Identifying regiment from cap badge: Harold Parkinson

[Fen Bird]

Please can anyone help me to identify the regiment and service record of my Great Uncle Harold (no middle names at all on his birth certificate) Parkinson from his cap badge? He was born in Q2 1893 in Skirbeck, Lincolnshire. His brother, Tom, enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire's (regimental no. 20370), was killed on 4 February 1917, and is buried in Assainvillers, Picardie. Tom is listed on the Boston, Lincs., war memorial, but there is no listing for Harold and no service records that I can find so I have no idea of his regimental number. I have not been able to locate any post-war records for him (e.g. marriage / children), so I assume he, too, was a casualty. Do the chevrons on his lower left sleeve indicate 6 years of good conduct?  I would be very grateful indeed for any information. Many thanks!

[Black Watch]

Royal Artillery cap badge. There are two Harold Parkinson medal index cards that I can see. 26808 and 65380. Both in RFA.

[Gardenerbill]

A couple of things to note: he is wearing the simplified pattern service dress jacket issued between Autumn 1914 and Summer 1915 though they can be later and I believe he has a black mourning button.

[Mark1959]

Was their father Joseph M and lived Main Ridge, Boston Lincs. Mother Ann. Large family. ??

If that is the case there is a man called Harold born in Skirbeck - he is 65380 as indicated above. Discharged 1/2/1921. Originally enlisted into the Bedfordshire in 1911.

He was 6685 when enlisted in 3 Beds - 11/4/1911. Age declared 18y 4m. (there is another enlistment date entered 6/1/11?). Then became 65380 and later 1006308. It is possible the MoD still have his records as he left late. Record indicates India 1913-14, Mediterranean 1915-6 and France 1916-19. On leaving he gives an address in Barrow-in-Furness. Seems to leave service at own request, As 3 Beds was a reserve unit I suggest he joined the artillery before he went to India,

65380 - Medal Card show he entered Egypt on 1/4/1915. Sadly the card and rolls does not add anything about unit. So he got 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medal

 

Edited 3 October , 2018 by Mark1959

[PhilB]

When did turn ups disappear?

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, PhilB said:

When did turn ups disappear?

 

They weren’t official then Phil.  Some soldiers turned up their trousers when not wearing puttees, as they draped longer without the blousing above the puttee tops.

[PhilB]

Blousing?

[Andrew Upton]

3 hours ago, PhilB said:

Blousing?

 

It's the process of putting on puttees (or anklets, leggings, etc) so that there is sufficient slack trouser material above the top roll of the puttee for the trouser material to be neatly folded over to present a smart appearance, rather than having the tapes visible. Like here:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army_uniform_and_equipment_in_World_War_I#/media/File:Worcester_Regiment_sentry_in_trench_Ovillers_1916_IWM_Q_4100.jpg

 

 

Edited 3 October , 2018 by Andrew Upton

[DavidOwen]

Might the the stance and the cane point towards a leg wound still healing?

[PhilB]

The turn ups struck me as odd because, during my two years of NS, we all wore gaiters (which I assume involve the same "blousing") but nobody felt the need to turn up the trousers. Indeed, if you had tried to leave camp like that, you probably wouldn`t get through the gate!

[Robin Garrett]

The NCO instructors at Sandhurst when I was there in the 60s said that bishops wear gaiters and soldiers wear anklets.

[PhilB]

I never heard them referred to as anklets. Maybe a regimental thing?

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, PhilB said:

I never heard them referred to as anklets. Maybe a regimental thing?

 

The term ‘anklets, web’ was used with the then new 37 pattern web equipment, as the dimensions were shorter than previous coverings, and only enclosed the ankle.

The term ‘gaiters’ was used in colloquial speech by some in both the RN and Army, but it was a civilian term.  The longer, military version of gaiters were described in Regulations as ‘leggings’, which the army used in leather before 1902, when on the home establishment and various postings overseas, less India and associated stations, where puttees (qv putties) were used instead.  The RN leggings were made of canvas web and generally worn when deploying ashore as an armed party, or later, when providing parties for a formal parade.

Blousing was not approved for anklets, which is probably why you don’t recall the technique, but blousing was used with both, leggings and puttees.  It was intended to facilitate movement, rather like plus-two and plus-four breeches.  There were various degrees of blousing depending upon whether the nether garment comprised of trousers, or breeches.

Edited 3 October , 2018 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

Might the the stance and the cane point towards a leg wound still healing?

 

I did wonder about that David, especially when I noticed some white neckwear inside the jacket collar, but I think that it is more likely a scarf to avoid neck irritation from the coarse wool of the collar and, on balance, the stick seems too flimsy to be practical in supporting the weight/stance of a wounded man. In any case, recuperating men (other ranks) were usually required to wear hospital blue until they passed a medical board as sufficiently recovered to not need a stick.  The army was sensitive about soldiers limping about in khaki at home.

Edited 3 October , 2018 by FROGSMILE

[DavidOwen]

6 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

 the stick seems too flimsy to be practical in supporting the weight/stance of a wounded man. In any case, recuperating men (other ranks) were usually required to wear hospital blue until they passed a medical board as sufficiently well to not need a stick.

You are correct, probably just an assumed pose for the photograph then.

[Gardenerbill]

I notice that no-one has answered the good conduct question. In another topic I found this:

 

One chevron represented 2 years "good" service, two 5 years, three for 12, four for 16, and five for 21 years.

 

So the man pictured had at least 5 years good conduct, not 6.

[Ron Clifton]

4 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

Might the the stance and the cane point towards a leg wound still healing?

More likely to be on account of the long exposure of the photograph. Absolute stillness was necessary to ensure a clear photo, and most 19th century portraits show the subject either sitting or leaning on something.

 

Ron

[Andrew Upton]

16 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

...The term ‘gaiters’ was used in colloquial speech by some in both the RN and Army, but it was a civilian term....

 

It was certainly in use in official military parlance well before the start of the war, and throughout. The standard tall Scottish spats were officially referred to as "Gaiters, Highland" for example.

[FROGSMILE]

5 hours ago, Andrew Upton said:

 

It was certainly in use in official military parlance well before the start of the war, and throughout. The standard tall Scottish spats were officially referred to as "Gaiters, Highland" for example.

 

Yes, you’re bang on correct about Scottish dress, Andrew, I’d completely forgotten about them. Ironically the soldiers themselves referred to spats (and still do), but the inventory tables refer to gaiters, as you say.  Apologies.

[Fen Bird]

Sorry for delay in replying - I've not had ANY reply notifications despite turning them on. You guys are fantastic! Thanks so much for all the info. Mark1959, you're spot on with the parents being Joseph Mowbray Parkinson and Ann (nee Greetham). They had 11 children. (BTW, where on earth did you find all the info, as I've really struggled despite using Ancestry?!). I think the mourning button would suggest a post February 1917 date for this photo as that's when his brother Tom was killed. Would that still fit with him wearing a simplified pattern service dress jacket? I'm surprised he enlisted so early, but maybe he ran away from home. The family were very religious (Ann Greetham's father spent decades - and died - in Lincoln Asylum having had an attack of religious mania) and my Gt Grandfather Joseph (Harold & Tom's brother) was a CO who had his health broken in Wormwood Scrubs and Dartmoor (he died in 1926). I will now be able to continue my research with confidence - thanks so much!

[Gardenerbill]

1 hour ago, Fen Bird said:

Would that still fit with him wearing a simplified pattern service dress jacket?

Yes, generally speaking soldiers were only issued with one uniform and were expected to maintain it.

[Fen Bird]

Thank-you, Gardenerbill, for your helpful reply!