Botting John David - which Battalion Queens?

[ROD WEALE]

John David BOTTING S/15 is noted on his MRIC as being of the 2nd Queens and yet the CWGC Roll of Honour says 8th Queens.

Can anyone substantiate the Btn that this soldier was attached to at the time of his death?

Thanks

Rod

[jay dubaya]

Rod, without his service records it's difficult to be sure, his SDGW entry lists 8th Bn as does his burial return (he was found with his disc), It may suggest that he was attached or had been transferred to the 8th Bn at sometime. Sorry can't be of more help

Jon

[jay dubaya]

As the 2nd Queens were in Italy my money is on the 8th

Well that's worth the money

[kenf48]

Sorry inadvertently deleted post when attempting to edit, but yes 2nd Bn were in Italy. The new CWGC site is quite informative in that this soldier is shown in SDGW as died of wounds but where he is buried was in German hands in March which suggests he was wounded and captured.

Might be worth looking for the MM date in the LG surprised myself doesn't really help but might be worth checking the WDs

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29780/supplement/9828

Ken

[Ron Clifton]

The S/ prefix suggests that he was a New Army man, therefore probably 8th Bn originally. He may have been attached to 2nd Bn at some time, or the reference to it on the MIC may simply be a mistake.

Ron

[BFBSM]

And to throw an additional Battalion into the mix, a John David Botting of Albury, Guildford, joined the Queen's on 8 Nov 1908, and was posted to the 2nd Queen's on 7 Dec 1908. He was subsequently posted to the 1st Queen's on 1 Jan 1910, and was then discharged on his own request on payment of £18 on 1 Feb 1910. Service number was 9474.

Mark

[David_Underdown]

The actual medal rolls should show any battalion transfers.

[kenf48]

The S/ prefix suggests that he was a New Army man, therefore probably 8th Bn originally. He may have been attached to 2nd Bn at some time, or the reference to it on the MIC may simply be a mistake.

Ron

The mic shows he was first posted to France 8 November 1914, only the 1st and 2nd Regular Battalions were in France on this date. The prefix '2/Queens' on the mic is quite clear although as noted above only the Rolls will confirm. The 8th Bn did not go overseas until September 1915.

As far as Queen's numbering is concerned I believe the consensus is that the S/ prefix whilst relatively short lived, referred to soldiers enlisted under the terms of 'Army Reserve (Special Reservists)' i.e. time expired men initially enlisting for one year, which would accord with the Bn. and date overseas.

See this recent thread esp. post 11 http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=210972

tagged to this post and referring to the same soldier.

The most common prefix for 'Kitchener' or 'duration of war' recruits in the Queens was 'G/' with 'L/ ' used for regulars and 'T/' for TF though the prefix is not always consistently shown or used in the indices, especially on Ancestry.

At a later date he was transferred to the 8th Bn where he was serving when killed. Without a service record we can only speculate on the possible reasons for the transfer.

Ken

[ROD WEALE]

Wow !! Thanks to all