Soldier research RB 20023

[vetje]

Good evening lads, 

 

I recently acquired another British military spoon on a fleamarket here in Belgium with the service number mentioned below;

 

R B / 20023.

 

Could someone put met in the right direction on the owner of this spoon?

 

Best Regards

[Acknown]

There was a Sapper (RE) Richard Ballard with the number WR/20023 (previously 241124). His Medal Roll entry is titled R and Q - 'Roads and Quarries'. His Service Record survives (Ancestry). He lived in Fulham, but his mother lived in Canada. He was attested 10 Dec 15, placed on the Army Reserve, then mobilised on 15 Mar 17 and arrived in France in May 17. He was in 301 Road Construction Company. He died in 53 General Hospital, Boulogne of influenza/pneumonia on 01 Nov 1918: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/4024385/RICHARD C BALLARD/.

This might be him.

Acknown

Edited 13 October , 2020 by Acknown
Spelling!

[sadbrewer]

1 hour ago, Acknown said:

There was a Sapper (RE) Richard Ballard with the number WR/20023 (previously 241124). His Medal Roll entry is titled R and Q - 'Roads and Quarries'. His Service Record survives (Ancestry). He lived in Fulham, but his mother lived in Canada. He was attseted 10 Dec 15, placed on the Army Reserve, then mobilised on 15 Mar 17 and arrived in France in May 17. He was in 301 Road Construction Company. He died in 53 General Hospital, Boulogne of influenza/pneumonia on 01 Nov 1918: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/4024385/RICHARD C BALLARD/.

This might be him.

Acknown

Cracking work Acknown.

[vetje]

13 hours ago, Acknown said:

There was a Sapper (RE) Richard Ballard with the number WR/20023 (previously 241124). His Medal Roll entry is titled R and Q - 'Roads and Quarries'. His Service Record survives (Ancestry). He lived in Fulham, but his mother lived in Canada. He was attested 10 Dec 15, placed on the Army Reserve, then mobilised on 15 Mar 17 and arrived in France in May 17. He was in 301 Road Construction Company. He died in 53 General Hospital, Boulogne of influenza/pneumonia on 01 Nov 1918: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/4024385/RICHARD C BALLARD/.

This might be him.

Acknown

 

Hello Acknown,

 

But, the spoon is entitled to a number in the 'RB' regiment, Rifle Brigrade?

What's the connection to WR/20023?

 

Best regards 

[stiletto_33853]

Try RB as Richard Ballard

There is no 20023 that served overseas in The Rifle Brigade, that number would fall among the S Prefix number series, way to high for a regular number.

 

Andy

Edited 13 October , 2020 by stiletto_33853

[Acknown]

14 hours ago, Acknown said:

This might be him.

Not being a spoonologist, I took it to be his initials. I may be wrong. I can't find a Royal Berkshire either.

Acknown

 

[FROGSMILE]

6 minutes ago, Acknown said:

Not being a spoonologist, I took it to be his initials. I may be wrong. I can't find a Royal Berkshire either.

Acknown

 

I think you’re very probably correct Acknown.  Personal initials and regimental serial number makes more sense.  As you probably know the Berkshires usual abbreviation was R BERKS.  If the spoon could talk.....

Edited 13 October , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[vetje]

1 hour ago, stiletto_33853 said:

Try RB as Richard Ballard

There is no 20023 that served overseas in The Rifle Brigade, that number would fall among the S Prefix number series, way to high for a regular number.

 

Andy

 

Ahhh, ofcourse ... 

[vetje]

Thx 2 all! Splendid!