Officers at Cassell

[Carnkie]

A photograph has just come to light having been unseen for about 60 years.  It comes from a collection of photographs by Major Grainger H. Hargreaves RE and like most of his pictures it is carefully annotated with names.

However, I am unable to identify the officers from the notes and I wonder If anyone might be able to help out. The notes give a name, rank and regiment(?) for each man but I cannot sort out the order.

i know that Hargreaves is front  row, first on the left.

The photograph is named: D Mess, Fourth Army, Cassell. From his other notes I would think the year was 1916.

 

[jay dubaya]

Back row from left

 

Capt Hull, Capt Cooper, Major Cotton, Major Webb.

 

Front row from left

 

Capt Hargreaves, Lt Gardiner, Capt Allmond, Capt Smythe

 

J

Edited 15 September , 2019 by jay dubaya
Webb should read Wedd

[Carnkie]

Thanks, that was very quick. Perhaps you could explain: CA, I and Q.  Presumably GS is General Service.

i have just noticed that some of the men have an armband on their right arm. What is the significance of this.

Edited 15 September , 2019 by Carnkie

[MaxD]

They are the (shortened) appointments they held.

 

GS - GSO - General Staff Officer (there were GSO lll and GSO ll appointments at that level)

Q - Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General 

I - Intelligence

CA - Staff captain A (administrative)  See Terry Reeves correction below

Re - Royal Engineers ie the RE rep on the staff

RA = Royal Artillery ie the RA rep on the staff

 

The RA and RE are from their regiments, someone with an eye for collar badges (where they are worn, mostly staff tabs) could perhaps check which regiments the others belong to.

 

Max

Edited 15 September , 2019 by MaxD
Correction

[MaxD]

Deleted - rubbish.

 

Max

Edited 15 September , 2019 by MaxD

[Mark1959]

Think Wedd is Aubrey Pattisson Wallman Wedd 1885-1945. Just trying to get definitive proof.

[MaxD]

Not sure about the date.  Could that be the ribbon of the Croix de Guerre he is wearing - published in April 1918. (MC published May 1918, MiD May 1917)

 

Max

[Carnkie]

Re: Croix de Guerre. 

Are you referring to Grainger Hargreaves?

[Terry_Reeves]

2 hours ago, MaxD said:

They are the (shortened) appointments they held.

 

GS - GSO - General Staff Officer (there were GSO lll and GSO ll appointments at that level)

Q - Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General 

I - Intelligence

CA - Staff captain A (administrative)

Re - Royal Engineers ie the RE rep on the staff

RA = Royal Artillery ie the RA rep on the staff

 

The RA and RE are from their regiments, someone with an eye for collar badges (where they are worn, mostly staff tabs) could perhaps check which regiments the others belong to.

 

Max

Captain A Almond was Chemical Adviser (CA) to 4th Army, appointed  3 March 1916. He came under the auspices of Directorate of Gas Services.

 

TR

Edited 15 September , 2019 by Terry_Reeves

[MaxD]

Terry - thank you for the correction - amended my post.

 

Yes - unless there are two of them;

 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30631/supplement/4524

 

Max 

[Terry_Reeves]

19 minutes ago, MaxD said:

Terry - thank you for the correction - amended my post.

 

Yes - unless there are two of them;

 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30631/supplement/4524

 

Max 

Max

I can't see another Almond in the LG page you posted.

 

TR

[MaxD]

The LG page was for (then) Temp Lt Grainger Hope Hargeaves RE in answer to Carnkie's query.

 

Max

[Carnkie]

Thank you all very much for the help.

Grainger Hargreaves had a camera with him when the 210th Field Company RE went to Suez. He kept records of dates and places. 

What a great record to uncover.

 

[Colin W Taylor]

Hi,

 

Some were still present in July 1918 when there is a list of personnel which include:

 

Cotton is likely Maj W E L Cotton MC Worcs Regt (TF) - DAQMG - further supported by what looks like an MC ribbon.

 

I agree that Wedd is Bt Maj A P W Wedd RE - down as Staff Offr to Chief Engr 

 

Cooper is likely Lt (T Capt) H O Cooper RFA (SR) - Staff Offr for Reconnaissance

 

The other names are not recorded and were presumably no longer present by this time.

 

I can't remember where there is a list of arm bands and colours but I'm sure these equated to branches.  However, I presume these won't add much if we already know the roles of many of these men.  

 

Regards

 

Colin

 

[Terry_Reeves]

45 minutes ago, MaxD said:

The LG page was for (then) Temp Lt Grainger Hope Hargeaves RE in answer to Carnkie's query.

 

Max

Thanks.

[Mark1959]

Captain Eric Hamilton Smythe Intelligence Corps?

Edited 15 September , 2019 by Mark1959

[Mark1959]

And is the absentee Kenneth Thackeray Gooch?

 

[MaxD]

Previous thread on staff armbands.

 

Max