Which regiment is featured in this photo?

[sutton-in-craven]

Hi, this photo came from a relative of 40902 Pte Albert Akrigg who joined the Sherwood Foresters (Nott's Derby regt) around Sept 1916.

By January 1917 he had been transferred to the Norfolk Reg't

Does this snap look like a brand new new bunch of recruits who have joined the Sherwood Foresters? Only one of them is wearing a cap badge?

Many thanks for any thought people may have, regards Andrew

[garfyboy]

Hi Andrew, the highlighted badge is a notts&derby badge (Sherwood foresters)

Andy

[Graham Stewart]

Group photo is Training Reserve Battalion - wearing a GS pattern brass button with red felt circle behind it. So taken post-September 1916, as young lads went to the TR for training prior to being posted overseas.

[sutton-in-craven]

Hi Andy & Graham

That’s very interesting that the unit in the photo can be identified as the Sherwood Foresters (Nott's Derby regt).

My natural conclusion is that 40902 Pte Albert Akrigg is probably one of the faces seen in the photo. The problem is however identifying him on the group photo as I only have one snap of Albert in a Keighley News report notification of his death from war wounds in 1926 (below)

Many thanks again for taking the time to analyse the group shot and make comment. Best regards Andrew

[Blackblue]

Looking at your other photo (North Staffs) I think Albert's the bloke second from left 3rd row. Just because you don't have a MIC with North Staffs doesn't mean he didn't serve with them. Rgds Tim D

Both photos....

[sutton-in-craven]

Wowee Blackblue, you've certainly got a keen eye! Let me see if I can blow up the image a bit more......

EDIT: My words, you've got an extraordinarily good eye Blackblue, that is unreal. I very close resemblance indeed. Bearing in mind that all the images I have posted on GWF yesterday came from the one relative of Albert Akrigg.

2 of Albert's brother's also served during WW1 so this could be one of his brothers. Harry Akrigg with the 2/2 W K Battalion (whatever that is) Royal Fusiliers and the other regiment is unknown.

Good stuff! :-)

EDIT AGAIN: I'm getting myself into a bit of a dither here! Yes on second thoughts it's very likely to be Albert on all 3 of these images because one of them shows him in a group photo with the Sherwood Foresters (Nott’s Derby) regiment, which we know he served with.

[Blackblue]

See the other post in the North Staffs thread. He may have been with the 4th Training Reserve Bn, which was North Staffs affiliated.

[Graham Stewart]

Hi Andy & Graham

That’s very interesting that the unit in the photo can be identified as the Sherwood Foresters (Nott's Derby regt).

My natural conclusion is that 40902 Pte Albert Akrigg is probably one of the faces seen in the photo. The problem is however identifying him on the group photo as I only have one snap of Albert in a Keighley News report notification of his death from war wounds in 1926 (below)

Many thanks again for taking the time to analyse the group shot and make comment. Best regards Andrew

As one swallow doesn't make a summer, one cap badge in this group photo doesn't necessarily mean they belong to that regiment. The role of the Training Reserve was to train young soldiers for service overseas and often on the completion of training they'd be badged to the unit they'd be serving with on posting. At the same time not all within the group would have gone to the same regiment.

While serving with the Training Reserve you also receive a number which is not regimental and which is unique to the Training Reserve and begins TR/ - this is then followed by the number of the Regimental District - TR/5/ - followed by a number - TR/5/2468. Because of the way the system worked these numbers rarily crop up in the Medal Rolls, unless the individual is directly posted from a TR unit.

Therefore in conclusion these are not Nots and Derby's, but Training Reservists with an individual wearing an N&D capbadge..

More to be found here on the LLT;-

http://www.1914-1918.net/training_reserve.htm

[Blackblue]

I agree with Graham, He may well have been routed through a Sherwood Foresters affiliated TR Bn prior to going to the 4th where he became affiliated with the North Staffs. A block of men from the 4th TR Bn were then posted to the 1st Norfolks in October 1917. The 11th and 12th TR Bns (Sherwood Foresters affiliated) were at Brocton only 8km from the 3rd and 4th TR Bns at Rugeley. If he died in 1926 might it also be possible that he served post war? Hard to tell if he has ribbons on in the photo, but he does look more filled out? Rgds Tim

[sutton-in-craven]

.....If he died in 1926 might it also be possible that he served post war?......

Hi Blackblue, Albert was wounded around Sept 1918 and discharged with a Silver War Badge on 7th March 1919

Article Date: 06 September 1918

WOUNDED AND MISSING

Mrs. Akrigg, of King Edward Street, Sutton, has received a letter from her son, Private Albert Akrigg, Norfolk Regiment, stating that he had been wounded by a piece of shrapnel which went in about four inches from the elbow, and came out just a bit below without breaking any bones. Private Akrigg, who is now in the Moor Park Hospital, Preston, prior to enlistment was an apprentice to drawing overlooking at Messrs. T. and M. Bairtow's Sutton Mills. He has been in the Army two years, and went out to France in October last, afterwards being sent to Italy. He returned to France in April this year. He is one of three sons who have done their bit.

Source: http://www.cpgw.org.....cfm?sID=00G-61

Also a Keighley News report dated 7th Sept 1918 (image below)

Following his discharged from the army on the 7th March 1919 due to war wounds, it was known within his family that Albert suffered considerably for several years afterwards as a direct result of the injuries he sustained during active service in the Great War.

Albert Akrigg succumbed to his wartime injuries and died on the 10th December 1925.

[Blackblue]

Cheers Andy, I agree its unlikely he served post war, just a thought. More likely he served with a Sherwood Foresters affiliated TR Bn before joining the 4th TR Bn. Does the 158 held with the man in the front row perhaps mean something or is it just a photographer's number? Is it in the photo or stuck on? I can't find anything regarding a 158th in the TR or Graduated Bns (the Graduated Bns started from 200). The following from Charles Messenger in another thread:The relevant ACI is No 873 dated 31 May 1917. This was designed to rationalise what had become an unwieldy infanty training organisation. From henceforth there were to be four streams:

a. Graduated bns

b. Young Soldiers bns for providing basic training for soldiers aged 18 years 1 month with medical categories A4, B1 and C1. Junior Training Reserve bns would take any surplus that the YS bns could not accommodate, as well as B2, B3, C2 and C3 recruits under 18 years 8 months.

c. Reserve and Extra Reserve (ie Special Reserve) bns, as well as TF Reserve bns, were to cater for all those above 18 years 8 months and who were medical category A2.

d. Senior Training Reserve bns would train B and C recruits aged over 18 years 8 months with medical categories B and C.

Of the existing 112 Training Reserve bns, 21 became YS bns and 41 became Graduated bns. The YS bns retained their old TR numerical titles, but the Graduated bns were given numerical bnswere given numbers between 200 and 286 and, as I have said before were titled infantry bns. Thus 4th TR Bn became 258th Infantry Battalion, while 59th TR Bn became 59th Young Soldiers Battalion. YS bns became the 53rd Battalions of designated infantry regiments in autumn 1917. Three additional YS bns were formed in France in autumn 1918 to cater for men with under developed physiques.

In terms of length of training ACI 925/17 laid down that it would be 4 months in a YS bn and 6 months in a Junior TR bn. Those aged over 18 yerars and 8 months would continue to carry out the standard 14 weeks' training.