Essex yeomanry

[Tobias]

Does anyone have any group photographs of the Essex Yeomanry in 1915-1916? Just seeing if my Great Great grandfather was in any photos with them because  I’m trying to find a picture of him in uniform. I think he was A Squadron.

thanks, Tobias.

[headgardener]

Might be easier if we know his name.....? 

[Tobias]

His name was Samuel Vaughan Pearce and was a private with the service number of 2146.

[PRC]

I can't say for sure that one doesn't exist, but I suspect the sort of panorama picture of everyone in the unit that you're probably thinking off simply doesn't. The 1/1st Essex Yeomanry, deployed overseas independantly, and arrived in France in November 1914. It would have been swollen with new volunteers in the preceding months. That left the 2/1st in the UK to provide them with replacements and hold those men who had not signed up for overseas service. The 3/1st followed in 1915 with a similar training and replacement role. All three units would have been in a state of flux - the attrition of war on the first line unit and the constant demand for drafts on the other two, meant whole unit pictures were a bit pointless. In the case of the unit in France they were also probably impractical.

 

As a case in point your great, great grandfather appears to have gone out to France in May 1916, according to his Medal Index Card, almost certainly as part of a replacement draft.

 

I note he is renumbered from 2146 to 80879 while still with the Essex Yeomanry. All units that were part of the Territorial Force, like the Essex Yeomanry, received a new service number range to use from the start of 1917. According to the Long, Long Trail, the one allocated to the Essex Yeomanry ran from 80001 to 85000.

https://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 use of personal cameras was also very much restricted by the British Army - more so than amongst Empire troops and the other allies. You may of course have a picture happy officer in the Essex Yeomanry whose collection has made it into the public domain. It may also be worthwhile checking with the Essex County Archive. However pictures seldom have much in the way of identifying details and the quality varies enormously, so conclusive identification can prove very elusive even when you know the individual concerned is stated to be present in the picture.

 

So your best bet is likely to be local newspapers, particularly when he was commissioned in May 1918. A proud family may well have submitted something to the local press.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

[Tobias]

17 hours ago, PRC said:

I can't say for sure that one doesn't exist, but I suspect the sort of panorama picture of everyone in the unit that you're probably thinking off simply doesn't. The 1/1st Essex Yeomanry, deployed overseas independantly, and arrived in France in November 1914. It would have been swollen with new volunteers in the preceding months. That left the 2/1st in the UK to provide them with replacements and hold those men who had not signed up for overseas service. The 3/1st followed in 1915 with a similar training and replacement role. All three units would have been in a state of flux - the attrition of war on the first line unit and the constant demand for drafts on the other two, meant whole unit pictures were a bit pointless. In the case of the unit in France they were also probably impractical.

 

As a case in point your great, great grandfather appears to have gone out to France in May 1916, according to his Medal Index Card, almost certainly as part of a replacement draft.

 

I note he is renumbered from 2146 to 80879 while still with the Essex Yeomanry. All units that were part of the Territorial Force, like the Essex Yeomanry, received a new service number range to use from the start of 1917. According to the Long, Long Trail, the one allocated to the Essex Yeomanry ran from 80001 to 85000.

https://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 use of personal cameras was also very much restricted by the British Army - more so than amongst Empire troops and the other allies. You may of course have a picture happy officer in the Essex Yeomanry whose collection has made it into the public domain. It may also be worthwhile checking with the Essex County Archive. However pictures seldom have much in the way of identifying details and the quality varies enormously, so conclusive identification can prove very elusive even when you know the individual concerned is stated to be present in the picture.

 

So your best bet is likely to be local newspapers, particularly when he was commissioned in May 1918. A proud family may well have submitted something to the local press.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

Thanks very much, I only thought his service number changed when he joined back into the army this time with the RASC as a Second Lieutenant after being wounded with the Essex Yeomanry at the Somme in 1916. Also, he joined the Essex Yeomanry in May 1915, however did not land in France until a year later. Do you think it’s because he was stationed as a replacement in the UK like you said?

Edited 14 July , 2020 by Tobias
I forgot to add something

[PRC]

9 hours ago, Tobias said:

Thanks very much, I only thought his service number changed when he joined back into the army this time with the RASC as a Second Lieutenant after being wounded with the Essex Yeomanry at the Somme in 1916.

Hi,

 

Officers’ didn’t have a service number and his medal index card associates the 80879 number with the Essex Yeomanry. Given that it’s with the first 1,000 of the number range allocated to the Essex Yeomanry then very likely he was still on the establishment of the 1/1st at the end of 1916, even if he was in a scenario of still receiving medical treatment for his wounds.

 

9 hours ago, Tobias said:

Also, he joined the Essex Yeomanry in May 1915, however did not land in France until a year later. Do you think it’s because he was stationed as a replacement in the UK like you said?

 

At the time he enlisted there was still an option with the Territorials to choose home service only. I can’t say for certain that’s why it took so long for him to go overseas, but would have to remain a possibility. The original reason for the spilt of the Yeomanry into a first line, (1/1st) and second line, (2/1st) was to accommodate those existing territorials who did not want to sign the additional undertaking to serve overseas.

 

The Military Services Act of 1916 not only introduced conscription but also removed the home service only option and effectively removed any distinction between regular, territorial and war service only. In parallel the War Office also announced that the establishment strength of UK only Battalions and Cavalry regiments would be reduced from 1,000 to 600 and the surplus men so released would be sent overseas. Again, could be a co-incidence but your great great grandfather seems to reach France around the right time to be one of those selected for overseas service.

 

Near number search gives you:-

2130 Alfred W. Hawes, renumbered 80866

2135 William F Pettit renumbered 80869, landed France 24.9.15.

2138 George Grundy became 231698 Corps of Hussars – VM & BWM only

2140 Frederick P. Sach renumbered 80874, landed France 24.9.15.

2144 James Taylor, renumbered 80877, landed France 11.11.15. Received the Silver War Badge – the related badge roll, (on Ancestry), should give date of enlistment.

2153 Arthur T. Burniston, became 105149 Machine Gun Corps - VM & BWM only plus India General Service Medal with clasp for Kurdistan, (post-Great War).

2154 Robert B. Gingell, renumbered 80668, landed France 11.11.15.

2156 Thomas W. Clifford, renumbered 80887, landed France 14.12.15

2160 Francis E. Smith, renumbered 80890, - VM & BWM only

2161 Bertram A. Smith, renumbered 80891. Received the Silver War Badge – the related badge roll, (on Ancestry), should give date of enlistment.

2167 Clarence Stock became 80896 “Royal Dragoons” then 101962 Machine Gun Corps, (according to the National Archive catalogue – not so sure about the “R R Dns” which appears to be what is written on the MiC). Recived the BWM and the IGSM with clasp for Afghanistan.

2173 Ernest W. French, renumbered 80902. Received the Silver War Badge – the related badge roll, (on Ancestry), should give date of enlistment.

2175 Ernest T. Wakefield, renumbered 80904, - VM & BWM only.

 

There are no meaningful surviving service records for any of those, - FMP have a couple of pieces that are hospital memos found in other mens service records - , so the path his army career followed is probably only going to discoverable by either getting a copy of his officers file or visiting Kew and seeing it for yourself.

 

Hope some of that helps,

Peter

[Tobias]

13 hours ago, PRC said:

Hi,

 

Officers’ didn’t have a service number and his medal index card associates the 80879 number with the Essex Yeomanry. Given that it’s with the first 1,000 of the number range allocated to the Essex Yeomanry then very likely he was still on the establishment of the 1/1st at the end of 1916, even if he was in a scenario of still receiving medical treatment for his wounds.

 

 

At the time he enlisted there was still an option with the Territorials to choose home service only. I can’t say for certain that’s why it took so long for him to go overseas, but would have to remain a possibility. The original reason for the spilt of the Yeomanry into a first line, (1/1st) and second line, (2/1st) was to accommodate those existing territorials who did not want to sign the additional undertaking to serve overseas.

 

The Military Services Act of 1916 not only introduced conscription but also removed the home service only option and effectively removed any distinction between regular, territorial and war service only. In parallel the War Office also announced that the establishment strength of UK only Battalions and Cavalry regiments would be reduced from 1,000 to 600 and the surplus men so released would be sent overseas. Again, could be a co-incidence but your great great grandfather seems to reach France around the right time to be one of those selected for overseas service.

 

Near number search gives you:-

2130 Alfred W. Hawes, renumbered 80866

2135 William F Pettit renumbered 80869, landed France 24.9.15.

2138 George Grundy became 231698 Corps of Hussars – VM & BWM only

2140 Frederick P. Sach renumbered 80874, landed France 24.9.15.

2144 James Taylor, renumbered 80877, landed France 11.11.15. Received the Silver War Badge – the related badge roll, (on Ancestry), should give date of enlistment.

2153 Arthur T. Burniston, became 105149 Machine Gun Corps - VM & BWM only plus India General Service Medal with clasp for Kurdistan, (post-Great War).

2154 Robert B. Gingell, renumbered 80668, landed France 11.11.15.

2156 Thomas W. Clifford, renumbered 80887, landed France 14.12.15

2160 Francis E. Smith, renumbered 80890, - VM & BWM only

2161 Bertram A. Smith, renumbered 80891. Received the Silver War Badge – the related badge roll, (on Ancestry), should give date of enlistment.

2167 Clarence Stock became 80896 “Royal Dragoons” then 101962 Machine Gun Corps, (according to the National Archive catalogue – not so sure about the “R R Dns” which appears to be what is written on the MiC). Recived the BWM and the IGSM with clasp for Afghanistan.

2173 Ernest W. French, renumbered 80902. Received the Silver War Badge – the related badge roll, (on Ancestry), should give date of enlistment.

2175 Ernest T. Wakefield, renumbered 80904, - VM & BWM only.

 

There are no meaningful surviving service records for any of those, - FMP have a couple of pieces that are hospital memos found in other mens service records - , so the path his army career followed is probably only going to discoverable by either getting a copy of his officers file or visiting Kew and seeing it for yourself.

 

Hope some of that helps,

Peter

Thank you very much, you have been a big help to me!