BearCollo Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 I’m helping my wife trace her family, she’s been given the attached picture and told it’s her great grandfather. However he served in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby’s). The cap and lapel badges don’t appear match the Sherwood Foresters and his dress would suggest maybe artillery or Cavalry? Any ideas? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 Looks like Army Service Corps. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 What was his name? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 37 minutes ago, BearCollo said: However he served in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby’s). What do you have that says he served in the Notts & Derby ? Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntanner Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 Is it just me or, with the crown, are we looking at RASC post Great War? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearCollo Posted 25 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 25 December , 2020 8 minutes ago, johntanner said: Is it just me or, with the crown, are we looking at RASC post Great War? 15 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said: What do you have that says he served in the Notts & Derby ? Craig It gets a little bit confusing! I’ll try to explain!! We(myself and the wife) think the person in the picture is John Edwin Bowler, he was born in 1901 so would have been too young to serve in the Great War unless he lied about his age, so that being a post war picture of him would make sense! The wife’s family think it’s John Edward Bowler (Edwins Father). He served in the Notts and Derby’s, we’ve got his service papers that list his wife and home address so we’re satisfied that’s right; he’d have been in his late 30s so the picture seems a little bit too fresh faced! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 1 minute ago, BearCollo said: It gets a little bit confusing! I’ll try to explain!! We(myself and the wife) think the person in the picture is John Edwin Bowler, he was born in 1901 so would have been too young to serve in the Great War unless he lied about his age, so that being a post war picture of him would make sense! The wife’s family think it’s John Edward Bowler (Edwins Father). He served in the Notts and Derby’s, we’ve got his service papers that list his wife and home address so we’re satisfied that’s right; he’d have been in his late 30s so the picture seems a little bit too fresh faced! I think the younger man would certainly fit. I'd not think he's a man in his 30's. Where was he from ? Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 What was his father's name ? Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearCollo Posted 25 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 25 December , 2020 21 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said: I think the younger man would certainly fit. I'd not think he's a man in his 30's. Where was he from ? Craig 15 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said: What was his father's name ? Craig He was from Ashbourne in Derbyshire, his dad was John Edward Bowler who was from Ashbourne too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polar Bear Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 (edited) From the medal rolls: John E Bowler 3793 (later 306167) Private in the Notts and Derby. Does qualify for '15 Star John E Bowler 14156 Private in the Notts and Derby. Then Labour Corps 640598 There's a John G Bowler as well. Same regiment ASC is also hopeful: Private Bowler, John of the Army Service Corps Regiment No: M2/168138 M2 prefix is Electrician Alternatively Bowler, John of the Army Service Corps Regiment No: T4/071295 T4 prefix is Horse Transport Hope this helps? Edited 25 December , 2020 by Polar Bear superfluous word Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 (edited) King's Dragoon Guards I think. It was the badge temporarily adopted to replace the Germanic Eagle at the end of WW1. Edited 25 December , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 I suspect it's this man - Sherwoods, Hussars and RTC. From Ashbourne, son of Jack. Born May 1901 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FTANK%2F083%2F027&parentid=GBM%2FTANK%2F077019 Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 (edited) Only if he was in KDG. The insignia is definitive in this case. He's also wearing the slip on woven shoulder title stitched to his shoulder strap. Edited 25 December , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 50 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Only if he was in KDG. The insignia is definitive in this case. He's also wearing the slip on woven shoulder title stitched to his shoulder strap. Another record shows he was - likely from June 21 to November 22.https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FTANK%2F083%2F027&parentid=GBM%2FTANK%2F077019 Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 25 December , 2020 Share Posted 25 December , 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said: Another record shows he was - likely from June 21 to November 22.https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FTANK%2F083%2F027&parentid=GBM%2FTANK%2F077019 Craig I reckon you've got him then Craig. Good spot. I was only so sure about the insignia because I'm looking on my laptop rather than phone for a change. Edited 25 December , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearCollo Posted 25 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 25 December , 2020 5 hours ago, FROGSMILE said: I reckon you've got him then Craig. Good spot. I was only so sure about the insignia because I'm looking on my laptop rather than phone for a change. 5 hours ago, ss002d6252 said: Another record shows he was - likely from June 21 to November 22.https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FTANK%2F083%2F027&parentid=GBM%2FTANK%2F077019 Craig 6 hours ago, FROGSMILE said: Only if he was in KDG. The insignia is definitive in this case. He's also wearing the slip on woven shoulder title stitched to his shoulder strap. 6 hours ago, ss002d6252 said: I suspect it's this man - Sherwoods, Hussars and RTC. From Ashbourne, son of Jack. Born May 1901 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FTANK%2F083%2F027&parentid=GBM%2FTANK%2F077019 Craig The links not working for me but do I take it he joined up with the foresters then transferred to the south notts hussars then the KDG? I really appreciate you taking the time with this chaps especially on Christmas Day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 26 December , 2020 Share Posted 26 December , 2020 19 hours ago, FROGSMILE said: Only if he was in KDG. The insignia is definitive in this case. He's also wearing the slip on woven shoulder title stitched to his shoulder strap. Post-war picture, too, I'd say. Collar dogs, se of the cap, etc, all looks post-war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 26 December , 2020 Share Posted 26 December , 2020 20 hours ago, Polar Bear said: M2 prefix is Electrician Just to point out M2 does not specify Electrician, M2 was issued to all trades of Mechanical transport from November 1914 to 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 26 December , 2020 Share Posted 26 December , 2020 (edited) 51 minutes ago, Steven Broomfield said: Post-war picture, too, I'd say. Collar dogs, se of the cap, etc, all looks post-war. Yes, the image does have that look, I agree Steven, especially with the two lanyards. Collar badges are not such a good indicator with cavalry though, as many of them wore collar badges when out of the line, but if I recall correctly the star shaped badge wasn’t adopted until the end of the war, when sensitivities over casualties caused by the nation of the regiment’s honorary colonel-in-chief were particularly raw. Edited 26 December , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 26 December , 2020 Share Posted 26 December , 2020 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FTANK%2F085%2F042&parentid=GBM%2FTANK%2F079077 Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 26 December , 2020 Share Posted 26 December , 2020 Thanks Craig, He clearly has post 1921 service, and surely must have surviving records in Glasgow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 26 December , 2020 Share Posted 26 December , 2020 Yes, there should be service records with the MoD. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 27 December , 2020 Share Posted 27 December , 2020 It’s interesting that as well as KDG he also served with the 14th/20th Hussars (twice) and the 15th/19th Hussars, seemingly finishing his service with the former. Quite a mixed career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 30 December , 2020 Share Posted 30 December , 2020 On 27/12/2020 at 08:46, FROGSMILE said: It’s interesting that as well as KDG he also served with the 14th/20th Hussars (twice) and the 15th/19th Hussars, seemingly finishing his service with the former. Quite a mixed career. But, as you know, not that uncommon in cavalry units, where transfer between regiments on posting to, or returning from, India was quite the norm. Offhand I can't recall the details but I read somewhere that a (Victorina, admittedly) cavalryman transferred something like nineteen times in order to extend service in India (which he obviously liked - money, less work, lots of bearers, etc, to do the scrubbing and cleaning, and so on). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 30 December , 2020 Share Posted 30 December , 2020 1 hour ago, Steven Broomfield said: But, as you know, not that uncommon in cavalry units, where transfer between regiments on posting to, or returning from, India was quite the norm. Offhand I can't recall the details but I read somewhere that a (Victorina, admittedly) cavalryman transferred something like nineteen times in order to extend service in India (which he obviously liked - money, less work, lots of bearers, etc, to do the scrubbing and cleaning, and so on). Yes I realise it wasn’t unusual Steven. Just interesting in this case for someone who seemingly only joined in the first place because of the war. He seems perhaps to have taken to the life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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