Riflemen Walter Richard Bedingham 2nd Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps

[Gardenerbill]

Blimey! 15 officers and 306 ORs, that's nearly half the battalion.

[MBrockway]

On 09/10/2017 at 11:33, johnboy said:

Service papers on FMP  some dates not entered and faint.

Born1883

enlisted 1902

only readable address [poss wife] 115 kingslake street walworth.

 

His younger brother, born ~1889, George Henry BEDINGHAM is at 16 Chitty Road, East ????, Po?????? in 1919.

 

He appears in the 1911 Census as a Corporal in the Royal Marine Artillery Barracks & Infirmary, Eastney, Portsmouth.  There is a Chitty Road within half a mile of this location, so I suspect his 1919 address is Chitty Road, Eastney, Portsmouth, PO4 9NX.

 

Sister is Mrs May LOW, born ~1893, address 4 Park Gate, ?Albert ??? [rest unreadable so far]

 

I confirm the wife's address is 115 Kinglake Street, Old Kent Road, Walworth, London SE17 2RD, not KingSlake.

 

Two children: Maria Louisa; 15 Aug 1909;  George Henry ?Walter?; 25 Aug 1910

 

I've put a summary of his military career in one of the other topics, including some explanation of 7th (Militia) Bn., KRRC, but most of it is repeating work done by yhe Pals here earlier!  Wish I'd spotted this topic first time around!

 

Mark

 

 

[Gardenerbill]

Mark,

I am aware of (Henry) George Bedingham RMA, I can't find any evidence that he served overseas in WW1, no service record and no MIC. There is another brother Ernest with service papers served in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers interesting character, there are several letters in his records, one where he wrote to the King pleading to be discharged over concerns about the circumstances of his sister May and Aunt. In another of the letters there is a reference to him being an Exmouth man and I have found a record for him on the TS Exmouth and a record for George Bedingham on the next page. The boys were orphans their Mother and Father both died in 1890's. Ernest was discharged unfit, I think due to his mental state and again there is no evidence of WW1 service.

[Gardenerbill]

Link to a question relating to George

 

Recruitment

[spof]

I have merged multiple threads into this one so if it seems a bit disjointed and "all over the place" that is the reason why.

 

Regards

 

Glen

GWF Admin Team

[Gardenerbill]

Ok Glen that makes sense.

[MBrockway]

On 28/10/2017 at 16:31, MBrockway said:

 

Crikey!

 

In fact since posting, I have found that same table as Appendix A on p.216 of Wallace's 2005 Brief History of the KRRC.

 

It is definitely incorrect: the 1904 and 1905 KRRC Chronicles give great detail of 1/KRRC's time in Malta and their relocation to Egypt (and Cyprus/Crete etc.) in Feb 1905.

 

Unfortunately I do not have the 1902 or 1903 KRRC Chronicles yet, so I cannot give you an exact date when the battalion got to Malta from South Africa.

 

The 1903 Hart's Annual Army List has 1st/60th stationed in Malta and states they embarked for there in 1902.

 

The 1902 volume has the battalion in South Africa.

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

 

 

 

I've chased up these dates for you now.

 

1/KRRC left South Africa on 22 Sep 1902 and landed in Malta on 17 Oct 1902.

 

The battalion was split between Floriana Barracks near Valetta, Mtarfa Barracks and Ghajn Tuffieha Camp.

 

The battalion left on 27 Feb 1905 bound for Alexandria with three companies split between Crete and Cyprus.  A small detachment of sick and time-expired men were left behind.  Also a group for whom there had been no space on the transport, who followed later.

 

Walter of course was posted back to the Rifle Depot (by now back in Winchester) in May 1904.

[MBrockway]

On 27/10/2017 at 20:01, Gardenerbill said:

Thanks Terry,

Mole as in breakwater makes sense so Mole Marina, CB obvious when you know, and Tattooo is waht I thought.

 

I think it reads 'Molo Marino'

 

Moll in Maltese means wharf or quay, rather than mole/breakwater, so this is *probably* the street now known as Triq Marina along the Pieta waterfront close to the barracks in Floriana.

 

This does appear to have been an area of waterfront bars.

[Gardenerbill]

Walter's First Period of Service

 

On the 13th March shortly after his eighteenth birthday, Walter enlisted into the Militia joining the 7th (Militia) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles whose Depot and HQ was at Barnet. The Militia were part time volunteer soldiers forerunners of the Territorial Army. On the 7th October 1902 Walter transferred to the regular army signing on for 3 years with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, two days later he was at Gosport barracks near Portsmouth. The K.R.R.C. Regimental barracks at Winchester had burned down in 1894 and the Regiment were temporarily housed at Gosport. In 1902 after 3 years in South Africa during the Boer war, the battalion were back in barracks, refitting and recruiting.

On the 2nd March 1903 after 5 months training Walter joined the 1st Battalion KRRC and shortly afterwards the battalion went overseas for a tour of duty in Malta. In August 1904 the barracks at Winchester re-opened, Walter spent the last year of his service with the KRRC at Winchester until he was discharged 6th October 1905 and put on the army reserve list. Walter wasn’t exactly a model soldier, during his 3 years service he created a disturbance in the barrack room, he was found drunk on one occasion, improperly dressed on another and was absent several times. Despite this misbehaviour, his character and conduct was described as good on transfer to reserve 6th October 1905.

 

[MBrockway]

4 hours ago, Gardenerbill said:

Walter's First Period of Service

 

On the 13th March shortly after his eighteenth birthday, Walter enlisted into the Militia joining the 7th (Militia) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles whose Depot and HQ was at Barnet. The Militia were part time volunteer soldiers forerunners of the Territorial Army. On the 7th October 1902 Walter transferred to the regular army signing on for 3 years with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, two days later he was at Gosport barracks near Portsmouth. The K.R.R.C. Regimental barracks at Winchester had burned down in 1894 and the Regiment were temporarily housed at Gosport. In 1902 after 3 years in South Africa during the Boer war, the battalion were back in barracks, refitting and recruiting.

On the 2nd March 1903 after 5 months training Walter joined the 1st Battalion KRRC and shortly afterwards the battalion went overseas for a tour of duty in Malta. In August 1904 the barracks at Winchester re-opened, Walter spent the last year of his service with the KRRC at Winchester until he was discharged 6th October 1905 and put on the army reserve list. Walter wasn’t exactly a model soldier, during his 3 years service he created a disturbance in the barrack room, he was found drunk on one occasion, improperly dressed on another and was absent several times. Despite this misbehaviour, his character and conduct was described as good on transfer to reserve 6th October 1905.

 

 

Some suggested edits - sorry

 

For "7th (Militia) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles"

Instead use ...

"7th (Militia) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (2nd or Edmonton Royal Rifle Regiment of Middlesex Militia)"

 

For "signing on for 3 years with"

Instead use ...

"signing on for 12 years (3 with the Colours and 9 in the Reserve) with"

 

For "The Militia were part time volunteer soldiers forerunners of the Territorial Army"

I think you've confused the Militia with the Volunteer Force here.  A man enlisted into the Militia for an initial period of full-time Army training of several months.  He'd then return to civvy street, but with the obligation to attend an annual Militia Camp of a fortnight and other training throughout the year, often at the rifle ranges.  The Militia received Army pay during basic training and then thereafter based on attendance with a Retainer on top.  IIRC, they were also not able to refuse to serve overseas if called up.  The Volunteer Force on the other hand, had no period of initial training with the Army, met much more regularly (usually at a local drill hall), were not paid, often had to purchase their own uniforms and rifles, and were only liable for Home Service.  In 1908, the Territorial Force was formed from the Volunteer Force, but the Militia became the Special Reserve.

... so instead use ...

"The Militia were part-time soldiers, the forerunners of the Special Reserve"

 

For "The K.R.R.C. Regimental barracks at Winchester had burned down in 1894 and the Regiment were temporarily housed at Gosport."

Instead use ...

"The Rifle Depot at Winchester, shared by the KRRC and The Rifle Brigade, had burnt down in 1894 and was temporarily re-located to Gosport"

 

For "In 1902 after 3 years in South Africa during the Boer war, the battalion were back in barracks, refitting and recruiting"

Where have you got this from?  1/KRRC left South Africa on 22 Sep 1902 and landed in Malta on 17 Oct 1902 , as far as I know, without going to the Rifle Depot.  Do you have some evidence to the contrary?

If not, then instead use ...

"In 1902 after 3 years in South Africa during the Boer war, the 1st Battalion re-located to Malta as part of the island's Garrison"

 

For "On the 2nd March 1903 after 5 months training Walter joined the 1st Battalion KRRC and shortly afterwards the battalion went overseas for a tour of duty in Malta"

Even if 1/KRRC did go from South Africa to Malta via Gosport, they definitely landed in Malta on 17 Oct 1902, so Walter must have joined them in Malta on 02 Mar 1903, so instead use ...

"On the 2nd March 1903 after 5 months training at the Rifle Depot, Walter was posted to the 1st Battalion KRRC and went out in a replenishment draft to join them in Malta."

 

For "In August 1904 the barracks at Winchester re-opened, Walter spent the last year of his service with the KRRC at Winchester until he was discharged 6th October 1905 and put on the army reserve list."

Instead use ...

"On 03 May 1904, Walter was posted home to complete his 3 years service with the Colours at the Rifle Depot, then still at Gosport.  In August the rebuilding work at Winchester was finally completed and the Rifle Depot relocated back to Winchester where Walter served until discharged to the Army Reserve on 06 Oct 1905."

 

I'm not sure whether the dates of his postings would represent the dates he actually joined the unit in e.g.Malta, or they are the dates he was administratively transferred to the strength of that unit, and his actual joining would be some time afterwards allowing for travel time.  I suspect the latter.

 

Otherwise 100% accurate - LOL!

 

Mark

 

Edited 3 November , 2017 by MBrockway

[Gardenerbill]

Mark,

No apology necessary, this is the first time I have attempted to write up a soldier's story for someone else, in this case the gg grandaughter, and I want to make sure I get it right that is why I posted the summary. I will study your suggestions in detail later today.

[MBrockway]

1 hour ago, Gardenerbill said:

Mark,

No apology necessary, this is the first time I have attempted to write up a soldier's story for someone else, in this case the gg grandaughter, and I want to make sure I get it right that is why I posted the summary. I will study your suggestions in detail later today.

Thanks Mark - glad you took it in the spirit it was intended and more than happy to help!

Cheers,

Mark

 

[MBrockway]

15 hours ago, MBrockway said:

 

For "In August 1904 the barracks at Winchester re-opened, Walter spent the last year of his service with the KRRC at Winchester until he was discharged 6th October 1905 and put on the army reserve list."

Instead use ...

"On 03 May 1904, Walter was posted home to complete his 3 years service with the Colours at the Rifle Depot, then still at Gosport.  In August the rebuilding work at Winchester was finally completed and the Rifle Depot relocated back to Winchester where Walter served until discharged to the Army Reserve on 06 Oct 1905."

 

 

WRONG! 

 

I picked up the August 1904 date from Andy's original post on the Depot before he corrected it in his more detailed later post, which was corroborated by my material from the 1904 KRRC Chronicle.

 

The Rifle Depot at Winchester officially re-opened on 29 Mar 1904 with the Depot personnel arriving there from Gosport the previous day.

 

With that in mind, my suggested edit is now ...

"On 03 May 1904, Walter was posted home to complete his 3 years service with the Colours at the Rifle Depot, which by then had relocated to Winchester from the temporary site at Gosport.  There Walter served until discharged to the Army Reserve on 06 Oct 1905."

 

Cheers!

 

[Gardenerbill]

18 hours ago, MBrockway said:

For "7th (Militia) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles"

Instead use ...

"7th (Militia) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (2nd or Edmonton Royal Rifle Regiment of Middlesex Militia)"

Mark,

I will think about this one, the reason I used the abreviated form was because the recipient of the biography is not an amateur military historian, so I wanted to keep it simple.

[Gardenerbill]

18 hours ago, MBrockway said:

For "signing on for 3 years with"

Instead use ...

"signing on for 12 years (3 with the Colours and 9 in the Reserve) with"

Corrected, was this standard at the time?

[Gardenerbill]

18 hours ago, MBrockway said:

For "The Militia were part time volunteer soldiers forerunners of the Territorial Army"

I think you've confused the Militia with the Volunteer Force here.  A man enlisted into the Militia for an initial period of full-time Army training of several months.  He'd then return to civvy street, but with the obligation to attend an annual Militia Camp of a fortnight and other training throughout the year, often at the rifle ranges.  The Militia received Army pay during basic training and then thereafter based on attendance with a Retainer on top.  IIRC, they were also not able to refuse to serve overseas if called up.  The Volunteer Force on the other hand, had no period of initial training with the Army, met much more regularly (usually at a local drill hall), were not paid, often had to purchase their own uniforms and rifles, and were only liable for Home Service.  In 1908, the Territorial Force was formed from the Volunteer Force, but the Militia became the Special Reserve.

... so instead use ...

"The Militia were part-time soldiers, the forerunners of the Special Reserve"

 

Corrected I need to make sure I check my facts before making assumptions.

[Gardenerbill]

18 hours ago, MBrockway said:

For "The K.R.R.C. Regimental barracks at Winchester had burned down in 1894 and the Regiment were temporarily housed at Gosport."

Instead use ...

"The Rifle Depot at Winchester, shared by the KRRC and The Rifle Brigade, had burnt down in 1894 and was temporarily re-located to Gosport"

Corrected, I forgot that most of the depots were shared.

[Gardenerbill]

18 hours ago, MBrockway said:

For "In 1902 after 3 years in South Africa during the Boer war, the battalion were back in barracks, refitting and recruiting"

Where have you got this from?  1/KRRC left South Africa on 22 Sep 1902 and landed in Malta on 17 Oct 1902 , as far as I know, without going to the Rifle Depot.  Do you have some evidence to the contrary?

If not, then instead use ...

"In 1902 after 3 years in South Africa during the Boer war, the 1st Battalion re-located to Malta as part of the island's Garrison"

Oh dear another assumption, I thought they would have returened to England for RandR as I believe they had a difficult time out in South Africa, again I must check my facts. Alterred accordingly.

[Gardenerbill]

2 hours ago, MBrockway said:

I picked up the August 1904 date from Andy's original post on the Depot before he corrected it in his more detailed later post, which was corroborated by my material from the 1904 KRRC Chronicle.

 

The Rifle Depot at Winchester officially re-opened on 29 Mar 1904 with the Depot personnel arriving there from Gosport the previous day.

 

With that in mind, my suggested edit is now ...

"On 03 May 1904, Walter was posted home to complete his 3 years service with the Colours at the Rifle Depot, which by then had relocated to Winchester from the temporary site at Gosport.  There Walter served until discharged to the Army Reserve on 06 Oct 1905."

Glad to see you are human Mark

Corrected as above.

[Gardenerbill]

19 hours ago, MBrockway said:

I'm not sure whether the dates of his postings would represent the dates he actually joined the unit in e.g.Malta, or they are the dates he was administratively transferred to the strength of that unit, and his actual joining would be some time afterwards allowing for travel time.  I suspect the latter.

 

Do you think it would be better to just quote the month e.g. "In May 1903, Walter was posted home.....".

[MBrockway]

On 03/11/2017 at 21:12, MBrockway said:

For "The Militia were part time volunteer soldiers forerunners of the Territorial Army"

I think you've confused the Militia with the Volunteer Force here.  A man enlisted into the Militia for an initial period of full-time Army training of several months.  He'd then return to civvy street, but with the obligation to attend an annual Militia Camp of a fortnight and other training throughout the year, often at the rifle ranges.  The Militia received Army pay during basic training and then thereafter based on attendance with a Retainer on top.  IIRC, they were also not able to refuse to serve overseas if called up.  The Volunteer Force on the other hand, had no period of initial training with the Army, met much more regularly (usually at a local drill hall), were not paid, often had to purchase their own uniforms and rifles, and were only liable for Home Service.  In 1908, the Territorial Force was formed from the Volunteer Force, but the Militia became the Special Reserve.

... so instead use ...

"The Militia were part-time soldiers, the forerunners of the Special Reserve"

 

 

Mark,

Been going through material on the Militia and the Special Reserve sourced from Pal Graham Stewart of this parish, via Paul Nixon.  Based on that, I need to qualify the section in red above.

 

The Militia could not be compelled to serve overseas, but could do so voluntarily.

 

The Special Reserve on the other hand, were liable, on mobilization, for service abroad.  When the Militia converted to the Special Reserve in 1908, existing Militiamen, who decided to take on liability, received a £2 bonus.

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Gardenerbill]

This is the next part of the story of Walter Bedingham, please could forum pals sense check it for me. All comments gratefully received.

 

Three years after he left the army, at the age of 25 Walter married Maria Clara Churcher at All Saints Church Newington on Christmas day 1908. They were living at 10 Aker Street and his occupation was given as ‘Sheeter on Railway’. A Railway Sheeter worked at a goods depot fitting, removing and storing the tarpaulin sheets used to cover goods wagons.

On the 1911 census the family were living at 115 Kinglake Street Camberwell just round the corner from Smyrks road,  Walter age 27 was still working as a Railway Sheeter, Walter and Maria now had a daughter Maria age 1 and son George age 7 months. Another of Walter’s sisters May age 18 who was a Shirt Button Holer was lodging with them.

On the 2nd of August 1914 Germany invaded neutral Luxembourg and the next day they crossed the border into Belgium. The same day the British Government ordered the army to mobilise and on the 4th the United Kingdom declared war on Germany due to their violation of Belgian neutrality. As Walter was on the army reserve list he was immediately ordered to report to the Kings Royal Rifle Corps barracks at Winchester.

On the 6th August 563 reservists, including Walter, moved from the base depot at Winchester to Black down in Hampshire, where they joined the 2nd Battalion of the King Royal Rifle Corps under the command of 2nd Brigade and 1st Division.

 

[MBrockway]

How about ...

"As Walter was on the army reserve list he was immediately ordered to report to the Kings Royal Rifle Corps barracks at Winchester."

Revise to ...

"As Walter was on the Army Reserve List he was immediately ordered to report to the Rifle Depot at Winchester.""

"On the 6th August 563 reservists, including Walter, moved from the base depot at Winchester to Black down in Hampshire, where they joined the 2nd Battalion of the King Royal Rifle Corps under the command of 2nd Brigade and 1st Division."

Revise to ...

"On the 6th August 563 reservists, including Walter, moved from the Rifle Depot at Winchester to Blackdown in Hampshire, where they joined the 2nd Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps under the command of 2nd Brigade and 1st Division."

 

Not that it matters particularly, but how certain are you that Walter was definitely in the two replenishment drafts sent from the Rifle Depot on 06 Aug 1914?

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

 

[Gardenerbill]

Thanks Mark,

Changed to Rifle Depot and I will change to ' ...563 reservists, probably including Walter'

 

[Gardenerbill]

And the next part:

 

Walter’s medal index card shows he entered the theatre of war on the 13^th August as part of the British Expeditionary Force, this ties in with the 2^nd K.R.R.C. war dairy that records the battalion arriving at Le Havre on the 13^th August.

The British Expeditionary Force, comprising 6 Infantry Divisions and 5 Cavalry Brigades of the regular army, had agreed pre-war with the French to concentrate near the town of Mauberge close to the Belgian border. On the 14^th Walter’s Battalion moved by train from Le Havre through Rouen, Amiens to Le Nouvion where they moved into temporary billets. Five days later they marched to Viller-Sur-Nicole near Mauberge arriving 22^nd August and moving into billets.