Herbert Battersby Northumberland Fusiliers 1st Battalion

[OliveFairhurst]

Looking for information on the above, my great-uncle who died in France 5th August 1918. Can find no MIC or service record but CWGC site gives the above as his regiment and battalion and his service number as 39866. Soldiers died in the Great War also adds note that he was formerly 65383, Infantry Battalion.

I was sent this photograph this week of Herbert in uniform and on horseback. Two queries to start with, why is a Private in an Infantry regiment on horseback, and can anyone help identify his cap badge ?. It doesn't look like the Northumberland Fusiliers Badge to me but have no idea what it could be. Original photograph is no clearer than the copy I have and no details visible but perhaps the shape means something to those more expert than I. Any information or help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Olive

[Old Owl]

Olive,

The badge in the photo appears to be that of the Royal Artillery.

Robert

[Standard Bearer]

His Medal Index Card is online at the National Archives at

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1229299

under the name of Batterby. You can download this for £3.30.

Although the cap badge is indistinct, it looks more like Royal Garrison Artillery. Can you be absolutely certain that the photograph is of your great uncle?

The Medal Index card shows that he was awarded the British War and Victory Medals and notes that he was killed in action. No indication of having served in another regiment.

[Old Owl]

The 'R in A' is actually 'K in A'--Killed in Action, there is no mention of an R.A. connection so I suspect that this photo is of another soldier.

[Standard Bearer]

Have just checked his CWGC entry which indicates that he was 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers attached to 9th Trench Mortar Battery. That probably explains why he was not wearing a Northumberland Fusiliers cap badge.

More information on Trench Mortar Batteries at

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

[Standard Bearer]

The 'R in A' is actually 'K in A'--Killed in Action, there is no mention of an R.A. connection so I suspect that this photo is of another soldier.

Thank you Old Owl - you posted as I was editing my original post. Please see my post #5, though and the information on Trench Mortar Batteries I have linked to. Perhaps the photo is of Olive's great uncle though it could equally be of one of his mates.

[Graham Stewart]

39886 Pte Herbert Battersby(this name in all other sources), 1st Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers, att'd 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery - resided Tickle Street, Croft, Lancashire. Bit of an odd one as it describes his previous unit as "Reserve Infantry Bn" and formerly 65383 - but my instinct tells me that he was more than likely in a Training Reserve Bn and that he was possibly called-up in 1916/17, but sadly there are no further clues, which would enable me to determine this previous unit.

The photo certainly doesn't show a Northumberland Fusilier, and is Artillery as previously stated, but not 'Light Trench Mortars', as this was purely the domain of the infantry. However if it is definately Herbert, then it would be possible that on being called-up he may have initially served in the Artillery and then been transferred to the infantry, which wasn't impossible at this time. Sadly all will be in his Service Record, but obviously it's one of those which were destroyed.

[OliveFairhurst]

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions. I was sent the photograph by my late father's cousin and he told me before he sent it that he had a picture of Uncle Herbert Battersby who was a cavalryman, his words. It puzzled me at the time because I had details of Herbert's death and a photograph of his gravestone in France, all mentioning Northumberland Fusiliers, an infantry regiment.

I downloaded the MIC as Standard Bearer suggested and tried to contact the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum for research possibilities, but they are not taking any more requests at the moment, they seem to have too many already, so I'll have to plod on or be patient.

I forgot to mention that Herbert was born in 1898 , so it would more than likely be 1916/17 that he was called up if 18 was conscription age then.

Going to contact dad's cousin again, he lives in Russia, to pick his brains and let him know what you have all said. Maybe he knows more than he told me initially.

What could have been the reason for transfer from Artillery to an infantry regiment ? Would it be to do with the soldier or his horse, or both ?