FROGSMILE Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) 20 minutes ago, charlie962 said: Yes, excellent and I've profited in the past. I am happy that the service numbers ranges I've found all fall into 1915 RGA attestations and the sample service records confirm presence at 45 Coy for the course early 1916. I'm left with two unidentified men. 3rd Row. AWH Bunston Seated Front Row. Capt DP Mills. - can anyone confirm his cap badge? Charlie Can you isolate a close up head and shoulders view of Capt D P Mills, Charlie? I have tried to enlarge my view of the photo, but the limited resolution, when combined with the dark bronze nature of his cap badge and obscured collar badges (under overcoat) makes his insignia illegible. Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 5 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Can you isolate a close up head and shoulders view of Capt D P Mills, Charlie? I have tried to enlarge my view of the photo, but the limited resolution, when combined with the dark bronze nature of his cap badge and obscured collar badges (under overcoat) makes his insignia illegible. I suffer same problem using my phone hence my request. I see nothing. Perhaps OP can help? Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 I tried the original postcard thread and produce this which is clearly Gunner to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMB Posted 9 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, charlie962 said: I tried the original postcard thread and produce this which is clearly Gunner to me. I agree, the outline shape is that for an OSDB RA cap badge. Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMB Posted 9 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 1 minute ago, BMB said: Yes that is definitely RA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMB Posted 9 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2022 U think it is clearer in the post card version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMB Posted 9 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Thanks. There's no doubt it's RA. I just wanted to eliminate say RE or others who might be involved with signalling and telegraphy of the period. But with that confirmation it hasn't helped my search!! Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 21 hours ago, BMB said: Third from the left, front row. Corporal Minshall. This sounds like a silly question, but is he blind? On my higher definition photo I can see his eyelids are open but his eyes are just white. Did they maybe allow injured soldiers from the front who did not want to leave the army to serve in coastal defense units? But how could they use a blind man? To me would seem potentially most likely a case of eyes moving during a long(ish) exposure causing blurring. He has several disability and widow's pension cards at WFA/Fold3 https://www.fold3.com/search?docQuery=(filters:!((type:general.title.id,values:!((label:'UK,+WWI+Pension+Ledgers+and+Index+Cards,+1914-1923',value:'1019'),(label:British+WWI+Medal+Rolls+Index+Cards,value:'932')))),keywords:'278959,minshull',sortOrder:ALPHABETICAL) MINSHULL, Ernest, 278959 A/Sgt, RGA = born: 1873, discharged 12-6-18 variously described as having Myalgia / Articulated rheumatism thereabouts M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 57 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: Myalgia / Articulated rheumatism thereabouts He was already an army pensioner in 1914 having almost completed 21 years service. LSGC 1911 is presumably his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) 10 minutes ago, charlie962 said: He was already an army pensioner in 1914 having almost completed 21 years service. MINSHULL, Ernest, 278959 A/Sgt, RGA One of the other pension cards, the chronologically first for a disability claim in 1918, also gives an earlier/first discharge date of 22.10.12 Another pension ledger alternatively offers 1872 as his YoB - so take your pick form the MoP. M Edited 9 December , 2022 by Matlock1418 add Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said: 22 hours ago, BMB said: Third from the left, front row. Corporal Minshall. This sounds like a silly question, but is he blind? On my higher definition photo I can see his eyelids are open but his eyes are just white. Did they maybe allow injured soldiers from the front who did not want to leave the army to serve in coastal defense units? But how could they use a blind man? Expand To me Seeing your name prompts me to check pension records for Bunston in case he never served overseas due to health. There he is via WesternFrontAssoc and Fold3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Just now, charlie962 said: Seeing your name prompts me to check pension records for Bunston in case he never served overseas due to health. Yes - That's the one mentioned above. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Sorry I missed your earlier post! Many thanks. It's definitely the right man with service number neatly in the block. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 5 minutes ago, charlie962 said: with service number neatly in the block. No worries. Thought you would be happy with his number! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) Great. Here's the last man identified, courtesy Findmypast newspapers Edit- note sb DANIEL not DAVID. Western Morning News 12/2/45 Promoted Capt 1913, retired May 1914 then back into service at outbreak of war. Edited 9 December , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) I need to check if it is David as above or Daniel per 1911 census... Army List confirms Daniel. So newspaper error. Edited 9 December , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) 28 minutes ago, charlie962 said: Great. Here's the last man identified, courtesy Findmypast newspapers Western Morning News 12/2/45 ‘District Officers’ were, along with ‘Station Officers’, one of the RA officer categories, like quarter-master and riding-master, reserved for men commissioned from the ranks. They were often former warrant officers such as Master Gunners and other Specialists, but not ex Artillery Clerks, whose career path was considered too narrow to make them successful in the role. Mills’s background suggests that he had probably been an RA Armaments Artificer. Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 3 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: whose career path was considered too narrow to make them successful in the role. But experience long.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 (edited) 7 minutes ago, charlie962 said: But experience long.. Yes, it caused some resentment because they (RA Clerks) spent their whole lives working cheek by jowl with officers in headquarters’s at levels from RA brigades (now regiments) up to the artillery branches that evolved in formation [Divisional and above] headquarters, and yet were excluded from the District Officer posts. I think it is because men from technical backgrounds were preferred, but also men who had spent time around the gun lines. I can understand the logic, but it must have excluded some good and intelligent men. Edited 9 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Just posting this which I've also posted on Postcards thread. Courtesy RA Museum and Ogilby Muster. The Gunner 1927. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMB Posted 9 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2022 Isn't that Captain Mills in this photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 December , 2022 Share Posted 9 December , 2022 34 minutes ago, BMB said: Isn't that Captain Mills in this photo? I don’t think so, he looks far too young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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