Regt ID 4 Irish dragoons?

[mickgall]

Hi all

this is a photo of my gt uncle  Frederick William Woods b1901 in Ballynagard Co Derry. He was in the Dragoons so Im thinking he might have been in the 4th Irish Dragoons. I think though he might have been just too young to have served in the war.

Any ideas?

Many Thanks Mick

 

[FROGSMILE]

Yes, you are correct that that is his regiment.  4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards.  There were two types of heavy line cavalry, dragoons and dragoon guards, with the latter as the more senior.  It was a member of that regiment who fired the first British shot of WW1, and one of its regimental officers, Major Tom Bridges, played an important part in encouraging exhausted British infantrymen to get up and march on rather than surrender during the retreat from Mons.

 

NB.  Your forebear might’ve been serving by the end of the war.  The background to the photo has the look of the Colchester, or Tidworth cavalry barracks.

 

 

 

Edited 29 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

I'd say 4th RI Dragoon Guards

 

Chris

[mickgall]

Thanks Frogsmile and Dragoon, Ive got something to work with a bit now.

 

Mick

[FROGSMILE]

55 minutes ago, mickgall said:

Thanks Frogsmile and Dragoon, Ive got something to work with a bit now.

 

Mick

The regiment recruited widely from Co Derry, so that also fits.

Edited 29 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[mickgall]

Thanks frogsmile

[Coldstreamer]

Can't see any medal index cards or papers etc on findmypast

[mickgall]

Thanks Coldstreamer, I had a look there too which made me think he was just that bit too young to have been in the war