Buffnut453 Posted 12 January , 2018 Share Posted 12 January , 2018 Resurrecting this old thread because it seems my Great-Uncle John Haselden (spelled Hasledon on his medal records) served in this Bn. His service number was 41463 which, presumably, means enlistment in 1917-ish (his DOB is 27 June 1899). Any insights on when he may have joined, based on his service number, would be very much appreciated. I can then track down where he served from unit records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asanewt Posted 12 January , 2018 Share Posted 12 January , 2018 Probably no help but our uncle was 40448 born August 1898. From memory enlisted 1916 survived 3rd Ypres died 1995. Quite a character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffnut453 Posted 12 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2018 Thanks asanewt. While it doesn't confirm my theory, it certainly points to my Great-Uncle joining around 1917. It would be interesting if he enlisted under-age (already have one relative who did that...but before WW1!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 12 January , 2018 Admin Share Posted 12 January , 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, Buffnut453 said: Resurrecting this old thread because it seems my Great-Uncle John Haselden (spelled Hasledon on his medal records) served in this Bn. His service number was 41463 which, presumably, means enlistment in 1917-ish (his DOB is 27 June 1899). Any insights on when he may have joined, based on his service number, would be very much appreciated. I can then track down where he served from unit records. 41495 allocated 18/1/1918 on transfer to 6th Bn in France 41400 allocated 29/12/1917 on transfer to 12th Bn in France 41438 allocated 29/12/1917 on transfer to 12th Bn in France Close as I can get. The Medal Rolls only show overseas service. One of these men were in the RWF before being posted to the SWB and another trained in the MGC before posted to the BEF. 44121 Worcestershire enlisted 19 October 1916, which obviously predates SWB numbering, indicating he too served elsewhere before being posted to the Worcestershire Regiment.(Silver War Badge Records). Ken Edited 12 January , 2018 by kenf48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffnut453 Posted 13 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2018 Thanks Ken. Ironic that my Great-Uncle joined the Worcestershire Regt after his service in 11th SWB. It's tough trying to piece together a service career on such fragmentary evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 13 January , 2018 Admin Share Posted 13 January , 2018 20 hours ago, Buffnut453 said: Thanks Ken. Ironic that my Great-Uncle joined the Worcestershire Regt after his service in 11th SWB. It's tough trying to piece together a service career on such fragmentary evidence. It's even tougher when the Medal Rolls are not in alphabetical order! However we have his birthdate which means he would have been eligible for call up under the terms of the Military Service Act from age 18 years, so for argument's sake 12 weeks basic training at a Training Reserve unit, strictly speaking he should not have gone to France until he was aged 19. The age was reduced to eighteen and a half by Parliament after April 1918 but by that time the 11th Battalion had been disbanded. It's possible he joined a TF unit for Home Service earlier than that, at age seventeen. It is however unlikely, following National Registration, that he enlisted 'under age' not impossible, but unlikely. If we look at the 2/8th Worcestershire Regiment Rolls we can see numbers around his who transferred from the 11th Bn SWB to the 2/8th. The pension record for 44126 Holmes is on FMP and shows he enlisted with a declared age of 17 years 216 days in June 1917. After the Training Reserve he was posted to the 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the SWB, before being allocated the number 49779 and posted to the 11th Bn. He was allocated 44126 in the Worcestershire Regiment, unfortunately no dates on the surviving papers. However it appears there was a large draft to the 2/8 from the SWB and a couple of records survive which show arrival in France 1/4/1918 and posted to the Battalion 22/4/1918. The war diary of the 2/8 shows 54 other ranks arriving on the 27th. This cohort does not apparently show as the 11th Battalion SWB in the Rolls. It’s difficult too be precise as SDGW lists casualties in this number series as previously in the SWB. Where the record survives they came direct from the Graduated Battalion and were among those who filled the criteria of eighteen and a half and six months training in the UK for posting to the BEF in April 1918 as set by Parliament. There were 74 other ranks posted into the 2/8 Battalion on the 7th April 1918. These may have been from the Base who were posted after the disbandment of the 11th Battalion. The war diary for the 11th Battalion ends on 31st January, and there is no mention of their impending disbandment. Usually when these Battalions were broken up as part of the wider reorganisation it was at short notice and the general disposition of the survivors was mentioned in the diary. There are no drafts mentioned in January. However I think we can say with some certainty he was posted to the 2/8 Worcestershire in April 1918. The numbers of those who have previous service in the South Wales Borderers range from at least 44039 to 44150 (formerly 49804 SWB). Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffnut453 Posted 13 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2018 Hi Ken, Thanks so much for all that great background info. It really helps trying to piece together the story and explain the confusing unit changes that clearly took place in a relatively short space of time. It's certainly confusing, particularly since the Absentee Voters List for 1918, for which inputs were generated no later than August 1918, records him as still a member of 11th SWB despite that unit being dissolved in February of that year. It certainly seems likely that he joined 2/8th Worcestershires in April 1918 but intriguing to know whether he was with 11th SWB in France before that time. We may never know but the info you provided certainly helps me avoid making some incorrect assumptions. Many thanks, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffnut453 Posted 24 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 24 January , 2018 Thought Ken and others might like to see a pic of my Great-Uncle with, I believe, his SWB badge prominently displayed on his cap. The image was one of a pair, the other being of my Grandfather, held in a pendant that I believe was owned by my Great-Grandmother. If anyone can confirm my identification of the SWB cap badge, I'd be most grateful. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 24 January , 2018 Share Posted 24 January , 2018 Yup, pretty clear - circular wreath of immortelles with the Sphinx superscribed "Egypt" at the bottom. South Wales Borderer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffnut453 Posted 24 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 24 January , 2018 1 minute ago, clive_hughes said: Yup, pretty clear - circular wreath of immortelles with the Sphinx superscribed "Egypt" at the bottom. South Wales Borderer. Thanks Clive. My photo looked similar to search results for the cap badge but I'm far from an expert in such things. Appreciate your confirmation. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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