Movements of Walter Firmin b 1884 Believed Essex Yeomanry Cavalry

[trevorb60]

Hello,

 

Trying to trace the movements of my grandad Walter Firmin b.20 Apr 1887 Copford,Essex.  A mounted Policeman in Colchester until  WW1. He enlisted and joined a mounted regiment and became a Lewis Gunner in the trenches. For a short while in France he flew with a gun in RFC aircraft until they trained Jockeys to take his place. He later served in Mesopotamia where he was wounded and evacuated on the side of a Camel and then was given rehabilitation as an estate carpenter.  Would like to research the highlighted areas.  From Medal Records believe he joined Essex Yeomanry Reg No 2477 then transferred to Machine Gun Corps (Cav) Reg No 51540 so I'm reading diaries of Essex Yeomanry.   The places Essex Yeomanry served seem to match some of the place names he mentioned.  Later the diary mentions regimental numbers with 5 digits all starting with an 8.  But can find only one reference of a few people ordered to go as observers with RFC but order was rescinded.  However, this clip from Essex Yeo diaries seems to indicate that a large number of people 30% of a regiment went to 8th Dist.... Bde on 01 Dec 17 as units started to be re-formed.  Seems some of Essex Yeo were later sent to help with gardens and growing potatoes!  Not an army man so don't know how to continue that story.  Any help/suggestions on if I'm on the right track and how to proceed next would be most helpful.

 

[Jrmh]

There is a little info on The Long Long Trail:

 

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-yeomanry-regiments-of-1914-1918/essex-yeomanry/

 

and possibly 8 Machine Gun Cavalry Brigade Squadron here:

 

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/machine-gun-corps-in-the-first-world-war/machine-gun-corps-cavalry-squadrons/

 

8th Dist Bde could be 8th Dismounted? Brigade

https://www.essex-yeomanry.org.uk/ey-history/61-war-diary-part-4.html

 

Edited 8 May , 2020 by Jrmh

[trevorb60]

Many thanks for this.  Will continue to research.  Am reading 'When God Made Hell - Charles Townsend hopefully for more info on units and activity in Mesopotamia.  Still finding the individual quirks and naming conventions of the different army units the biggest struggle.  Watched  grandson march past at Catterick recently.  They can't even agree what pace they will all march at (The Rifles!)

[Expat yeoman]

All of the officers mentioned were serving with the Essex Yeomanry.

The army introduced a new numbering system in 1917 which you can see in the switch to the 8xxxx numbers mentioned in the war diary.  There is more about this here:

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-yeomanry-in-1917/

The EY renumbers started at 80000 but you can disregard that, 51540 was a Machine Gun Corps number as noted above, and the EY transferred a number of personnel to the 8th MGC (Cav) Squadron.

The swords into ploughshares you refer to was a temporary activity (and one that the unit did not get to enjoy the fruits of their labour as a result of the German advance) and they were back in the line and action as a regiment in March 1918.

Regret at this stage I cannot add anything on the RFC element.  It would be interesting to learn more about that if you can find anything.

EY

[eyman]

Trevor 

I think it is highly unlikely that your grandfather served in the Middle East. There is nothing in surviving records to show that he served with any units than Essex Yeomanry and 8th Sqn Machine Gun Corps Cavalry, to which he was transferred in 1916. For the story to be correct he would have had to transfer to another MGC Cavalry squadron serving in the Middle East (do we even know if there was one in Mesopotamia?). In 1919 he was certainly discharged from MGC receiving a silver war badge. There are two pension index cards which again mention no other units. 

I've not come across any other Essex yeoman serving temporarily with RFC or RAF so I am afraid am doubtful about that story as well (even if it is more plausible perhaps than the camel). 

Is it possible that his service has somehow become conflated with that of another relative? If not, and in the absence of any photographic or other records to confirm, there is the possibility of "gilding the lily". No reason for him to have done so. His MGC squadron covered itself with glory at Monchy in April 1917, winning a VC and other gallantry awards, and every reason to think that your grandfather was there. 

 

Ian

[eyman]

Trevor

I forgot to add that the pension index cards (available on Fold3) include a grant he received in 1923 to set up as an estate carpenter. See the snip.

Ian

[Michelle Young]

@trevorb60 hasn’t visited the forum since May last year, I have tagged him to alert him to your posts.