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Remembered Today:

Legion of Frontiersmen


iristaylor

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Fellow Researchers

 

You are so good at coming up trumps with great information, I am hoping that some of you know something about this group during WW1.  Are there any records of men who joined?  I know that 9000 died during the War.  I think my chap, William Gates, did not go abroad to Africa so I assume there were groups throughout the UK?  Cant seem to find much about them or the men who joined.  There is a lot about Empire recruits.

 

Any thoughts most gratefully accepted.

 

Iris

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21 minutes ago, iristaylor said:

Fellow Researchers

 

You are so good at coming up trumps with great information, I am hoping that some of you know something about this group during WW1.  Are there any records of men who joined?  I know that 9000 died during the War.  I think my chap, William Gates, did not go abroad to Africa so I assume there were groups throughout the UK?  Cant seem to find much about them or the men who joined.  There is a lot about Empire recruits.

 

Any thoughts most gratefully accepted.

  

Iris

Did William die ?

Craig

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2 hours ago, ss002d6252 said:

Did William die ?

Craig

No!  dont know anything about his time - there is only a photo, which I cant scan at the moment but there are no stripes on his tunic.

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Iris

 

The Legion of Frontiersmen continued to recruit, as an independent organization, throughout the war. It did however restrict its recruitment to those men not deemed to be suitable for the armed forces due to age, fitness etc.

 

I understand from the Legion's historians that records for the period are sparse to say the least but if you can give me an idea as to his age and where he was resident at the time I can have a look in a couple of magazines to see if there's anything on William.

 

I've checked my database of 25th Royal Fusiliers (Frontiersmen) and William isn't on that so, although it's probably not 100% complete, I'd suggest that your assumption that he didn't go to East Africa is correct.

 

Steve

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Mate,

 

Pre war I have a large number of Australians who joined this group, but served in AIF units during the war.

 

Like;

 

HOPE    Charles Oliver    1318    Pte    01 LHR    10R att A Troop ASqn/Comp LHR 11-15 to 10 BAC 4-16 to 4 DAC 5-16 to HQ/10 FAB 11-16 to Spr 4 Div Sig Co 5-17 F&B (Legion of Frontiersmans 3 years) 

 

FRANKFORD    Henry Laird Alexander    106    Cpl    02 LHR    A Sqn WIA 22-6-15 hand shot reported 2 wounded at Popes Post (G) to clerk GHQ Murdos 10-15 to AProvC PM Imbros 12-15 to Sgt MP 3-16 to SSM 9-16 to 1st Ech GHQ 1-17 to RSM 7-17 revert Cpl 9-18 MSM 2xMID reasons not stated (Boer War 1st Imperial Light Horse (2604) (36754) (British The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt) (Legion of Frontiersmen) 

 

HOLLAND    William    314    Pte    12 LHR    A Sqn to B Sqn 8-15 att DSqn/7 LHR 8-15 (G) reported 2 killed and 4 wounded when Turks heavy shelling of Holly Ridge and Shell Green at Ryries Post buried Shell Green Cemetery Gallipoli (Leigion of Frontiersmen) 

 

IDRIESS    Ion Llewellyn    358    Pte    05 LHR    A Sqn C Troop evac to (Govt) hosp (not stated) 7-15 rtn 8-15 WIA 5-9-15 L/arm bomb reported 130 men sent to Lone Pine * in Idriess page 45 by bomb with King at Lone Pine evac to (SMO Govt) hosp 9-15 (G) rtn 1-16 T/att Ordnance NZMBde 7-17 rtn 8-17 WIA 2-12-17 R/arm & L/buttock reported area shelled at Bald Hill RTA wounded disch 10-5-18 (Legion of Frontiersman) later author written short pieces for the Bulletin and published forty-seven books including "The Desert Column" "The Cattle King" (1936) and "Flynn of the Inland" (1932) OBE

 

ALSMAN    Rollie Orvel     19372    Spr    LH Sig Svc    Special Reinf att Military Telegraph Sect (6 Light Rlwy Sig Sect) 11-17 to 3 Airline Sect 5-18 to 2 LH Sig Sqn 7-18 (Canadian Frontiersman 3 years)

 

HENDERSON    Frederick Fleming    57556    Pte    3 GSR Tas    tos 03 LHR 10-18 FGCM 3-1-19 stealing beer sentenced 4 months HL to Gabbari prison 3-19 rtn 5-19 to UK leave Ex British Army 25Bn (Frontiersmen) Royal Fusiliers deserted in East Africa 9-1-18 AKA served as alais Frederick Fleming 

 

GATLIFF    Charles Edwin        Lt    04 LHR    12R tos 50Bty/13 FAB 3-16 to 51Bty 5-16 prom Capt 50Bty 1-18 to 5 DAC 7-18 F&B (Boer War Scotts Railway Guards & Canadian Scouts (34442) to 6 ACH DNE) (Lt Legion of Frontiersmen 1906) brothers Frank Capt 14 FAB KIA, Vivian DSO Maj 2 FAB, Thomas 13 FAB and Wilfred 13 FAB
 

Just to name a very few

 

Also NZ soldiers

 

GRIGOR    Robert Renton     9/143    Maj    NZEF    MB/OMR (OC 12th Otago Sqn) to LtCol RHQ/OMR (after death LtCol Bauchop) 8-15 DSO - for his actions at Bauchops Hill 8-15 & 2xMID on Gallipoli (G) to 2ic RHQ/2 Anzac LHR F&B RTNZ MU 1917 (prov 2/Lt Clutha MR 1898 to Capt NZTA + Legion of Frontiersman) born 1872 
 

Cheers

 

S.B

Edited by stevebecker
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13 hours ago, stevebecker said:

HENDERSON    Frederick Fleming    57556    Pte    3 GSR Tas    tos 03 LHR 10-18 FGCM 3-1-19 stealing beer sentenced 4 months HL to Gabbari prison 3-19 rtn 5-19 to UK leave Ex British Army 25Bn (Frontiersmen) Royal Fusiliers deserted in East Africa 9-1-18 AKA served as alais Frederick Fleming 

Steve

 

I have him as HENDERSON Fleming 14817 Pte. (L/Cpl.) 25th Royal Fusiliers (Frontiersmen).  Overseas in East Africa 10-04-15 to 19-01-18 when declared a deserter.

FGCM 16-03-16 New Moshi G.E.A. Striking or Violence to SO/Drunkenness/Escaping Confinement - 6 months imprisonment & reduced to ranks Pte. (from Cpl.)

DCM 21-12-17 Simonstown S.A. Drunkenness - Reduced to ranks Pte. (from Sgt.)

Re-enlisted 3rd LHR A.I.F. 57556. 

1914/1915 Star restored & BWM/Victory Medals issued by Australian Records.

 

Regards

 

Steve

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Mate,

 

Thanks for the extra details, didn't stop him from getting into trouble again.

 

Steve is that a DCM to him?

 

Any details on that and was it withdrawn because of his crimes?

 

S.B

Edited by stevebecker
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1 hour ago, stevebecker said:

Steve is that a DCM to him?

Sorry, I didn’t think when writing DCM that it had more than one meaning.  DCM in this instance is District Courts Martial.

 

Steve

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  • 10 months later...

Nice to find the thread... I was going to ask the Pals what they know about it.

A longtime friend of the Boyfriend has invited us (he has for the last 3 years actually) to join them for a ceremony and reception. The guy has been joining Boyfriend for a few shooting competitions and somehow wants us both to come over for a ceremony... so guess we'll be going. 

Found this on the diplomacy site: https://unitedkingdom.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/news/legion-frontiersmen. nice little explanation of the whole thing. 

I'm just a bit worried that what is left today has no real military significance anymore. 

Somebody has more information about it?? 

 

M. 

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3 hours ago, Marilyne said:

Nice to find the thread... I was going to ask the Pals what they know about it.

A longtime friend of the Boyfriend has invited us (he has for the last 3 years actually) to join them for a ceremony and reception. The guy has been joining Boyfriend for a few shooting competitions and somehow wants us both to come over for a ceremony... so guess we'll be going. 

Found this on the diplomacy site: https://unitedkingdom.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/news/legion-frontiersmen. nice little explanation of the whole thing. 

I'm just a bit worried that what is left today has no real military significance anymore. 

Somebody has more information about it?? 

 

M. 

 

 

Think the UK one should have changed their name sometime in the past from the Legion of Frontiersmen to......the Mitty of Walts.

 

 

Edited by Ron Abbott
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