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Remembered Today:

Cap Badge in photo diff from Regiment he served with


CampbellSJ

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I have a photo of soldier, George A Preston,  in his uniform. The cap badge which is definitely West Riding (Duke of Wellington's). Photo is dated July 1918.  But his medals are numbered 57967 with the 2nd Bn Manchester . (and match his medal index cards and roll.)  The cap badge handed down to his granddaughter is a Manchester Regt badge. So he was with the Manchesters' in France/Belgium.   The mystery is: WHY he is photographed - looking very healthy and whole - NOT like he just returned from the front...  in a West Riding unit cap badge in 1918??  He was living in Thornaby-on-Tees, Yorkshire.  Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

682324381_GAPreston57967.jpg.29d3f1265322498a924faee2f3a41d3c.jpg

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it is possible he enlisted into the DOW and was transferred to the Manchesters - I will see if his papers exist

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Yes we thought maybe the picture was "mislabeled". But it is not. It is G.A.P.  It was originally labeled by his wife and then marked again by his daughter.

Thanks for your help!

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no joy sorry

could he have served pre war ?

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I suspect he was part of a transfer from West Riding Regiment to Manchester Regiment.

Soldiers Died in the Great War shows:

Harold Plant 57964 Manchester Regiment was formerly 55448 West Riding Regiment.

Charies Ernest Robinson 57969 Manchester Regiment was formerly 55349 West Riding Regiment.

 

Both were killed on 4th November 1918 serving with 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment so I’d suggest the transfer from West Riding Regiment to Manchester Regiment occurred sometime after the July date of the photo?

 

Steve

 

 

Edited by SteveE
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The service record of Pte 57946 Charles Johnson has survived.

 

He was 55138 WRR mobilised 27 June 1918 in Sheffield, aged 18 yrs 9 months.

 

 He was in a draft posted to the BEF 16 October 1918.  Landed in France on the 17th and , posted to 2nd Bn WRR on 19 October 1918 at the Base Depot Etaples.

Transferred to the 2nd Manchester’s the following day, joining the Battalion in the field on the 24th October, wounded on the 4th November, evacuated to the U.K. on the 8th.

This pattern of posting at the IBD was by no means unusual.

 

The war diary 2nd Manchester  shows 85 men in the reinforcement draft who joined the Battalion on the 24th.

 

Strictly speaking his medal should have been named to the unit he entered theatre with, but as he did not serve with them in the field naming to the Manchester’s seems mor appropriate.

 

Ken

 

As Steve said!

 

 

 

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Johnsons MIC only says Manchester , just like you mans - so the theory about transferring certainly is a possibility 

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MAYBE there is a note on the Victory Medal roll ? worth checking if some one has access (Ive only got FMP)

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56333WYR/57931 Marmaduke Milner aged 36 followed a similar route after posted to the BEF, destined for 1stBn WYR posted to 2nd Manchester as above. The Rolls are numeric but not sequential so they go 59613 then 57935 the first in the series to the 2nd Bn., then there are just five entries to 57981.

 

If you want to delve deeper this article may be of interest 

https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/a-draft-of-100-all-boys-from-the-kings-liverpool-regt/

 

Ken

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if our theory is correct then it would explain the very healthy and whole look as he hadnt yet got into a theatre of war

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Thank you all for the notes! It certainly helps explain what was going on. 

 

George A. Preston was a "Steamfitter. Blacksmith trained" and I think maybe that could have been a reserved occupation? He was 23 years old and still "home" in 1918. Or maybe he was in a Territorial Reserve?   But by 1918 all hands were needed at the front. So off he went... 

 

I will certainly continue to follow up with all the names and dates you all have kindly provided. His daughter always talked about that he was a "runner" and "had been at Passchendaele"...  I'll have to look for the Unit diaries to try and place him at the front in 1918.  That late, I am not sure about Passchendaele.  He spoke very little of his experiences... except for the time in the trench that his mate, J. Smith, had his head blown off right next to him...  He brought his heavy glass tumbler home with him. It had his name engraved on it.  His daughter nor his granddaughter ever knew anymore about J. Smith.

 

Thank you all again for your help.

 

Sandy

 

His birth is Aug 1895 Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. He married Elizabeth Jones in 1923. He died in 1968 in Teeside.

Edited by CampbellSJ
Just somemore info on George A Preston
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Ive had a look and this is the most likely one - I cant double check though as CWGC search engine is not working

This is only JS I could see who was killed after the date in October - same date as Johnson was wounded

 

First name(s) John William
Last name Smith
Service number 76425
Rank Private
Regiment Manchester Regiment
Battalion 2nd Battalion.
Battalion details -
Residence Birstall
Birth place Birstall, Leicester
Enlistment place Leicester
Death year 1918
Death day 4
Death month 11
Cause of death Killed in action
Edited by Coldstreamer
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