Uncle George Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 No, not Brown. Sir William Robertson is about to leave France to become CIGS: "I also left my chauffeur, [this man], in France. Educated at a public school previous to joining his father's business, he volunteered early in the war and had driven my Rolls Royce since the autumn of 1914. He was devoted to his car - which he would allow no one else to touch - and also to myself; and he wished to accompany me home so as to continue driving me to the end of the war. This duty, as it would be in London, was not however quite suitable to a young man of his attainments and upbringing, and therefore I decided to leave him behind. He was a clean-living, attractive boy, and his death at the front a few weeks later, after receiving a commission, was a heavy blow to his parents. His only brother died in a French hospital at Mayence shortly after the armistice." Who is he ? ? ? EDIT - a post from Edward1, suggesting one Brown, would appear to have been deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 I'll name him, so we can move on, but I take no credit for identifying him after such a clue . . . Reginald Settle. Never, ever would have got him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 I'll name him, so we can move on, but I take no credit for identifying him after such a clue . . . Reginald Settle. Never, ever would have got him. Yes. According to the 'In Memory' website, on Robertson's return to England Reginald Settle was given charge of the cars of Sir Douglas Haig at his headquarters, but asked to be transferred to the RFC as he "wanted to see more action".I have posted Robertson's quote previously elsewhere on the Forum, have since seen the 'In Memory' website, and wanted to air this addendum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 I'm so immersed in reading the old thread for my statistical survey I keep forgetting to contribute to the new one. Anyway, here's another distinguished officer who certainly did not suffer the lack of ribbons Mr Drill noted in my last chap David Edit: Drat it, I didn't notice the Australian reference on the bottom until too late. Oh well, easy peasy now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Is he Australian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Can only see a star on his shoulder, but that would make him a Major General . . . . noralorra gongs, so why Ridgus's remark? First medal ribbon - if it's a VC , it would explain the remark, Aussie Major General with a VC would be Smythe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Can only see a star on his shoulder, but that would make him a Major General . . . . noralorra gongs, so why Ridgus's remark? First medal ribbon - if it's a VC , it would explain the remark, Aussie Major General with a VC would be Smythe. He is an Aussie Major General with a VC but not Smythe. Sorry for the delay been on the other thread. Just reached your emergence as a cat stroking, volcano owning super villain when you posted Karl Student in a plane, confidently predicted it would last forever and Mick got it in about 5 minutes! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 He is an Aussie Major General with a VC but not Smythe. Narrows it down - he is also wearing an unusual cap badge in brass rather than the normal woven wire . . . . I'm sure a VC Aussie Major General will now go quickly. Sorry for the delay been on the other thread. Just reached your emergence as a cat stroking, volcano owning super villain when you posted Karl Student in a plane, confidently predicted it would last forever and Mick got it in about 5 minutes! David I imagine you are approaching Thesiger . . . I feel quite limp . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Howse, VC. A medical VC from South Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Howse, VC. A medical VC from South Africa. Correct of course SD Surprisingly, like the Devil's machine, Thesiger was a lot earlier than you would think. All done and dusted in the first month. I doubt anyone except Mr Broomfield and I even remember it. And anyway I have just reached my moment of shame confusing the two pilot VCs who jammed nearly severed legs on to rudders - so I'm in no position to intrude on private grief. More to the point, as we said at the time, Wilfrid was a darn sight more interesting than Ernest even if he wasn't in the Great War David PS After 215 posts we had both posted 53, I had solved 31 and you 33. I think there are hibernating animals who went out more than us last winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Wilfrid was a darn sight more interesting than Ernest even if he wasn't in the Great War Ah, now, I have a pic of him - Wilfred - in WW1 with a Wit-relevant group including at least one other personality who has been individually Witted. I will have to scan it though . . . don't think it's on the web. I'll post it when you've all forgotten this post . . . heh, heh, heh. I think there are hibernating animals who went out more than us last winter I'm still feeding those hedgehogs nightly . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 A bit gonglight for a man of his seniority. Don't know the first one, but the others appear to be 1911 Coronation, Queen's South Africa, King's South Africa. They would appear to be, from viewers left to right: either the 1911 Coronation or Delhi Durbar Medal (as both used the same ribbon), probably the India Medal 1895-1902, and the QSA and KSA as said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 They would appear to be, from viewers left to right: either the 1911 Coronation or Delhi Durbar Medal (as both used the same ribbon), probably the India Medal 1895-1902, and the QSA and KSA as said. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Just spent a thoroughly enjoyable hour or so catching up. I`ve missed loads of brilliant posts whilst I`ve been off sick, and although it`s only been three days, it feels more like three weeks. Very entertaining and informative stuff by all as usual. Anyway, thanks for the links, Caryl. I just love those boys. Mr. Drill: Well impressed by your Wild Bill. Great one. My better half informs me that your Rosalie Selfridge`s Convalescence Home wasn`t mentioned in the series, but the series ended with her being diagnosed with a lung disease, which I suspect was before she embarked upon that. Apparently though, she helped her female workforce design more practical and comfortable workwear, and both her and her husband came over as thoroughly good eggs. There is a second series expected, and so we may see more references to WW1, and her convalescence efforts in that. It was a shame to see David`s July crisis wallahs handing themselves in like that. I was enjoying that little sub-thread. Thought I`d make a contribution while I`m here, so who is this??? If you can decipher his signature, fair play to you. A man of many talents. Involved in the Balkan wars and WW1. I`ll kick it off with "inventor". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 I'll post it when you've all forgotten this post . . . . Sorry. Which post? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Just spent a thoroughly enjoyable hour or so catching up. I`ve missed loads of brilliant posts whilst I`ve been off sick, and although it`s only been three days, it feels more like three weeks. Very entertaining and informative stuff by all as usual. Anyway, thanks for the links, Caryl. I just love those boys. Mr. Drill: Well impressed by your Wild Bill. Great one. My better half informs me that your Rosalie Selfridge`s Convalescence Home wasn`t mentioned in the series, but the series ended with her being diagnosed with a lung disease, which I suspect was before she embarked upon that. Apparently though, she helped her female workforce design more practical and comfortable workwear, and both her and her husband came over as thoroughly good eggs. There is a second series expected, and so we may see more references to WW1, and her convalescence efforts in that. It was a shame to see David`s July crisis wallahs handing themselves in like that. I was enjoying that little sub-thread. Thought I`d make a contribution while I`m here, so who is this??? If you can decipher his signature, fair play to you. A man of many talents. Involved in the Balkan wars and WW1. I`ll kick it off with "inventor". abc.jpg Sorry to hear you've been sick NF. Good to have you back on board. The most recent Selfridge series was already the second but I gather it is going into a third. It will be interesting to see if it follows the true story because basically his life implodes from around the end of the war onwards. My wife says it has been easily the pick of the rash of Edwardian/Great War series recently. Can't decipher the signature although my lynx eyed daughters suggest a Christian name beginning with E and a date of 1939 for the photo As for my diplomats, I think it was just that - they were diplomats (ie boring). For obvious reasons we all enjoy identifying military folk and, from early in the thread we have had what we used to call the "Arty-farty tendency". We happily swapped Vorticists for about a fortnight, Ian Abernethy either posted or identified just about every classical composer who even visited the Western Front while we have been knee deep in poets and portraitists for months. We do sportsmen - preferably cricket - but we are not fussy. However apparently we draw the line at a group of idiots who could neither read the intentions of their opposite numbers or control their military castes! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 (edited) Thank you, David. Your daughter has the wrong vowel; it`s an A. To inventor, I will add author, and post this additional picture of him in a more recognisable role. EDIT: He attended the flying school of Louis Bleriot in Paris. EDIT: P.S. Loved your description of the July Crisis diplomats. Edited 22 July , 2014 by neverforget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Thank you, David. Your daughter has the wrong vowel; it`s an A. To inventor, I will add author, and post this additional picture of him in a more recognisable role. EDIT: He attended the flying school of Louis Bleriot in Paris. A.jpg EDIT: P.S. Loved your description of the July Crisis diplomats. Sorry NF. Can't fault your clues but it's ringing no bells. If you put Balkan inventors in the Great War into the extensive library you get Nikla Tesla which is very interesting as I didn't know he was Serbian. If you replace Balkan with Austrian you get Hedy Lamarr! Back to WIT 1 and my cataloguing I think David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Earle Ovington NF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 22 July , 2014 Share Posted 22 July , 2014 Great try, Caryl. Lots of similarities but he wasn`t American, though he settled there in later years, becoming a top selling publisher, and setting up aviation based companies. Nor was he French, German, or Austrian. His country was one of the lesser participants in WW1, allied to the central powers. Sorry, must go to bed now. 4.15 start to the day tomorrow I`m afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 22 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2014 He seems to be sitting in a P-38 cockpit there . . . . the man is Assen Jordanoff whose companies contributed to the development of many classic WW2 American military aircraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 23 July , 2014 Share Posted 23 July , 2014 Quite right Mr. Drill. Well done. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assen_Jordanoff And this chap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 23 July , 2014 Share Posted 23 July , 2014 Earle Ovington NF?[/quote) Yet another interesting character that I had not heard of, bought to light by this brilliant thread. Nice one, Caryl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdr Posted 23 July , 2014 Share Posted 23 July , 2014 Who is this then ? DSO and MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 23 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2014 Willy Coppens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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