British Army spoons in Nieppe (Northern France)

[Cateau Joseph]

Hi,

I live in Nieppe in Northern France. Between 1914 and april 1918 our town was just a few miles behind  the front line. Many camps, depots, billets areas were used by the B.E.F and spread all over the town. Some years ago an inhabitant found two spoons in his garden. He cleaned them. Both items were given for our local museum. For us it is difficult to decipher the meaning of figures and acronyms on the spoons. I have read with interest similar posts. Do you have any idea about the markings ?  Kind regards

 

[PhilB]

It looks to me like a soldier from the East Surreys has taken a spoon marked 641 by a previous owner and overstamped it by his last three numbers 501. 

[JWK]

There seems to be a 4 in front of E S ?

Spoon was made by Elkington & Co in 1916, that narrows it down a tiny bit.

Marks: E & Co - E (dateletter for 1916) - E & Co

[JMB1943]

There is a fine cursive script (2 lines), between the E and S of East Surreys.

Lower line  is probably Elkington, but cannot decipher upper line.

Regards,

JMB

[PhilB]

The 4th East Surreys never left UK. 501 must have gone to some other battalion of the ES or another regiment.

[T8HANTS]

Nicking someone else's spoon was not unknown.  I was given an 8th Hants spoon brought back by the doners father, only the regimental number on it was not his.  As long as you could present 'spoons, one, eating' on a kit inspection I doubt if they worried about the number.

 

[Cateau Joseph]

Hi,

Thank you for your helpful comments. We have in our museum a collection of army badges, some of them are East Surrey's. More sadly in our cemeteries there are three graves of East Surrey's. 2 of them are from 10th Battalion (date of death is july and august 1915). The latter gives no battalion number (date of death october 1918). No service number with "501" in it

All the best

[high wood]

On 27/08/2021 at 10:28, Cateau Joseph said:

Hi,

I live in Nieppe in Northern France. Between 1914 and april 1918 our town was just a few miles behind  the front line. Many camps, depots, billets areas were used by the B.E.F and spread all over the town. Some years ago an inhabitant found two spoons in his garden. He cleaned them. Both items were given for our local museum. For us it is difficult to decipher the meaning of figures and acronyms on the spoons. I have read with interest similar posts. Do you have any idea about the markings ?  Kind regards

 

 

This spoon seems to have been issued to an East Surrey Regiment soldier with the regimental number 641 and then subsequently reissued to another soldier with the regimental number 501.

The East Surrey soldier issued the number 641 was Pte Robert Robins who enlisted on the 2nd September 1914, and who was presumably issued the spoon around this date. However, a medical examination found that he suffered from deafness and was discharged on the 15th October 1914, without serving overseas. I imagine that he had to hand in his kit on discharge, including his spoon, which was subsequently reissued.

The regimental number 641 was also issued to R.Q.M.S. John George Wisher, East Surrey Regiment, who disembarked in France on the 12th June 1915 and was later commissioned. It is possible, but unlikely, that he handed in his cutlery for reissue on becoming an officer.

The East Surrey soldier with the regimental number 501 was Pte Thomas E Smith, who disembarked in France on the 3rd December 1914 and who could have been issued Pte Robins cutlery. He later served with the Bedfordshire Regiment as Pte 48400.

501 Thomas E Smith.