Andy Wade Posted 3 March , 2013 Share Posted 3 March , 2013 If this is in the wrong section, could someone from admin move it to a more appropriate one please? Because nobody has come up with a source for any master list held by the Old Contemptibles Association for the badges they issued, I'm starting a master list of the numbers of Old Contemptible Badge numbers. The forum search engine should be able to pull a name out of the list for you so I'm doing it numerically for now rather than alphabetically. Please just quote the last post and add any names and numbers and names that you have to the list in numerical order. 287C Nixon, Arthur 644D Cawston, Wallace 1567C Driver, Harold 1570C Boyes, Harry 1575C Normington, William 1576C Derrick, Michael 2528C Ellis, Olroyd 2532C Thomas, James 4827B Yeomans, Joseph 6572 Finan, John (no letter apparent) 8812B Burnett, William George 8822B Pye, William Thomas 8823B Grange, William 8830B Hayes, Thomas Henry 9467B Foy, Edward 9471B Hainsworth, Herbert 9874B Gower, Frederick 9877B Gardner, Maurice Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battiscombe Posted 3 March , 2013 Share Posted 3 March , 2013 If this is in the wrong section, could someone from admin move it to a more appropriate one please? Because nobody has come up with a source for any master list held by the Old Contemptibles Association for the badges they issued, I'm starting a master list of the numbers of Old Contemptible Badge numbers. The forum search engine should be able to pull a name out of the list for you so I'm doing it numerically for now rather than alphabetically. Please just quote the last post and add any names and numbers and names that you have to the list in numerical order. 287C Nixon, Arthur 644D Cawston, Wallace 1567C Driver, Harold 1570C Boyes, Harry 1575C Normington, William 1576C Derrick, Michael 2528C Ellis, Olroyd 2532C Thomas, James 2987D Chittenden, Arthur 4827B Yeomans, Joseph 6572 Finan, John (no letter apparent) 8812B Burnett, William George 8822B Pye, William Thomas 8823B Grange, William 8830B Hayes, Thomas Henry 9467B Foy, Edward 9471B Hainsworth, Herbert 9874B Gower, Frederick 9877B Gardner, Maurice Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 27 May , 2014 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2014 If this is in the wrong section, could someone from admin move it to a more appropriate one please? Because nobody has come up with a source for any master list held by the Old Contemptibles Association for the badges they issued, I'm starting a master list of the numbers of Old Contemptible Badge numbers. The forum search engine should be able to pull a name out of the list for you so I'm doing it numerically for now rather than alphabetically. Please just quote the last post and add any names and numbers and names that you have to the list in numerical order. 285C Stephenson, Fred 286C Wilson, Arthur Parker 287C Nixon, Arthur 288C Winkley, John 289C Dixon, William 291C Moorhouse, Iveson 292C Daynes, John William 293C Longman, Walter 294C Goff, Charles 619C Whitehall, Joseph 644D Cawston, Wallace 645D Hum, Benjamin 647D Birdsall, James 1567C Driver, Harold 1570C Boyes, Harry 1573C Geldard, Edward 1574C Whitaker, William 1575C Normington, William 1576C Derrick, Michael 1853B Stewart, Harry 2049D Chatten, Sandell Edward 2526C Ideson, Willie 2527C Whittemore, George 2528C Ellis, Olroyd 2532C Thomas, James 2534C Smith, Albert 2630C Templeton, William 2987D Chittenden, Arthur 4827B Yeomans, Joseph 6572 Finan, John 8812B Burnett, William George 8815B Emery, Robert William Mayes 8816B Sugden, Frank 8817B Liddimore, Albert Victor 8820B Metcalfe 8821B Carroll, Charles 8822B Pye, William Thomas 8823B Grange, William 8824B Duckett, Thomas 8826B Henry, Thomas 8827B Hardisty, Henry MM 8828B Kershaw, George MM 8829B Pryke, William 8829B Tinkler, John Thomas ? 8830B Hayes, Thomas Henry 8831B Cox, William 9062A Tighe, Albert E 9467B Foy, Edward 9468B Silverwood, Christopher 9469B Bugler, George William 9470B Martin, John 9471B Hainsworth, Herbert 9472B Langstaff, John Robert 9473B Catterson, Cuthbert 9475B Baker, Captain (Captain is his Christian name, not a rank) 9476B Langstaffe, George 9873B Jowett, Tom 9874B Gower, Frederick 9877B Gardner, Maurice Allen 9878B Moore, Percy 9880B Walworth, Walter 9896 Davis, John William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 27 May , 2014 Share Posted 27 May , 2014 Andy Out of interest, where have you obtained this information from???? Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 27 May , 2014 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2014 One thing that I noticed as I was collating the list of Keighley men is that there seems to be blocks of badge numbers that have been allocated to the branch, there are perhaps six or seven distinct blocks in this set of numbers.It may show something of the way the Old Contemptibles Association was organised. To me at least, allocation of badge numbers appears to have been done nationally rather than locally. I wonder if each branch was sent badges to go with the number blocks the branch had been allocated and the badges were sent out to either the branch (or direct to each member) from a main office? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 27 May , 2014 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2014 Andy Out of interest, where have you obtained this information from???? Sepoy Fortunately for me, a set of Keighley OCA branch membership record sheets was made available for scanning by the Grandson of George Kershaw MM who was the Secretary (and also the Chairman for a while). They appear to be quite rare, to say the least. I have 78 membership records for Keighley Branch. And we also have the Keighley OCA standard which was laid up in a church in 1968, then much later it was given to the local Territorial Army barracks and when that was threatened with closure it was signed over to our project (for a while - we are only custodians) and we have managed to obtain some funding for conservation work on the standard, after we have paraded it on the Centenary at Remembrance day this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongothedog Posted 5 May , 2015 Share Posted 5 May , 2015 I am not sure how the project of the Master List of Old Contemptibles Badges is going. I have recently acquired one with a 1914 Star Trio and ribbon bar. The badge is number 176C The soldier - 6584 Pte Edwin A McKone 1st Dorsets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 March , 2019 Share Posted 30 March , 2019 On 03/03/2013 at 16:51, Andy Wade said: If this is in the wrong section, could someone from admin move it to a more appropriate one please? Because nobody has come up with a source for any master list held by the Old Contemptibles Association for the badges they issued, I'm starting a master list of the numbers of Old Contemptible Badge numbers. The forum search engine should be able to pull a name out of the list for you so I'm doing it numerically for now rather than alphabetically. Please just quote the last post and add any names and numbers and names that you have to the list in numerical order. 287C Nixon, Arthur 644D Cawston, Wallace 1567C Driver, Harold 1570C Boyes, Harry 1575C Normington, William 1576C Derrick, Michael 2528C Ellis, Olroyd 2532C Thomas, James 4827B Yeomans, Joseph 6572 Finan, John (no letter apparent) 8812B Burnett, William George 8822B Pye, William Thomas 8823B Grange, William 8830B Hayes, Thomas Henry 9467B Foy, Edward 9471B Hainsworth, Herbert 9874B Gower, Frederick 9877B Gardner, Maurice Allen 2190A Cartlidge, Frederick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 2 April , 2019 Share Posted 2 April , 2019 Could anyone please tell me the name of the soldier who held badge number 9180B and also his regiment if possible. Many thanks, Tony McG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 2 June , 2019 Share Posted 2 June , 2019 My grandfather was an Old Contemptible. Ernest Tompkins. Service number 5778 Badge number 192107 A rifleman in 1st Brigade of Kings Royal Rifle Corp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 24 July , 2019 Share Posted 24 July , 2019 I thought this information may be of interest in relation to Old Contemptibles’ Association Badges. Manufactured for the Association by Toye & Co. Ltd., the design consists of a voided crossed swords, enclosed in a circlet bearing the legend OLD CONTEMPTIBLES’ ASSOCIATION, with two central scroll on which is superscribed “1914” and “AUG. 5 TO NOV. 22”, the qualification dates for the clasp to the 1914 Star issued to those eligible to receive it. On the reverse of the badge is stamped a unique number, which corresponded to that issued to a Chum on his official acceptance into the Association. A second number – 726347 – relates to the registration number of the Association badge’s design with the Patent Office. The Badge remained the property of the Association, and in 1937 cost 1/-, the Chum signing a declaration to hand in his badge should he resign or be dismissed from a Branch. In spite of the strict ruling regarding the return of Association Badges on a Chum resigning or leaving a Branch, these emblems were open to abuse. In a letter to the Editor of The Derby Daily Telegraph published on 5 November 1937, Chum King of the Derby Branch made it very clear to the readers of the importance of the Badges within the Association, and the contract into which the Chums had entered when they were issued with them: “Sir, My attention has been drawn to a recent report in your paper of police court proceedings in which the accused pleaded for leniency on the grounds of being an Old Contemptible. Now, while this statement may be correct and the person concerned may have been wearing our association badge, my committee desire me to make it quite plain that this person is no longer a member, having forfeited all rights some years ago. Unfortunately, there are at the present time a considerable number of past members walking the streets wearing our badge who are strictly not entitled to do so. Some obviously joined to gain possession of the badge and flaunt it in the eyes of the public, giving everyone the impression that they won the war. Others, quite genuine good fellows, have fallen behind with subscriptions or stay away through apathy. To those in the latter category we offer an invitation to rejoin on the payment of a purely nominal sum, to cover H.Q.’s subscriptions. To the others we give timely warning that legal steps will be taken in the near future to enforce the return of the badge, which is strictly association property, and only on loan to the wearer. The fee paid will be returned on the production of the badge. If any of the general public are approached by individuals wearing the badge, claiming to belong to our association, and are in doubt as to their bona-fides, they are earnestly requested to communicate with the undersigned, and so help us to protect the good name of the Old Contemptibles’ Association. – Yours, etc., A. KING, Hon. secretary Derby Branch Old Contemptibles’ Association.” The importance of the Badge was further emphasised by the frequent appeals on behalf of Chums who had lost theirs, or Badges that had been found following parades or social functions: Derby Daily Telegraph – 27 January 1931: “Mr F. S. Cooper, hon. secretary of Derby branch of the Old Contemptibles’ Association, informs the “Derby Telegraph” that badges 973A and 689 have been lost. He asks the finders to return them to his home “The Briars,” Cowsley-road, Derby, or the Wilmot Arms.” “The Old Contemptible” – No. 30, June 1936: “BADGE No. 8559. At the Drill Hall, Handel Street, W.C.2. On the 15th March upon the occasion of the London Area Parade. Will the finder please return to Chum C. A. Knight, Hon. Sec., Southall Branch, 28, Warwick Road, Southall.” “The Old Contemptible” – No. 46, October 1937: “BADGE FOUND. Badge No. 7703 was found in a taxicab in Ypres, and was handed to Chum Carter of Newcastle, on a recent visit. Will the Chum to whom this was issued kindly apply to me.[1] (Or the Branch Secretary to whom issued). “The Old Contemptible” – No. 258, July 1955: “The undernoted Badges have been lost by Chums. Finders should return them to the General Secretary (Rule 75(e)). 1657-C; 4474-C; 1396-D; 1627-E; 1884-E.” With regard to the use of the badge when a Chum died the final edition of Association Rules, published in June 1975, clarified the situation: “In the event of the death of a member, the widow or other nearest relative may retain his badge if they wish to do so, but they shall undertake that it shall not be worn.” With regard to the number of badges issued during the lifetime of The Old Contemptibles’ Association, on 23 March 1935, at the Annual Dinner of the South Buckinghamshire Branch held at the White Hart Hotel in High Wycombe, the General Secretary of the National Executive, Chum Thomas Quick, stated that there were some 8,400 Chums who had paid their subscriptions and that since the Association had been founded in 1925 over 28,000 badges had been issued. Unfortunately the rolls on which the numbers of the badges issued to individual Chums were recorded have not survived, but based on the use of suffixes A-E used on later badges, I have estimated that over 50,000 were issued. Allowing for the issue of replacement badges, it is therefore likely that nearly 50,000 ‘Old Contemptibles’ were accepted as Chums over the sixty years in which the National Executive of the Association operated. I am currently working on compiling a nominal roll of Chums of The Old Contemptibles’ Association, and I can add the following badge numbers and details to this list: Chum Thomas Beesley City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 8901A 7000, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Died 1975 Chum John Herbert Binley (served as Wood) Woolwich Branch – Badge No. 1783 62732, XXXIX Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Died 9 June 1935 Chum Henry Cecil Ferris Bryan City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 8898A H/2255, 3rd (King’s Own) Hussars Died 15 December 1958 Chum Percy Buckingham City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 953B 3/7179, 2nd Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment Died 1940 Chum Robert Edward Burkett – Badge No. 6218A Gravesend & District Branch 11225, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Died 24 April 1947 Chum Joseph Clarke City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 6743B L/3663, 12th (Prince of Wales’s) Royal Lancers Chum Alfred Couldrey City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 1930B 1441, 1/1st Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Yeomanry (Hussars) (Territorial Force) Died 1960 Chum William Dowsing City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 1928B 8801, 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) Died 1976 Chum Isaac Fry City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 9983A 9677, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Chum David William Gammage – Badge No. 4856D Ipswich & District Branch MS/2375, Meerut Divisional Supply Column, Army Service Corps Died 1955 Chum Robert Frederick Giles – Badge No. 3878A Gravesend & District Branch 8390, “C” Company, 2nd Battalion, The Welsh Regiment Chum William Hanks City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 6743B 8144, 1st Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment) Chum Frederick W. Haynes City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 9506B 7647, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Chum Joseph John Frank Hignell (Frank) City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 8889A 2nd Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment) Died 1969 Chum Frederick Hiles City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 8892A 21790, 7th Field Company, Royal Engineers Died 1968 Chum Percy W. Howse City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 5248B 1398, 1/1st Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Yeomanry (Hussars) (Territorial Force) Chum Henry Ilott City of Oxford Branch - Badge No. 8897A CHT/841 Wagoners' Special Reserve, attached No. 1 Reserve Park, Army Service Corps Chum John Wardner (Cracker Jack) Jones – Badge No. 8719 Liverpool & Merseyside Branch 3262, 14th (King’s) Hussars, attached 7th Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps Died 1940 Chum Cecil Bradley Lapworth City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 1544B 2991, 1st Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment) Died 4 October 1940 Chum James Edward Mott City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 4296B 9265, 1st Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment) Chum Arthur Ernest Moulder City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 5725 2025, 1/1st Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment (Territorial Force) Died 1976 Chum William Murray Founder (Hackney) Branch – Badge No. 75 L/8607, 4th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment) Died October 1935 Chum James Robb Newcastle-upon-Tyne Branch – Badge No. 453A 3/9526, 2nd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry Died 1968 Chum Frederick William Salcombe City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 381B 8362, 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment Died April 1964 Chum William Henry Simmons City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 5347B 72346, XLIV (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Chum Charles Snelley Hastings & St Leonards Branch – Badge No. 3670 12956, 48th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery Died 1970 Chum Charles James Skelton Stevens City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 5246B 50242, XXVI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Died 4 March 1965 Chum Albert Edward Tagg City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 9501A 18299, 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery Died 20 August 1963 Chum Herbert William Tame City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 110B T/33292, Headquarters Company, 2nd Divisional Train, Army Service Corps Died 1947 Chum William Styles Trollope City of Oxford Branch – Badge No. 952B 24328, 23rd Field Company, Royal Engineers Died 24 July 1987 Chum Albert Edward Winchcombe – Badge No. 4574C Swindon Branch 62317, 22nd Battery, XXXIV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery[2] Died 4 April 1973 Chums resigned from The Old Contemptibles’ Association during 1935: Chum H. Duckworth – Badge No. 168A Blackpool Branch Chum A. Grant – Badge No. 409A Blackpool Branch Chums expelled from The Old Contemptibles’ Association during 1935: Chum Beale – Badge No. 7962 Duchy of Cornwall Branch Chum W. Buckley – Badge No. 5709A Croydon Branch Chum W. H. Clarke – Badge No. 6341 Barking Branch Chum E. Lupton – Badge No. 408A Blackpool Branch Chum S. A. Read – Badge No. 9019A Downham & District Branch (Lewisham) [1] Chum Thomas Sidney Quick, then Honorary General Secretary of The Old Contemptibles’ Association. [2] Chum Winchcombe was also a member of the Great Western Railway Old Contemptibles and 1914-15 Star Association. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 24 July , 2019 Share Posted 24 July , 2019 1 hour ago, AndrewThornton said: am currently working on compiling a nominal roll of Chums of The Old Contemptibles’ Association Chum Albert Edward Allen Brixton Branch – Badge No. 5748 L10103 1st Battalioan Middlesex Regiment Died 29th September 1961 Photo of Old Contemptibles’ Association parade, full size version here. Thought to be Brixton about 1925. Chum Allen 4th from right, back row. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 24 July , 2019 Share Posted 24 July , 2019 Thanks Howard. I've added him to my roll now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4knots2fast Posted 17 December , 2019 Share Posted 17 December , 2019 3119 (no letter apparent) Poultney, Leonard Frank AB London RNVR, L3039, Hawke Bn, Royal Naval Division. Antwerp Oct. 1914 later interned in Holland (my father) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4knots2fast Posted 18 December , 2019 Share Posted 18 December , 2019 Correction to my previous, adding letter B: 3119B - a bit of polishing revealed the letter after the number Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 Do you know which Branch he may have belonged to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4knots2fast Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 57 minutes ago, AndrewThornton said: Do you know which Branch he may have belonged to? He just made it to Able Seaman after 13 Tuesday nights at the London RNVR Drill Hall on the South Bank opposite Charing Cross (he signed up the week after Easter 1914), was mobilised with all RNVR on 2 August. After three weeks hanging around in London they were sent to Deal for five weeks for infantry training and then sailed from Dover to Dunkirk on 5 October and entrained for Antwerp and straight into the trenches for a week while the BEF was being reinforced further north. In Deal they merged with RNR Lewismen (Gaelic speakers, mainly deep sea fishermen), tough and dependable old-hand Geordie reservists (including many stokers), Bristolians and Portsmouth RNR and RNVR as well as older RMLI and RM Artillery gunners and some Guards officers. At Antwerp his Bn, Hawke, didn't receive the order to withdraw in due time and was virtually cut off by Uhlan cavalry before the naval commander, Commodore Henderson, led 1,500 of them across the border into neutral Holland. The London RNVR were mainly school leavers or young lads with first jobs in the City, looking for something interesting to do and a chance to spend a few weeks at sea after training. But when the war broke out there weren't enough ships for the reservists and they were formed into the Royal Naval Division and fought on land throughout at Antwerp, Gallipoli and the western Front. Earned quite a reputation for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 (edited) Thank you, but I perhaps should have clarified that I meant which Branch of The Old Contemptibles' Association he was a Chum of. The reason why I ask is that I am currently trying to compile a Nominal Roll of Chums of The Old Contemptibles' Association, which relates to the badge that he was issued with once his eligibility for membership had been confirmed. Based on the B suffix on the number stamped on the rear of the badge it would have been issued sometime during 1936 - Badge No. 2497B was sent to a Chum of the Croydon Branch in May of that year. Edited 19 December , 2019 by AndrewThornton Spelling correction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4knots2fast Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 He was chairman of the Manchester Branch when he died in 1963. I don't know which branch he first joined. More details and documents in the attic but I won't be up there this side of 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 On 17/12/2019 at 15:48, 4knots2fast said: Poultney, Leonard Frank AB London RNVR, L3039, Hawke Bn, Royal Naval Division. Your father's RNVR Official No, was L3/3139 (in full :- London Division, No.3 Company/3139). 1 hour ago, 4knots2fast said: they were sent to Deal for five weeks for infantry training To be accurate, Hawke Bn. was not formed at Deal (The Recruit Depot RMLI), on 22 August 1914, but in a tented camp ar Walmer, just to the south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 5 hours ago, 4knots2fast said: He was chairman of the Manchester Branch when he died in 1963. I don't know which branch he first joined. More details and documents in the attic but I won't be up there this side of 2020 That's great. Thank you, I can now add him to my Nominal Roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwin astill Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 7314B. Astill, Frank. 7th Field Coy RE. Northampton Branch Edwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 19 December , 2019 Share Posted 19 December , 2019 21 minutes ago, edwin astill said: 7314B. Astill, Frank. 7th Field Coy RE. Northampton Branch Edwin Thanks Edwin. I can add the information regarding him being a member of the Northampton Branch - I knew he was a Chum of the Bournemouth & District Branch much later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dia Posted 3 March , 2020 Share Posted 3 March , 2020 I am looking for for my grandfather's name in the contemptible list I have a photo which I have found with stuff as I trying to do my family tree! my grandfather is Arthur john George Veness? Dont know how to upload the photo!!!! Many thanks Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 4 March , 2020 Share Posted 4 March , 2020 Welcome Dia 16 hours ago, Dia said: I am looking for for my grandfather's name Was he a Seaforth Highlander? Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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