1st Battalion RWF 1917?

[Muerrisch]

6 minutes ago, Muerrisch said:

They look a battle-hardened, tough and disciplined team: its as fine a war-time group of RWF as I have ever seen.

 

I specialise on 2nd RWF: I will have a look for commonalities, as there was always mix and match between the battalions as you know.

 

Here is one!

 

Richard Anthony Adamson.   The WD notes that Adamson rejoined the battalion 24th August 1918, but there is no earlier entry to show when he first reported.   Richard has a WO 339 file, 29900.   He was born 26th January 1879 and attested 26th September 1914, was sent to 10th RWF and quickly promoted to sergeant.   When he applied for a commission his CO, Lieutenant-Colonel Beresford Ash wrote ‘I would be prepared to take Sergeant Adamson in this Bn as a 2Lt’.   His application gave his address as Corporation House, Rivington, near Bolton Lancs, he was unable to ride, and his character referee, ex-Chief and now Consulting Engineer Liverpool Corporation said he had known him for 16 years.   He was commissioned 2nd January 1915 and Beresford Ash indeed had him as a second-lieutenant in 10th RWF straight away.   Adamson was promoted T/lieutenant 5th March 1915 and T/captain 20th April 1915 and became OC A. Company.   He was immediately promoted to T/major (sergeant to major in three months was meteoric by any standards, and even exceeds in speed and number of steps CSM Stanway’s (q.v.) advancement to T/lt-col in about 19 months) and then embarked for France 27th September with his battalion.  Major Adamson was very severely wounded in the shoulder on 24th January 1916 at The Bluff, Hollebeke, a wound that was assessed as a permanent injury and resulted in many medical reports and an operation where the doctor was ‘quite unable to break down adhesions in the shoulder joint under an anaesthetic’.   The formal diagnosis was of septic arthritis of the shoulder following a wound, together with injury of the median nerve.   He was awarded a wound gratuity of £250 on 26th January 1917 and a wound pension for one year from 16th March that year.   Whilst slowly recuperating he went through 12th (2nd Reserve) RWF to 62 Training Reserve Battalion in 1916 and early 1917 until rejoining 10th RWF on 10th October 1917, became second in command of that battalion December 1917, and at some time in mid 1918 blotted his copybook.   He was tried by Field General Court Martial on 20th July 1918 charged with an offence under Section 40 (the 1914 Manual of Military Law specimen charge under this section describes embezzlement of regimental money).   Found guilty, he was sentenced to forfeiture of rank and a severe reprimand.   These Proceedings were reported on 26th October 1918 with a draft for the London Gazette: ‘Temp Maj RA Adamson to take rank and precedence in his Corps and in the Army as if his appointment to Temp Maj bore the date 20th July 1918’.   On the Court Martial papers Adamson is shown as 10th RWF attached 2nd RWF and it is possible that his offence occurred whilst serving with 2nd RWF (indeed Tyler, op cit., says that Adamson arrived with 2nd RWF as early as 8th February 1918).   His WO file shows that he was in dispute with the authorities about his wound pension and had been told on 10th July 1918 that he was not eligible for renewal of his pension.

We may take it that July was not a good month for him.   He appears just once in TWTIK, well after the war’s end ‘the Count (De Miremont) never at any time failed to find a job for Adamson’.   When Richard Adamson took formal retirement on 22nd March 1919 he did so as a substantive major, category A1 (sic!), married, and with a civil occupation.

[Rups]

Very glad it was of interest to you!

[Pat Atkins]

This whole thread has been fascinating so far - thanks to all who have contributed, and long may it continue.

 

Pat

[Muerrisch]

Two Sergeants' Messes for the price of one, St David's Day celebrations, Malta 1914 ...... 1st Bn starting a tour [truncated], 2nd Bn on their way Home. It is very possible that some joined the new-raised 10th battalion in September 1914.

 

The Warrant Officers and Sergeants of both regular battalions, Malta 2^nd March 1914.  1^st battalion men are clothed in a variety of uniforms including Service Dress, Scarlet Tunic, Scarlet Frock, and the Blue Patrol jacket.

2^nd battalion men are in the much paler India Pattern khaki drill, with several varieties of cut

 

[m0rris]

Just a small offering. This is a page from my Grandpa's copy of "The Story of the RWF" by H. Avray Tipping from 1915. You'll see your Grandfather in the third column and a certain "Graves R von R" in the fourth.

 

Will

[Rups]

Many thanks for sending me that. I thought I had seen a reference to my grandfather somewhere  in Robert Graves's writings  but cannot find it now so perhaps I was mistaken. Siegfried Sassoon briefly refers to him in his diaries. 

[Muerrisch]

RUPS I have an almost complete run of RWF Monthly lists BUT BUT I did not always scan after second page, primarily as I was hunting 2nd battalion officers. However, I would cheerfully look up any dates for you ........ given my methodology it would be best to give an envelope of months. If you want scans of complete pages that would best be done by PM and email.

 

I expect that I am teaching you to suck eggs but the entry illustrated shows his seniority as substantive Captain 10 June 1915, serving with 3rd (Reserve) battalion, presumably between postings at Home.

[Rups]

That is kind of you but I think I have more or less got his service history sorted out now and wouldn't want to put you to too much trouble. 

[Muerrisch]

2 hours ago, Rups said:

That is kind of you but I think I have more or less got his service history sorted out now and wouldn't want to put you to too much trouble. 

 

One fewer job!