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Remembered Today:

British Army WW1 - but which part?


Philip Bryer

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My wife's grandfather, Leslie Arthur White - pictured in uniformpost-105836-0-94011700-1389884918_thumb. - enlisted for WW1, but we have been unable to establish exactly with whom he served.

Probably living in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

Suggestions gratefully received.

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Machine Gun Corps perhaps?

Do you know his service number - that would be a big help.

Date of birth would help too.

Ant

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He certainly looks under age!

Michelle

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Believe it to be Norfolk Volunteer Regiment - a photo and badge recently appeared on the Badge Collectors Forum.

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Believe it to be Norfolk Volunteer Regiment - a photo and badge recently appeared on the Badge Collectors Forum.

interesting to note the different coloured epaulets and collar?

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Given the size of the belt this chap is underage. Not a bantam or "underage" they tended to be bigger lads that could get away with under age drinking as such.

NVR bores out, did this unit have a cadet corp?

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Shoulder titles appear to say NVOL....any chance of an enlargement?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Philip, have you had any luck finding out which unit your wifes grandfather was in.

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Philip, I think the shoulder title has the following on it N VOLUNTEER R, as I have a photo of a chap wearing the same cap badge, and you can just see the last two Rs on his shoulder.

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Philip, I think the shoulder title has the following on it N VOLUNTEER R, as I have a photo of a chap wearing the same cap badge, and you can just see the last two Rs on his shoulder.

also have a look at the post by angle iron on Norfolk vtc

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  • 2 weeks later...

No evidence that he was working in the City. Born in Hackney though, and lived in the Walthamstow area. No indication that he lived anywhere but London.

N Volunteer R sounds interesting.

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The Volunteer Regiments were eventually absorbed by their regular counterparts. It is interesting to note that the collar and shoulder straps of his 1902 pattern service dress have been covered in a coloured cloth of some kind to give a form of 'facing' colour.

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In my view he is clearly a member of the Norfolk Volunteer Regiment

Hi Sepoy, I should explain, for a very long time , Norfolk Regiment badge collectors have never been able to find a picture, a pattern, or any other ref that this badge was worn by them. There are two badge books that state this is there badge, one book used the other as notes.

Norfolk volunteers have about 6 badges worn the in first world war, all of them have a Norfolk device on them, except one, which has the letters NVR. Luckly the NVR uniform belonged to a famous Norfolk man, so there are some great photos of him, and his grandson still has his uniform, which is on display in his granddads old shooting shop.

As far as I know , these are the key points we need to think about,

No one has a shoulder title like the one in both photos.

No one has a photo of this unit. other than the two I have seen.

every Norfolk collector has this badge because one book, may have taken a guess.

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Hi Sepoy, I should explain, for a very long time , Norfolk Regiment badge collectors have never been able to find a picture, a pattern, or any other ref that this badge was worn by them. There are two badge books that state this is there badge, one book used the other as notes.

Interesting! It is a shame that Hugh King is not about to ask as to where he obtained the information that this badge was worn by the Norfolk Volunteers. I used to see Hugh quite frequently, and we quite often discussed VTC badges, but I do not recall discussing this one. His actual collection of VTC badges was far greater than those badges used in Head-dress Badges of the British Army Volume 1 and I have always regretted not taking up an offer to photograph them.

Sepoy

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In my view he is clearly a member of the Norfolk Volunteer Regiment

I strongly suspect that the collar and shoulder straps are rifle green and that would fit with the blackened badge and the crossed rifles design. There also appears to be a matching dark band around the forage cap behind the badge. I imagine that they aspired to the rifles style of unit.

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Interesting! It is a shame that Hugh King is not about to ask as to where he obtained the information that this badge was worn by the Norfolk Volunteers. I used to see Hugh quite frequently, and we quite often discussed VTC badges, but I do not recall discussing this one. His actual collection of VTC badges was far greater than those badges used in Head-dress Badges of the British Army Volume 1 and I have always regretted taking up an offer to photograph them.

Sepoy

Hi Sepoy, nice to see that you knew Hugh King. I did ask Mr King about where he obtained the info on this badge, and my notes tell me that in 1987 I was at an M.H.S show at farham, and he would look into it. Much later at a fair in Nottingham he told that he had used the booket by Keith Rawlings ( Pub 1977). I have not been able to speak to Mr Rawlings, but a badge list from 1980 selling repros/fakes/copies has the NVR badge for sale at £1.50, and would have liked to ask him if he used that as a ref. point.

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Hi Sepoy, nice to see that you knew Hugh King. I did ask Mr King about where he obtained the info on this badge, and my notes tell me that in 1987 I was at an M.H.S show at farham, and he would look into it. Much later at a fair in Nottingham he told that he had used the booket by Keith Rawlings ( Pub 1977). I have not been able to speak to Mr Rawlings, but a badge list from 1980 selling repros/fakes/copies has the NVR badge for sale at £1.50, and would have liked to ask him if he used that as a ref. point,

I Phoned Mr Rawings today, and after a little chat with his wife, she told me he had passed away.

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I Guess you could start by finding out if he is one of these men.

War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. Medal card of White, Leslie A. Corps Regiment No Rank London Regiment 883 Private. Labour Corps 223999 Private. London Regiment 370071 Private.

  • Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
  • Date range:1914 - 1920
  • Reference:WO 372/21/122982

War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. Medal card of White, Leslie A. Corps Regiment No Rank London Regiment 767072 Private.

  • Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
  • Date range:1914 - 1920
  • Reference:WO 372/21/122983

War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. Medal card of White, Leslie Arthur. Corps Regiment No Rank London Regiment 5594 Private. Royal Irish Rifles 13/43662 Private.

  • Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
  • Date range:1914 - 1920
  • Reference:WO 372/21/122984

War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. Medal card of White, Leslie A. Corps Regiment No Rank Rifle Brigade S 6224 Private.

  • Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
  • Date range:1914 - 1920
  • Reference:WO 372/21/122981

War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. Medal card of White, Leslie A. Corps Regiment No Rank Royal Engineers 237630 Pioneer.

  • Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
  • Date range:1914 - 1920
  • Reference:WO 372/21/122980

My wife's grandfather, Leslie Arthur White - pictured in uniformattachicon.gifSandra's Granddad.jpg - enlisted for WW1, but we have been unable to establish exactly with whom he served.

Probably living in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

Suggestions gratefully received.

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Arthur James WHITE, b. 1876 in West Hanningfield, Essex, d. Sept qtr 1951 in Rochford District, Essex, resided 1876 - 1883 in West Hanningfield, Essex, resided 1881 in Toy Chase, West Hanningfield, Essex, resided 1888 in Stock, Essex, resided 1891 in Bowers Hall, Bowers Gifford, Essex, resided 1901 in Red Cow Inn, Canvey Island, Essex (Now called The King Canute), resided 1911 in Dutch Cottage, Village, Canvey Island, Essex, resided 1918 in Not on Canvey, occupation 1891 Agricultural Labourer, occupation 1901 Scaffolder, occupation 1911 Horseman on Farm. He married Elizabeth HIGGINS, Mar qtr 1904 in West Ham District, Essex, b. 1882 in Poplar, London.

Children:

i. Leslie Arthur WHITE, b. 1905 in Canvey Island, Essex

I Guess you could start by finding out if he is one of these men.

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