Collingwood Bn deployment to MEF

[NR72]

Good afternoon all,

 

I am trying to find out whether the Collingwood Bn were deployed to Gallipoli wearing summer uniform or SD

I have the Collingwood Bn  booklet which shows photos of the companies , officers, Senior rates etc. Some Officers are wearing lightweight uniforms and Wolsleys , however most of the men are wearing SD, except  i think for D company photo , in which they are wearing Wolsleys instead of the Class 2 caps.

In the Krithia museum there is a fragment of KD material attached to a shoulder title , I dont believe an officer would have been wearing a Collingwood shoulder title , so was it  one of the men ?

Edited 1 November , 2023 by NR72

[Lawryleslie]

I have a great interest in the Collingwood Battalion RND because my Grandfather, Petty Officer Evan Thomas Ellis, was 2 I/c of B Company 3 Platoon. I have the same Collingwood Booklet and it gives no real clues to your research. However this unverified photo of the Collingwoods going over the top on 4th June May give a clue.

 

 

[NR72]

8 minutes ago, Lawryleslie said:

I have a great interest in the Collingwood Battalion RND because my Grandfather, Petty Officer Evan Thomas Ellis, was 2 I/c of B Company 3 Platoon. I have the same Collingwood Booklet and it gives no real clues to your research. However this unverified photo of the Collingwoods going over the top on 4th June May give a clue.

 

 

Thanks for your reply , do you have a photo of Evan ? Would love to see it.

I think the photo is more likely a staged one from after the battle 

I collect RND items,  just got this shoulder badge 

[Lawryleslie]

The first photo is from the local evening paper in Stoke on Trent where he lived. The 2nd photo, you will have in your booklet, Grandad is 4th row back 2nd from right with his hat cocked back. The 3rd photo is as him as a War Reserve Constable in WW2. Alongside his WW1 medal trio he also had the Special Constable Long Service Medal. BTW where did you get the Collingwood Shoulder Badge? 

Edited 2 November , 2023 by Lawryleslie

[NR72]

6 minutes ago, Lawryleslie said:

The first photo is from the local evening paper in Stoke on Trent where he lived. The 2nd photo, you will have in your booklet, Grandad is 4th row back 2nd from right with his hat cocked back. The 3rd photo is as him as a War Reserve Constable in WW2. Alongside his WW1 medal trio he also had the Special Constable Long Service Medal.

Great photos , thankyou for sharing 

[Lawryleslie]

Where did you get the Collingwood Shoulder Badge. Originals are so very rare. The only badge I have is a silver-enamel Sweetheart Badge depicting the Naval Brigade that Grandad gave to my Grandmother.

Edited 2 November , 2023 by Lawryleslie

[NR72]

21 minutes ago, Lawryleslie said:

Where did you get the Collingwood Shoulder Badge. Originals are so very rare. The only badge I have is a silver-enamel Sweetheart Badge depicting the Naval Brigade that Grandad gave to my Grandmother.

That's lovely,  never seen one like it 

Yes the shoulder titles are getting expensive,  just for one on its own its about £450 

This one took me years to find 

I run a Facebook page on the RND , would like to do a post on your grandad 

Please send me these photos to my email address if agreeable 

ww1theroyalnavaldivision@gmail.com

[horatio2]

On 29/10/2023 at 14:25, NR72 said:

I am trying to find out whether the Collingwood Bn were deployed to Gallipoli wearing summer uniform or SD

I think the answer is SD but what, exactly, do you mean by "summer uniform"?

Edited 2 November , 2023 by horatio2

[Lawryleslie]

1 hour ago, NR72 said:

That's lovely,  never seen one like it 

Yes the shoulder titles are getting expensive,  just for one on its own its about £450 

This one took me years to find 

I run a Facebook page on the RND , would like to do a post on your grandad 

Please send me these photos to my email address if agreeable 

ww1theroyalnavaldivision@gmail.com

I’ve emailed a reply. 

[NR72]

19 minutes ago, horatio2 said:

I think the answer is SD but what, exactly, do you mean by "summer uniform"?

Yes but how is it ? 

Summer uniform - KD 

[wallace2]

On 02/11/2023 at 13:07, Lawryleslie said:

I have a great interest in the Collingwood Battalion RND because my Grandfather, Petty Officer Evan Thomas Ellis, was 2 I/c of B Company 3 Platoon. I have the same Collingwood Booklet and it gives no real clues to your research. However this unverified photo of the Collingwoods going over the top on 4th June May give a clue.

 

 

Looking at this photo again it may not be of the Collingwood.

The man on the skyline, second from the right, is holding what seems to be an SMLE rifle with the long bayonet. I believe that the RND were equipped with the longer Lee Metford rifle in 1914 with the short bayonet. They supposedly were issued with the SMLE rifle after they reached France in 1916.

I recall, but cannot find a reference, that this photo is of men of the Manchester regiment.

[wallace2]

Just now, wallace2 said:

Looking at this photo again it may not be of the Collingwood.

The man on the skyline, second from the right, is holding what seems to be an SMLE rifle with the long bayonet. I believe that the RND were equipped with the longer Lee Metford rifle in 1914 with the short bayonet. They supposedly were issued with the SMLE rifle after they reached France in 1916.

I recall, but cannot find a reference, that this photo is of men of the Manchester regiment.

Correction. The Naval Battalions were issued with the Lee Metford rifle. The RM Battalions had the SMLE rifle.

[horatio2]

On 07/11/2023 at 16:37, wallace2 said:

The Naval Battalions were issued with the Lee Metford rifle. The RM Battalions had the SMLE rifle.

Rifle details are a bit of a mystery to me but in his RND narrative Able Seaman Thomas Macmillan, who deployed with Benbow Bn. (and Collingwood and Hawke Bns.) to theMEF in mid-May 1915, recorded: 

"Before leaving Blandford [10 May 1915] short Lee Enfield rifles had been served out to us and every spare hour was spent familiarising ourselves with the weapon which was to be our best friend for many months to come."  [Len Sellers' "RND", Issue 8, p.714 and IWM]

I think it can be safely assumed, therefore, that the Collingwoods, Hawkes and Benbows all landed on Gallipoli in late May equipped with the SMLE. The other naval battalions already ashore kept the older rifle.

Edited 14 November , 2023 by horatio2