RFA Officers group photo 1917

[David26]

Thanks to The Bodleian Libraries, The University of Oxford, I have found a copy of a photo I feared might be lost.  It is of the officers of 58th Bde RFA taken while they were resting in the village of Montigny-les-Jongleurs on 12 February 1917. 

 

The Bodleian Libraries - who own the copyright for this photo (their Shelfmark MS. Eng. misc. e. 709, No. 2) - have kindly allowed me to post a copy of it here to help me try to identify any further members of the unit. 

 

There are 19 officers in the photo and I have so far been able to positively identify 4 of them and tentatively identify 3 more based on other photos I have of them.  I have also made two further tentative identifications based on other information.  If anyone is able to help identify any of these officers, I would be really grateful!

 

Many thanks

David.

 

Top Row              1.  2/Lt Richard Sidney Blaker;     

2.  Lt Roland Osborne Bull MC;    

3.  possibly Lt Charles Hugh Brittan MC (based on other photos);

Second Row        4.  unid 2/Lt;    

5.  unid Capt;    

6.  Medical Officer?;    

7.  possibly 2/Lt Chester Thomas Balderston (based on other photos);

8.  unid;    

9.  2/Lt Edgar Cyril Bevan;    

10.  unid

Sitting                  11.  possibly Capt Edgar John Franklin (based on rank, age (Franklin was 36 at the time) and presence of what look like the ribbons of the Queen’s and King’s South African Medals since he had served as an NCO there and been awarded these medals);    

12.  unid with medal (MC?);    

13.  unid; 

14.  probably Maj Peter Gerald Griffin (since he was acting OIC of the Bde in the absence of Lt Col Winter)

15.  probably Maj Thomas Jacomb Hutton MC (based on other photos);    

16.  unid Lt with MC;    

17.  unid

Front Row            18.  unid;    

19.  2/Lt Hugh Lewis Hope MC

 

 

[battiscombe]

Nice photo. I was wondering if Lt Robert Lloyd Peel MC should be one of these ??

https://www.wwwmp.co.uk/s/cc_images/teaserbox_12884454.JPG?t=1475398050

https://www.wwwmp.co.uk/carmarthenshire-war-memorials/taliaris-war-memorial/

[David26]

Thanks Battiscombe -

 

Peel should almost certainly be part of the group - he had returned from leave on 23 Dec 16 and there's no reference in the War Diary of him being away in February (not that that is any guarantee of course!)

 

Looking at your photo of him, I wonder if he is in fact standing on the right in the top row?  I had wondered if that was Charles Brittan but that was based on a much later photo of Brittan and I was very far from sure and think Peel is a far better fit.  

 

David.