celendril Posted 31 March , 2013 Share Posted 31 March , 2013 Hellay hellay! I'm hoping someone knowledgeable might help me in determining more details about the uniform of my great grandfather, Harry Crapper from the attached photos. I've been able to identify that his cap badge is a Royal Artillery insignia. Is there anything about this uniform that could help me choose which one of the three men listed below might be my great grandfather? 1: H. (Harold) Crapper, 7th D.A.C RFA, Gunner, regiment number 89732 and then 771802 2: Harold Crapper, RFA, Gunner, number 12573. 3: Harry Crapper, RGA, Gunner, number 117907. At this point, #3 seems the strongest simply because Harry Crapper was born Harry, not Harold. But of course, that doesn't rule out the army making a mistake regarding his name. Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 31 March , 2013 Share Posted 31 March , 2013 Al, 771802 Harold Crapper lived in Rotherham and was born in 1879, his records have survived. The best I can do, without further info, on 117907 Harry Crapper is he was conscripted/mobilised around the 6/7th September 1916 to No. 4 Depot, Gt. Yarmouth, with the majority of men arriving at that time coming from the North East, with a few from the Midlands. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celendril Posted 31 March , 2013 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2013 Kevin, How right you are! I wonder why his first number was 15088, and then 89732 and 771802, without any mention in his medal roll index of the number 15088? So, that leaves only two then. Whatever the reason, I learned something - I should have looked at the record to be thorough, even though the number didn't match! Our Harry Crapper was born in 1887 in Manningham, Bradford. Given that he was from Bradford, would it still make sense that he would have gone to Great Yarmouth? And, now that I think about it, would the army still take him considering his wife had died November, 1915, and there seems to be no one to take care of his three children? Also, did the RGA ever go to France? We have a silk postcard from him from France. A lot of questions I know, but I'm hoping to shed some light on him. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 31 March , 2013 Share Posted 31 March , 2013 RGA certainly did go to France, operated the heavy artillery from 60 pounder upwards (as well as smaller mountain guns but not in France) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celendril Posted 31 March , 2013 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2013 I think I may have answered my own question. He was 15088 I'm guessing in the Territorial Force, and then got those other regimental numbers later. Ha Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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