Photo album of a Lincolnshire Yeomanry soldier

[Eran Tearosh]

A famous local historical institute sent me these 4 photos and asked for my help of identifying locations and/or elements appearing in these photos.   

They claim these photos to be of Sergeant Thomas William Harry Musson, Lincolnshire Yeomanry, but they don't know anything more. Most likely, these were taken either in Egypt or Sinai during 1915-6, or during 1917, on the borders of the Holy Land. 

 

Not to much to go with....

I didn't find so far any on-line photo collection of this Sergeant. I only found him mentioned in the captions for this photo:

Members of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry from Corby Glen pictured from left are Harry Musson, Fred Adcock, Bugler Gibson, Charles and Percy Adcock.

Photo: Corby Glen History Society

 

Anyone with connections to Lincolnshire Yeomanry and/or any other idea of the source? Probably a photo album or individual photos, maybe accompanying a private diary?

 

Thanks, Eran

 

 

 

 

Edited 23 October , 2022 by Eran Tearosh

[charlie962]

Just for background on Musson, here's his mic 

I think that MGC number was issued c May 1918. There is a document undated on FindmyPast noting him as 102nd Bn MGC. 

Charlie 

Edit, this trf to MGC fits with timeline history of 1/1 Lincolnshire Yeomanry

 

Edited 23 October , 2022 by charlie962

[PRC]

The birth of a Thomas William Harry Musson, mothers’ maiden name Adcock, was registered with the civil authorities in the Bourne District of Lincolnshire in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1895.

On the 1901 Census of England & Wales the 5 year old Harry Musson, born Corby, Lincolnshire, was recorded living in a dwelling on Long Street, Corby. (Corby was in the District of Bourne for the registration of births, marriages and deaths. He was living there with parents William, (33, Carpenter) and Anne, (36) – both born Corby.

By the time of the 1911 Census of England & Wales the family were recorded living at Bull Inn, Corby. Father William Henry, (43), was now recorded as a Farmer. He and wife Anne have been married 16 years, the marriage having produced just the one child. Thomas William Harry Musson, 15, was recorded as a Farmers’ Son working on Farm.

His service records looks like they were among the majority that went up in flames.

Looking at some near Lincolnshire Yeomanry service numbers:-

1636 Frank Morris. UK service only. No surviving service records. Enlisted 7th April 1913 and was discharged 16th September 1914. Subsequently claimed the Silver War Badge after this was introduced in 1916, to show that he had been honourably discharged.

1639 Sidney T. Salmon transferred to Royal Flying Corps 410343 on the 21st April 1918. Landed in the Middle East with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry 28th October 1915 – (more likely that is the date he sailed from the UK). Couldn’t find his Airmans records indexed on FindMyPast.

1642 Percy Adcock renumbered to 55156. No surviving service records. Landed Egypt 21st November 1915.

1643 Frederick John Adcock renumbered to 55157. No surviving service records. Died of Wounds 30/08/1917 serving with the 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry. Buried Beersheba. Sodldiers Died in the Great War shows him born and resident Corby. War Gratuity, (information on Ancestry on the Register of Soldiers Effects), can be used to calculate approximate date of enlistment). Landed Egypt 21st November 1915.

1644 Charles H. Adcock transferred to Machine Gun Corps as 150029. No surviving service records. Landed Egypt 21st November 1915.

1646 Gerald Jason Goodman, transferred to Labour Corps 644759. No surviving service records. Received the Silver War Badge. No details on MiC, but the SWB Roll, (on Ancestry), will give enlistment date.

1647 Alexander MacDonald Wright transferred to Machine Gun Corps 95162. Has surviving service records. Landed Egypt 21st November 1915.

Someone with subscription access to Ancestry \ FindMyPast may be able to check out the contents of the actual documents for you.

So looks like he probably joined up as a part time soldier pre-war.

Long, Long Trail has:-

Lincolnshire Yeomanry

The regiment was formed on the creation of the Territorial Force in April 1908 and placed under orders of the North Midland Mounted Brigade. It was headquartered in the Old Barracks in Lincoln with the squadrons being headquartered as follows:

A Sqn: Grantham (and drill stations at Stamford, Bourne and Holbeach)
B Sqn: Louth (Spilsby, Horncastle and Alford)
C Sqn: Lincoln (Sleaford, Gainsborough, Market Rasen, Wragby)
D Squadron: Grimsby (Barton, Brigg, Scunthorpe, Ulceby)

1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry

·        August 1914 : moved with the rest of the brigade to Norfolk and placed under orders of 1st Mounted Division.

·        27 October 1915 : brigade embarked at Southampton for Salonika. En route, the destination was altered and by the end of November the regiment had arrived at Cairo. Remained in Egypt/Palestine theatre until May 1918.

·        April 1916 : brigade renamed 22nd Mounted Brigade and under orders of Western Frontier Force.

·        February 1917: brigade under orders of Anzac Mounted Division.

·        July 1917: brigade under orders of Yeomanry Mounted Division.

·        7 April 1918 : left brigade and formed ‘D’ Battalion Machine Gun Corps with 1/1st East Riding Yeomanry.

·        1 June 1918: landed at Marseilles for service in France. Moved initially to Etaples.

·        17 August 1918: renamed 102 Battalion MGC.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-yeomanry-regiments-of-1914-1918/lincolnshire-yeomanry/

Men serving in the ranks with the Territorial Force received a new service number in early 1917 – for Yeomanry units there was a common date of the 1st April 1917. The number block allocated to the Lincolnshire Yeomanry ran from 55001 to 60000. https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-yeomanry-in-1917/

The War Diary for the three months they served with the Anzac Mounted Division can be found here. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338829

Given the numbers on the Medal Index Card and the piece found by @charlie962 about him ending up with 102nd Battalion, MGC, it looks like the campaigning career of thomas William Harry Musson follows the path of the 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry. Given the location of the pre-war Drill Halls it’s likely that initially at least he was serving with ‘A’ Squadron.

Harry is recorded on the 1921 Census of England & Wales living with parents William and Annie in Corby.

His marriage to a Victoria E. Porter was recorded in the Bourne registration district in the April to June quarter, (q2), of 1932. It looks like the couple may have had at least six children.

The death of a Thomas William H. Musson, born 18th May 1895, was recorded in the Bourne District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1991. The 1992 Probate Calendar records that Thomas William Harry Musson, of 2, Market Place, Corby Glen, Grantham, died on the 30th August 1991.

Hope some of that helps,
Peter

[michaeldr]

https://gwfattachments.s3.amazonaws.com/monthly_2022_10/994377744_YBZ_0768_262-1.jpg.9ebdaf20140be8f85aff980b1182961a.jpg

Eran,

I've seen one or two photographs of earthworks systems similar to your No.1 above
and they were described as being Turkish and part of their defence lines at Beersheva.
One showed a line of infantry lying in advance of the line of pits or scoops and then a line of cavalry behind the earthworks.
The pits or scoops served a similar purpose to a trench line. 
It should be explained that in desert sand it takes an awful lot of excavation and timber to construct a traditional trench line as seen perhaps on the WF. These shallow pits or scoops are a much more practical and speedily constructed substitute.

best regards, Michael

[George Rayner]

The Lincolnshire Yeomanry were encamped in my home village prior to and early years of WW1 so I have previously done some research. The Lincolnshire Archive

https://www.calmview.eu/lincolnshirearchives/calmview/default.aspx

does have a good resource of photos which does include Cairo, desert etc so may be worth a look.

George

[Eran Tearosh]

Thank you all!!

[Pat Atkins]

1646 Cpl Goodman enlisted 12th November 1913 (from SWB entry, as suggested by PRC - with the dates he provided Musson's enlistment date is at least bracketted). Would also agree with PRC that he was most likely A Squadron originally.