he was still alive. I think the cards were sent out to as propaganda to show the Enemy was human and treating them well. - There is no stamp I guess they were brought over to the UK in batches by an independent party and then distributed somehow. The Red Cross I suspect. What was supposed to be the standard process was that a new POW completed a special field post card after capture with name rank and address of NoK and this was sent to the Red Cross in Switzerland who registered him and sent the card on to the UK. The system was not always observed in Germany or the card was sent very late and there also seem to have been variations in how it was done so that for some POWs the card wasn't sent until after they had arrived at their final POW camp. German hospitals appear to have been punctilious in getting the cards off ASAP after the man was brought in for treatment but in this case there would be no photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 28 February , 2013 Share Posted 28 February , 2013 entered F&F 6 Oct 1914 as part of the battalion move from Home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 1 March , 2013 Share Posted 1 March , 2013 The numeral 23 intrigues me, also the cut of the pockets. Please does anyone know of any other 1914 1918 soldier, PoW or not, wearing shoulder numerals thus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwig Posted 2 March , 2013 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2013 The 23 was suggested as being because he was a member of "1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers (the old 23rd Foot)" (2nd post) I took this to mean it was normal for the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 2 March , 2013 Share Posted 2 March , 2013 The 23 was suggested as being because he was a member of "1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers (the old 23rd Foot)" (2nd post) I took this to mean it was normal for the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Absolutely not normal! A rare and fascintaing sighting. Informed opinion is that it may well have been made by a craftsman in the PoW camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 March , 2013 Share Posted 2 March , 2013 Absolutely not normal! A rare and fascintaing sighting. Informed opinion is that it may well have been made by a craftsman in the PoW camp. Thinking about that further it would seem odd that any craftsman did not simply make a basic RWF title, as that would not have been much more difficult. I suppose another possibility is that they were German sourced numbers used by the soldier as a simple way to give identity to his unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 3 March , 2013 Share Posted 3 March , 2013 I have a picture of a Gordons POW somewhere which may...(MAY!) have numbers on his shoulder...I'll look for it. Edit: well....make up your own mind....is there something there? Detail Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 March , 2013 Share Posted 3 March , 2013 I have a picture of a Gordons POW somewhere which may...(MAY!) have numbers on his shoulder...I'll look for it. Edit: well....make up your own mind....is there something there? Detail Chris My monitor is not brilliant but it looks to me like a cloth badge. Is it cloth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 3 March , 2013 Share Posted 3 March , 2013 Well I have a fancy new monitor and I cannot be definitive! (and examining the original under a glass is not either) Rather than a "cloth badge" it looks more to me like individual numbers but I admit they look more like embroidered numbers such as found on German GW epaulettes rather than the obvious metal numbers in the OP. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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