garywoolhouse Posted 1 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2023 This is grandad Woolhouse (Lewis) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 1 November , 2023 Admin Share Posted 1 November , 2023 I would suggest that his Medal Roll tells us he was a Special Reservist with the Y&L - indicated by the 3/ prefix to his number (4813). He first served overseas with the 2nd Battalion Y&L and finally with the 2/4th Battalion Y&L (not the other way round). His posting to the 2/4th Bn from the 2/Bn might have occurred after a spell away from the 2/4th because e.g. of a wounding or sickness. Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 1 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2023 Thanks Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 1 November , 2023 Admin Share Posted 1 November , 2023 There are Service Records for him on FindMyPast (they should also be on Ancestry) Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 1 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2023 Thanks Will check them out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 1 November , 2023 Share Posted 1 November , 2023 (edited) 11 minutes ago, RussT said: I would suggest that his Medal Roll tells us he was a Special Reservist with the Y&L - indicated by the 3/ prefix to his number (4813). He first served overseas with the 2nd Battalion Y&L and finally with the 2/4th Battalion Y&L (not the other way round). His posting to the 2/4th Bn from the 2/Bn might have occurred after a spell away from the 2/4th because e.g. of a wounding or sickness. Regards Russ Thanks for clarifying the sequence Russ. Edited 1 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 1 November , 2023 Admin Share Posted 1 November , 2023 Just a correction to my post. He wasn't actually a SR - he volunteered to enlist in the Y&L on 23/03/1915 (3rd Bn). It seems the Y&L was one of those Regiments that was keen to prefix their men with a Battalion number - at least that Bn the man first joined, hence the 3/ prefix in his particular case. Posted BEF to the 2/Bn on 23/03/1916 Wounded (shellshock) Dec 1917 Back to Depot and then 3/Bn upon "recovery" 02/01/1918 Posted BEF 2/4th Bn 30/01/1918 He was wounded (GSW right thigh) again 27/08/1918. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 1 November , 2023 Share Posted 1 November , 2023 7 minutes ago, RussT said: Just a correction to my post. He wasn't actually a SR - he volunteered to enlist in the Y&L on 23/03/1915 (3rd Bn). It seems the Y&L was one of those Regiments that was keen to prefix their men with a Battalion number - at least that Bn the man first joined, hence the 3/ prefix in his particular case. Posted BEF to the 2/Bn on 23/03/1916 Wounded (shellshock) Dec 1917 Back to Depot and then 3/Bn upon "recovery" 02/01/1918 Posted BEF 2/4th Bn 30/01/1918 He was wounded (GSW right thigh) again 27/08/1918. Russ Joining on Regular Army terms and conditions then. His enlistment with and subsequent return to 3rd Battalion during periods of ineffectiveness typical of that type of engagement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 1 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2023 WOW Thankyou so much , you realy know your stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewSid Posted 1 November , 2023 Share Posted 1 November , 2023 So the last picture shows two wound stripes and one of the machines gun corps qualification badges on his arm.. Machine gun teams were initially formed organically out of each infantry battalion. In time they were separated and became part of the Machine Gun Corps. Did your relative join the MGC? With his full name and service number we can likely understand more? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 2 November , 2023 Admin Share Posted 2 November , 2023 I have merged this and the 8th KOYLI thread as there was duplicate information on both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, AndrewSid said: So the last picture shows two wound stripes and one of the machines gun corps qualification badges on his arm.. Machine gun teams were initially formed organically out of each infantry battalion. In time they were separated and became part of the Machine Gun Corps. Did your relative join the MGC? With his full name and service number we can likely understand more? Andy They weren’t specifically Machine Gun Corps (MGC) insignia Andrew, but fell into the category of skill-at-arms badges, of which there were several. Initially there was just the MG badge for machine guns in general, but later it was joined by LG and HG for the Lewis and Hotchkiss guns. As you say, in the early part of the war there was a machine gun section in each infantry battalion, commanded by a subaltern supported by a sergeant, and the men within the section commonly wore a badge once they were qualified by instruction. These guns subsequently transferred to the MGC, often, but not in every case, along with their men. The photo shows @garywoolhouse grandfather wearing the uniform of 2/4th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment and, as we know from the data extracted by RussT above that this was after 30 Jan 18, then we can assume with quite strong confidence that the badge seen on the arm is a LG for the Lewis Gun trained men. Edited 2 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 Ref the last photo. I`ve handled a LG but never fired one but the position of the butt looks dubious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, PhilB said: Ref the last photo. I`ve handled a LG but never fired one but the position of the butt looks dubious? He’s not firing it Phil, just looking at the ‘sight picture’ (aligning along the folded rear and foresight onto a distant object). From a trench it’s usually done to check the ground clearance from a potential firing point, and thus a part of the usual siting (positioning) process. Edited 2 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 2 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2023 Great pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 (edited) 2 minutes ago, garywoolhouse said: Great pictures I thought you might like to get an impression of how your grandfather was likely to have looked with a Lewis Gun. Edited 2 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 (edited) 16 hours ago, garywoolhouse said: My grandfather was in the 8th koyli would there war diaries be in there or different as he was in vickers team These men are indeed KOYLI and Lewis gunners. Presumably a different grandfather? Your original two threads have been merged and so I’m unclear if you’re talking about the same man being in both, KOYLI and Y&L ? Edited 2 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 2 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2023 No Grandad Duce was koyli 8bn Grandad Woolhouse was york and lancashire Cheers 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 (edited) 3 minutes ago, garywoolhouse said: No Grandad Duce was koyli 8bn Grandad Woolhouse was york and lancashire Cheers 😊 Thanks, understood. Then everything mentioned earlier stands. If your grandfather Duce was definitely trained originally on the Vickers gun, then it suggests a time early in the war when the infantry battalions still had Vickers guns that were subsequently all transferred over to the Machine Gun Corps. Edited 2 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 2 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2023 I think grandad Duce stayed with the 8bn koyli or maybe not , it's a little confusing 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 1 minute ago, garywoolhouse said: I think grandad Duce stayed with the 8bn koyli or maybe not , it's a little confusing 😊 What does his medal roll entry say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 (edited) 7 minutes ago, garywoolhouse said: I think grandad Duce stayed with the 8bn koyli or maybe not , it's a little confusing 😊 Walter DUCE, 8/13469, KOYLI - Discharged 20/7/18 GSW Shoulder - Pension claimed As to a pension - from last unit = KOYLI M Edited 2 November , 2023 by Matlock1418 bn prefix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 2 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2023 Ye found his war records form B 2067/2079 in a pay type book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2023 Share Posted 2 November , 2023 3 minutes ago, garywoolhouse said: Ye found his war records form B 2067/2079 in a pay type book You should treasure that! It’s a fantastic time capsule and so evocative of a WW1 soldier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garywoolhouse Posted 2 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2023 Ye it will be , I have my father's from ww2 aswell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now