Officers, 279th Party, School of Musketry Photograph

[FROGSMILE]

43 minutes ago, PRC said:

I believe it's him as well and certainly does make it easier to do a comparison

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owner(s).

How many other golden nuggets have you got squirrelled away - don't let @FROGSMILE know where you live!

Cheers,
Peter

Ha ha, yes it does look like there are more wonderful old photos to see.  Am looking forward to more of them mrfrank🤞

[PRC]

36 - Cusack Grant Forsyth. Lt  2^nd Battalion, Yorkshire  Regiment, at the time of the course. Killed in action 14^th September 1916 – but shown as 2^nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers attached 6^th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment on CWGC. 

Died aged 29 and buried at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood, France. D.S.O., Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Son of Ellen Sanford Forsyth, of Ashley House, Lillington Avenue, Leamington Spa, and the late Lt. Col. Frederick Arthur Forsyth. The original grave registration records him as O.C. 6^th Yorks. The entry in the original cemetery register has Northumberland Fusiliers crossed through, but then subsequently someone has written “Northumberland Fus” between his entry and the next one.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/185045/cusack-grant-forsyth/

Cusack was originally commissioned in the Yorkshire Regiment. (London Gazette, August 28, 1906, near the top of the left hand column). https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27944/page/5871/data.pdf

Military Service Information

    29 Aug 1906 - Commissioned to 2nd Lt
    12 May 1909 - Promoted to Lt
    12 Apr 1912 - Appointed Adjutant
    30 Oct 1914 - Promoted to Captain/Adjutant (Gazette)
    25 Sep 1915 - Wounded in action at Hulloch during the Battle of Loos
    14 Jan 1916 - Promoted to Major (Gazette)
The Battalion war diary for that day is transcribed below:

12 noon. The morning was very quiet. 32 reinforcements from base depot. A further detailed order for the preposed attack in the afternoon was received.

5.30pm. Companies and Battn Headqtrs were in their respective battle positions.

6.30pm. Artillery put barrage on Turk Street [Trenches]
6.33pm. Front attacking wave of D company left assembly trench 78-68 and assaulted enemy trench 91-69. The enemy trench had been untouched by our artillery and the attacking force was met by heavy rifle and grenade fire. Part of the attacking force reached the objective. One platoon West Yorkshire Regt was sent up to reinforce at 91. At about midnight trench 91-69 was gained by bombing down. A bombing block was established at about 70 yards from 91 Post. The enemy made three violent bombing attacks which were successfully repulsed.

Casualties in night operations: Lt Col Forsyth; 2nd Lt C.E Hurst killed. Capt J K Earl, 2nd Lt T T Shipman wounded & 2nd Lt Macfarlane wounded and missing. 130 other rank casualties.

Brother of John Cusack Forsyth and Samuel Sanford Forsyth who also fell and Frederick Richard Forsyth who was seriously wounded but survived. A fourth brother, Arthur Forsyth died of malaria in Northern Nigeria in 1909 whilst serving with the African Frontier Force.
Source: https://www.swfhs.org.uk/index.php/war-memorial-transcriptions/war-memorial-transcritions-a-d/brinklow-war-memorial/16-the-men-who-fell-in-ww1/2575-ltcol-gc-forsyth

I’ve tried to less the visual impact of the damage on this part of the Musketry Party within the limits of the software available to me.

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Picture sources.

[a] Malvern College Roll of Honour
http://www.stanwardine.com/malvernww1/pdf/MalvROHForsyth_CG.pdf

[b] The British Empire
https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/yorkshireregimentforsyth.htm

[c] ww1-yorkshires org uk
https://www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk/html-files/photos-f.htm

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

37 – Charles William Frizell, Lt 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment at the time of the course. Survivied the war and died in 1951.

Born 7^th January 1888. Attended Rossall School 1903-1906, then the Royal Military College. Received Military Cross 1915, Distinguished Service Order 1917. By the end of the Great War was a Temporary Brigadier General \ Lieutenant Colonel. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1263935

Nothing obvious via the Ogilby Muster.
But on the Museum website he is included;
In a picture of the officers of the 1^st Battalion when he was a Second Lieutenant. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=6890&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=32811&keywords=Frizell

In a picture of the Officers of the 1^st Battalion in Ireland in 1908 as a Lieutenant.
https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=6906&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31890&keywords=Frizell

As a member of the Battalion Cricket team which won the Curragh District Cup in 1908. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31875&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=55376&keywords=Frizell

As a member of the Battalion Cricket team which competed in the Curragh District Cup in 1909. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31887&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31891&keywords=Frizell

Winners of the Curragh Garrison Cup in 1909 (Cricket). https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=32822&keywords=Frizell

1^st Battalion Hockey Team - winners of the Curragh District League in the 1908-1909 season https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=32825&keywords=Frizell

With the Battalion hockey team that won the Army Hockey Championship in Dublin in 1910. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31892&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=32823&keywords=Frizell

1^st Battalion Cricket Team, winners of the Curragh Garrison Cricket Cup, 1910 https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=54281&keywords=Frizell

1^st Battalion Officers at Dover in 1911 as a 2^nd Lieutenant. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31896&keywords=Frizell Or https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=31900&keywords=Frizell

1^st Battalion, D Company May 1912. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=55322&keywords=Frizell

With the winning Battalion Machine Gun section of in the Eastern Command competiton  competiton at Aldershot in 1913. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=7112&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=55344&keywords=Frizell

In a picture of the Officers of the 1^st Battalion at Aldershot in August 1914 as a Lieutenant. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=6911&keywords=Frizell and https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=25709&keywords=Frizell

And as the Adjutant of the 1^st Battalion with some of the other officers, taken while out of the line in 1915. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/collection/detail?id=27556&keywords=Frizell

Unfortunately only available by purchase.

British Newspaper Archive has some mentions of him including a marriage in October 1915 Miss Nancy Tulloch Denny at the Chapel Royal, Savoy – but none that obviously have pictures.

His MiC shows he landed in France with the 1^st Battalion on the 11th August 1914.

Post war career
1929-1932 Commanding Officer 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
1932-1934 Instructor at Senior Officers' School Sheerness
1934-1936 Commanding Officer 3rd Indian brigade
1936 Retired
2^nd September 1939 – 1940. General Staff Officer 1, Northern Ireland District
Died 2^nd December 1951. https://generals.dk/general/Frizell/Charles_William/Great_Britain.html

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

38 - Lyall Brandreth, Major 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers and School of Musketry staff at the time of the course. Killed in Action on the 6^th June 1915 with the 2^nd Battalion.

Has no known grave and is remembered on the Helles Memorial. Aged 46 at the time of his death, he was the son of the late Admiral Sir Thomas Brandreth, K.C.B.; husband of Clare Rosabelle Briggs Brandreth, of "Fairmount," Hillcrest Rd., Hythe, Kent. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/699266/lyall-brandreth/

@Bob Davies has already posted a picture of him back on page 4 which I’ve used as source [a]

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Picture Sources.

[a] Imperial War Museum reference HU 114277 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205291033

[b] 285th Musketry Party, Hythe, in June 1912 posted by our very own @mrfrank   https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/247928-group-photo-officers-285th-party-school-of-musketry-hythe/

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

39 – Ronald Foster Forbes,  Lt  3rd Battalion Highland Light Infantry at the time of the course. Survived the war and died in 1936 – stated to be from the effects of Great War service.

 

@Bob Davies advised on page 6 that in the 1914 Harts listing for Ronald Foster Forbes he was shown on the strength of the 2^nd Battalion but serving as A.D.C. to Sir G. Strickland, K.C.M.G, Govenor New South Wales. Ronald was commissioned 2^nd Lieutenant on the 4^th May 1901, promoted Lieutenant on the 9^th June 1906, and Captain 12^th June 1912.

However Ronald’s “War Services” in the 1902 edition of Harts shows “Second Lieutenant Forbes served in the South Africah War in 1899-1900 with the Wing of the 4^th Battalion Scottish Rifles under Lt. Colonel Johnstone, and took part in the operations in the Orange River Country including the surrender of General Prinsloo.”
https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/100617902?mode=transcription

So sounds like he may have been a Militia Officer who volunteered for overseas service. A list of subsequent deaths of officers who served in the in the Anglo-Boer War records he passed away in October 1936 in London, having served with the “Scottish Rifles Militia” during the conflict. https://www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/30503-abw-related-deaths-and-graves-in-the-british-isles

Officer 39 appears to be wearing one medal ribbon.

According to reports in various regional newspapers Ronald married a Joan Rosita Torr in early October 1911 at Swinderby, Lincolnshire. Their divorce in June 1917 generated a great deal of column inches. She would go on to be an adventurer, travel writer and documemtary filmmaker, having served as an ambulance driver in France during the war. He was described as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Highland Light Infantry, and his address was given as the Caledonian Club, St. James Square, London. Ronald did not contest his wifes petition for divorce.

Few examples from June 1917 courtesy The British Newspaper Archive.

 

For more on the extraordinary life of Rosita Forbes see as a start:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosita_Forbes
https://www.axiospress.com/bookstore/from-the-sahara-to-samarkand/
https://archive.org/details/fromsaharatosama0000forb

The Medal Index Card for R.F. Forbes, subsequently B.S.O. and O.B.E., shows him landing in France on the 13^th May 1915 serving with the 10/11^th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry as a Captain. Subsequent promotions saw him serve as Major and Lieutenant Colonel. It looks like he may have applied for his medals in 1924, at which point his contact addresses were [1] Caledonian Club,  St. James Square, (London), S.W; and [2] Rothiemay Castle, Banffshire.

The 1917 News Years Honours List shows him awarded the D.S.O. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1917_New_Year_Honours

The 1919 Birthday Honours saw Major Ronald Foster Forbes, D.S.O. , Highland Light Infantry, awared the O.B.E. (Military Division). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_Birthday_Honours_(OBE)

While checking out the Forbes family residing at Rothiemay Castle I came across a picture online of a family gathering there in 1922 which includes Colonel Ronald Forbes, D.S.O. (see picture source [a] )

 

So comparing Colonel Ronald Forbes with Officer 39 looks like this:-

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remained with the current owners.

Picture Sources:

 

[a] https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/people/peopchar/colourful-characters-8

The death of the 55 year old Ronald Foster Forbes was registered in the Croydon District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1936.

From The Times, dated Monday November 2^nd, 1936.

Colonel Ronald Foster Forbes, D.S.O., late Highland Light Infantry, died last week at the age of 55, of the effects of his long service in the front line in the War. Though he was not wounded, he was buried by a shell and never recovered his health.

He was born on May 19, 1881, the son of the late Colonel John Forbes, of Rothiemay, Banffshire, and brother of Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Forbes, now of Rothienay. He joined the Army for the South African war, and served in the Scottish Rifle Militia, being present in several actions in the Free State, and then was commissioned to the Regular Army in the Highland Light Infantry. He was at the Depot of his regiment on the outbreak of the late war, went to the front with the New Army, and soon received command of his battalion of the H.L.I. He had the distinction of being one of the very few officers who served in the front line throughout the whole four years of the war, and eventually commanded a brigade. He was mentioned six times, was awarded the D.S.O. and bar, and was made an O.B.E. for his services. After the Armistice he was Colonel Commandant of a district. He married first Rosita, daughter of Mr. H.J. Torr, of Morton Hall, Lincolnshire, and secondly Sylvia, daughter of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Leslie, of Balquhain, Aberdeenshire. He leaves one son and two daughters.

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 17 February by PRC
Typo

[FROGSMILE]

Indisputable visual matches on these last three officers Peter, and brilliant work by you in drawing together all the sources of information so compellingly.  Kudos to you for your sterling efforts.

Edited 17 February by FROGSMILE

[mrfrank]

39 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Indisputable visual matches on these last three officers Peter, and brilliant work by you in drawing together all the sources of information so compellingly.  Kudos to you for your sterling efforts.

I’d just like to second Bob’s post Peter and add a big thank you for your sterling efforts in unearthing great information & background on these individuals. Just framed the image in an attempt to avoid any further damage. Just need to find some wall space now! 
Mike 

 

[PRC]

41 – William Wallace Smith Cunninghame,  Lt 2nd Life Guards at the time of the course. Survived the war and died in 1959.

According to his timeline on the Lives of the First World War website his surname was spelt CUNINGHAME, he was educated Eton and the Royal Military College (Sandhurst). He married an Ella Ferguson in 1918. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1054673

Born 18^th May 1889, Ayrshire.
Died 5^th July 1959, aged 70, in Ayrshire.

Title – 16^th of Caprington, surname spelt “Cuninghame” https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smith_Cuninghame-2

Couldn’t spot anything obvious in the Eton College online archive under either surname spelling.

Admitted to the Royal Company of Archers in 1911. Fought in the first world war where he was wounded twice and was mentioned in despatches. He reached the rank of Major with the 10^th Scottish Rifles, and then Lieutenant Colonel with the 9^th Battalion Cheshire Regiment and 1^st Battalion, King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. Received the DSO in 1918. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of Ayrshire in 1922.  He held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Ayrshire in 1929. (Surname spelt “Cuninghame”) https://www.facebook.com/clancunninghamintl.org/posts/clan-cunningham-familyclan-branchesthe-cuninghames-of-capringtonthe-ancient-scot/1703884799851416/

The 1911 edition of Harts Annual Army List records Lieutenant W W S “Cuninghame” serving with the 2^nd Life Guards. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on the 19^th September 1908 amd promoted Lieutenant on the 6^th January 1909. The 2^nd Life Guards commenced the year stationed at Hyde Park. https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/100801789

The 1911 Census of England & Wales, taken on the 2^nd April, records a Lieutenant William Wallace Smith “Cuninghame”, aged 22 and born London, in barracks with the 2^nd Life Guards at Knightsbridge, London.

The MiC shows Captain W.W.S. Cuninghame first landed in France on the 8^th October 1914, serving with the 2^nd Life Guards. He would go on to received the D.S.O. His post war address was c\o the 2^nd Life Guards, Combermere Barracks, Windsor.

William was also mentioned in despatches, appearing in the London Gazette dated 20^th December 1918. He was shown serving with the Guards M.G.R. (possibly Machine Gun Regiment?)

I did come across pictures of groups of Officers of the 2^nd Life Guards dating to 1913/1914 but none was a formal shot of all of the officers. None of the groups included Cuninghame. It may a total co-incidence but in one of the April 1914 editions of The Tatler, there is a reference to an investigation being carried out by the Army into an incident of the “ragging” of a junior officer at the 2^nd Life Guards that had gotten out of hand. Although details then were unknown, the opinion of the writer was that this sort of thing was all good clean fun and that the young officer on the receipt of it should man up rather than bleating to the authorities!

So for now no pictures of William.

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

46 – Horace Akroyd Case,  Captain 1^st Battalion,  Dorsetshire Regiment at the time of the course – which he failed. Survived the war and died in 1968.

This is another individual on the Musketry Party course who ends up with a webpage on the “Europeans in East Africa” website, although unfortunately this time without a picture.

Horace Akroyd Case.
Birth Date: 23.4.1879 Henley-on-Thames. Son of James Case.
School: Derby School, Cambridge University. Pensioner at QUEENS', entered Michalmas, 1898
Entered the Army from Cambridge University 1900; served with the Dorsetshire Regiment in South Africa 1900-1902 and in England 1902-06 and with 1st KAR in British East Africa 1906 as a Subaltern; in Somaliland, 1908-10.
In the Great War (Lieut.-Col., Dorset Regt.; wounded; three times mentioned in despatches; Brevet Lieut.-Col.).
Local Colonel,  KAR, Commanded Southern Brigade, East Africa 1929-33. Re-employed 1939-45.
D.S.O., 1917. C.M.G., 1919. C.B.E., 1927.
Married: In London 1911 Enid Edington Green b. 25 Mar 1890 S. Africa, d.1940 Africa.
Children: Hermione Lesley (20 Sep 1912-2011); Anthony Ufton (29 Apr 1914 London-1994); Death Date: 29 Apr 1968 North Berwick
https://www.europeansineastafrica.co.uk/_site/custom/database/default.asp?a=viewIndividual&pid=2&person=19961

A death notice in the edition of The Daily Telegraph dated 2^nd May 1968, as Colonel Horace Ackroyd Case adds that he commanded the 9^th Infantry Brigade in 1919.

The 1927 C.B.E. (Military Division) award lists him as Lieutenant-Colonel Horace Ackroyd Case, CMG, DSO, Regular Army Reserve of Officers, The Dorsetshire Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding 6th (Tanganyika Territory) Battalion, the King's African Rifles. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10149412

The Gazette entry adds “Officer Commanding, Troops, Tanganyika Territory”. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/14345/page/649/data.pdf

The birth of a Horace AKROYD Case, mothers’ maiden name Starling, was registered with the civil authorities in the Wokingham District of Berkshire in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1879.

On the 1881 Census of England & Wales recorded at Bird Farm, Midgham, Berkshire as Horace A. Case, aged 1 and born Wargrave, Henley on Thames, Berkshire. This was the household of parents James, (31, born Liverpool, No occupation) and Maria J., (aged 34, born Hampstead, Middlesex). The couple have five other children living with them, including the 6 month old Joseph, born Midgham. The household was supported by four live in servants.

By the time of the 1891 Census of England & Wales the 11 year old Horace A. Chase, and like his siblings shown as born Reading, Berkshire, was recorded living at Greylands, Hatfield Lane, Eastbourne, Sussex. Head of the household is his married mother Maria J. born Hampstead but now stated to be aged 47. Perhaps she and James were estranged. Maria is shown as living on own means and has 5 other children living with her.

If he was serving out in Africa at the time of the 1901 Censuses, I would not expect him to appear. He certainly doesn’t seem to be recorded in either England & Wales, or Scotland.

The 1911 edition of Hart’s Annual Army List has Captain Horace Akroyd Chase on the Officer establishment of the Dorsetshire Regiment, but serving with the Kings African Rifles since the 8^th June 1906. He was originally commissioned 17^th February 1900, promoted Lieutenant on the 13^th July 1901 and Captain on the 1^st April 1909. https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/100805233

This may potentially explain his absence from the 1911 Censuses. His mother, the 65 year old widow Maria Josephine Case, was recorded as the head of the household at The Lodge, Husborne Crawley, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire. Two of her unmarried daughters reside with her.

The marriage of a Horace A. Chase to an Enid E. Green was recorded in the St George Hanover Square District of London in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1911.

The birth of daughter Hermione L. Case was recorded in the Army Returns for 1912 at Poona.

The birth of an Anthony Ufton Case, mothers’ maiden name Green, was registered in the St George Hanover Square District of London in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1914.

The Medal Index Card for Major Horace Akroyd Case shows him first landing in Mesopotamia on the 30^th November 1915. His unit however is shown as “Dorset Reinforcements” – presumably intended to bring the 2^nd Battalion back up to strength after their recent campaigning towards Baghdad. It seems likely he didn’t catch up with them and the rest of the troops under General Townshend before they became besieged in Kut-el-Amara.

“During the siege at Kut, a composite battalion, composed of returned wounded and other details from the 2nd Dorsets and 2nd Norfolks, was formed at El Orah. It was called the “English Composite Battalion” or the “Norsets” and was under command of the 21st Indian Brigade, 7th Indian Division. It was broken up on 21 July 1916 and the 2nd Dorsets re-established. It transferred to 9th Indian Brigade*, 3rd (Lahore) Division in January 1917 and moved to Egypt in April 1918.” https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/dorsetshire-regiment/

*I wonder of this was the “9^th Brigade” that Horace was in command of in 1919.

I took a look at the War Diary of the “English Composite Battalion” which covers from February to July 1916. When the original Battalion commander, Major H.A. Carroll, fell ill on the 1^st March 1916, the role was taken over by Major Lanyon, of the Norfolk Regiment. When Lanyon in turn fell ill on the 7^th, Major H.A. Case, 2^nd Dorsets, took command and remained in command until the 29^th June 1916 when he had to be evacuated to hospital. The same day the Norfolks left to reform their 2^nd Battalion on a provisional basis. Major Case returned on the 6^th July and resumed command until the Battalion was disbanded on the 16^th.

His MiC shows him reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and that he was awarded the D.S.O. and C.M.G.  The contact information on the back, (GHQ EEF and his bank in London) gives no clue as to where he might be living.

On the 1921 Census of England & Wales a Horace “Akroad” Case, born Twyford, Berkshire c1879, appears on an Army return. Wife Enid Edington, (born Johannesburg, South Africa c1893), daughter “Hermine” Leslie, (born Poona, c1912) and Anthony Ufton, (born Westminster, London, c1914) were recorded in a household at Woking, Surrey. However there is also a Horace “Allrough” Case, born Twyford, Berkshire, c1879 recorded in the same household.

More detail will be available by purchase \ subscription.

But unfortunately no pictures.

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

Dear @FROGSMILE,

It may be possible to identify the NCO's in the picture. To kick things off I really would appreciate it if you could cast your eyes over the six men and tell me anything about the ranks  \qualifications \ service that can be gleaned from the images. (Apologies for the low grade repair on the damge done by the tear.)

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

On 19/02/2024 at 00:04, PRC said:

Dear @FROGSMILE,

It may be possible to identify the NCO's in the picture. To kick things off I really would appreciate it if you could cast your eyes over the six men and tell me anything about the ranks  \qualifications \ service that can be gleaned from the images. (Apologies for the low grade repair on the damge done by the tear.)

Cheers,
Peter

I’m happy to give what details I can Peter, but the visual evidence really gives us only badges of rank and appointment and a few medal ribbons.  I must also add the caveat that the extant clothing regulations laying down detail were those issued in 1909, which I do not have and that as far as I know have never been republished.  However, the facsimiles that I do possess, for 1894 and 1914, respectively, do give most of what we need and where there is a question mark or clause I will mention it.

Looking at your two photograph extracts above and starting with the upper one, instructors from left to right are:

42.  Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry with arm obscuring any medal ribbons that there might be.  This is the most junior rank in the corps#, achieved upon successful transfer, and indicates that the man concerned would have transferred in, most commonly from an infantry regiment (although cavalry and some other arms were not ineligible), within the last two years.  Promotion was dictated by time tempered by ability (which in reality meant not doing anything wrong).  The shoulder title was -SofM. 

43.  Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor (QMSI)¥ School of Musketry.  This was the most senior level instructor below warrant officer.  There were generally few of the latter, depending upon how many outstations there might be, so the QMSI was the bedrock of experience among instructional staff (as they were known collectively).  This level of instructor would usually have at least 6-years experience at the school.  He appears to have two ribbons, probably the QSA and KSA.

44.  Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.  As 43 above for status.  This man had no medal ribbons so although highly experienced as an instructor he had no operational experience to speak of.  A point to note is that this rank (i.e. including 43 above) was reclassified as a warrant officer of the new 2nd class in May 1915.

As regards photo extract two (lowermost), the instructors from left to right were:

45.  Colour Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry*.  I believe it’s likely that this was the rank and appointment that applied with effect from the 1909 clothing regulations.  This rank level generally indicates a man with at least four years instructional experience at the school. He appears to have the ribbon of the KSA. 

46.  Colour Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.  As 45 above.  This man’s unfastened breast pocket obscures any potential medal ribbons that he might have. 

47.  Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry (as per 42 above).  He does not appear to have any medal ribbons.

¥ in 1881 this rank was designated 1st Class Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry

# in 1894 this rank was designated 3rd Class Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.

* in 1894 this rank was titled 2nd Class Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.  By 1914 it had been redesignated Company Sergeant Major School of Musketry and, in 1915, became a warrant officer class two, as mentioned in connection with the QMSI above.

NB. This corps is of some particular interest to me as I served within its linear successor between 1984-1990.  The transfer process involved a probationary period in two phases.  In phase one the candidate instructor received personal mentoring under a senior instructor (a QMSI) and taught several lessons per day under supervision.  For phase two the candidate instructor was allocated a squad of students and took all lessons, with his mentor observing and providing feedback.  Upon successful completion of the phase two course with the mentor content and supportive the full transfer was ratified.  This methodology remained unchanged from the Corps inception, with documentary records and photographic evidence going back to the 1860s.  Training course schedules were intensive and unrelenting, so that within a few years instructors like those seen were well developed and knowledgeable, they were also marksmen of the highest order.  The corps was also responsible for all small arms weapons trials up to and including the machine gun.  The school staff in 1905 can be seen below.  The insignia at the time was a Royal cypher on the cap, plain universal crowns as collar badges and metal crossed rifles with slings surmounted by a crown as shoulder titles.
 

 

 

Edited 9 March by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:

I’m happy to give what details I can Peter, but the visual evidence really gives us only badges of rank and appointment and a few medal ribbons.  I must also add the caveat that the extant clothing regulations laying down detail were those issued in 1909, which I do not have and that as far as I know have never been republished.  However, the facsimiles that I do possess, for 1894 and 1914, respectively do give most of what we need and where there is a question mark I will mention it.

Looking at your two photograph extracts above and starting with the upper one, instructors from left to right are:

42.  Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry with arm obscuring any medal ribbons that there might be.  This is the most junior rank in the corps#, achieved upon successful transfer, and indicates that the man concerned would have transferred in, most commonly from an infantry regiment (although cavalry and some other arms were not ineligible), within the last two years.  Promotion was dictated by time tempered by ability (which in reality meant not doing anything wrong).

43.  Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor (QMSI) School of Musketry.  This was the most senior level instructor below warrant officer.  There were generally few of the latter, depending upon how many outstations there might be.  This level of instructor would usually have at least 6-years experience at the school.  He appears to have to ribbons, probably the QSA and KSA.

44.  Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.  As 43 above for status.  This man had no medal ribbons so although highly experienced as an instructor he had no operational experience to speak of.  A point to note is that this rank (i.e. including 2 above) was reclassified as a warrant officer of the new 2nd class in 1915.

As regards photo extract two (lowermost), the instructors from left to right were:

45.  Colour Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry*.  I think it’s likely that this was the rank and appointment that applied with effect from the 1909 clothing regulations.  This rank level generally indicates a man with at least four years instructional experience at the school. He appears to have the ribbon of the KSA. 

46.  Colour Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.  As 45 above.  This man’s unfastened breast pocket obscures any potential medal ribbons that he might have. 

47.  Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry (as per 42 above).  He does not appear to have any medal ribbons.

# in 1894 this rank was designated 3rd Class Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.

* in 1894 this rank was titled 2nd Class Sergeant Instructor School of Musketry.  In 1914 it was redesignated Company Sergeant Major School of Musketry and, in 1915, became a warrant officer class two, as mentioned in connection with the QMSI above. 
 

Very helpful indeed.

Using a variety of search terms , including Sergeant \ Serjeant variations, the senior NCOs I can find recorded in the Hythe area and giving their unit as the School of Musketry gives the following establishment

1 x Warrant Officer \ Sergeant Major
1 x Warrant Officer \ Superintending Clerk
4 x Quartermaster Sergeant Instructors
1 x Company Sergeant Major Instructor
3 x Sergeant Instructors

- there is also an Armourer Sergeant, Army Ordnance Corps.

And going from your rank identifications above we have:-

2 x Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor (43), (44)
2 x Colour Sergeant Majors (45), (46)
2 x Sergeant Instructors (42), (47)

As the Census was taken on the 2nd April and the course completed on the 18th November I doubt there was too much change of staff. From what you've written it's also possible that one of the Sergeant Instructors had done enough time in the intervening seven months to be promoted Colour Serjeant \ Company Sergeant Major Instructor.

Potentially we are looking at 6 out of a possible 8 SNCO Instructors being present in the photograph. What I can't be sure of is if any of the instructors were away from the area - on leave/in hospital, etc. However the fact that all bar one of the married men were still recorded as being in barracks on the night of the census and factoring in that if they were stationed there long term it might make more sense for them to be living out with their families, then that to me suggests that maybe there was a course on at that time, making leave unlikely. One of the pictures from Hythe posted by @mrfrank in another thread is of a course in April 1912, so April/May, July/August and October/November may have been a regular cycle.

I've mused previously that these are exactly the kinds of SNCO's the British Army would have commissioned in the early months of the war. Certainly that was the case with the Warrant Officer \ Sergeant Major. A subsequent obituary for him records that he was transferred as an instructor to Hythe in 1896, so likely that once there many of the instructors would have stayed.

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 19 February by PRC
Typos

[FROGSMILE]

It’s only numbers 45 and 46 where I was unsure of their appointment because it’s unclear, without sight of 1909 Clothing Regulations, as to exactly when Company Sergeant Major Instructor was introduced.  If the census specifically mentions that rank then it must already have been established by that year.

I completely agree with you regarding the number of instructors that would have been commissioned over the course of the war.  In addition large numbers of retired permanent staff instructors from the volunteer battalions, and university and college OTCs, were taken on as instructors wearing the school of musketry badge, despite the fact that in many cases they had left the Army during the black powder era and were far from up-to-date with some of the modern developments.  Nevertheless, they were the right men to pick things up fairly quickly, and filled gaps at the many musketry school outstations that virtually exploded into life.

As well as Hythe, a school was established at Bisley via the National Rifle Association#, and each of the Regional Commands had its own school by 1917 - Irish Command even with its own badge.  In addition, there were schools in Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia (often with their own discrete badge), plus aligned outstations within Britain at their respective centres of gravity (such as Tidworth for the AIF school).  Last but not least India, with its vast expanse, established several such schools to adequately support each of the three Presidencies plus the NWF, generally in locations unaffected by the hot season so that courses could be run regardless of climate.

Hythe then was the hub of this enormous wheel of influence, although how much practical input it had was limited by the contemporary communications capabilities, and the various disparate chains of command, although there were a few Hythe instructors posted to each**.  Nevertheless, officers and NCOs qualified at these schools spread their wisdom.  Ideas, recommendations and policies were exchanged, and written communications in the form of manuals and pamphlets eventually became well established, not least due to the adequate funding and concentration of minds brought about by the demands of the war.

Afternote:  I have found references to Company Sergeant Major Instructor, School of Musketry, as early as 1908, so whenever it was introduced must have been after the 1894 Clothing Regulations and before the 1909 ones.  I do not know if there was an intermediate iteration of the regulations between those dates but it seems probable, perhaps after the Boer War.

SofM Canada - Ottawa and Montreal.

SofM South Africa - Bloemfontein, then Tempe.

SofM New Zealand - Trentham.

SofM Australia - Enogerra and Randwick.

SofM India:

1. Deolali.

2. Changla Gali, then Bellary.

3. Pachmarhi.

4. Satara.

SofM Irish Command - Dollymount, Clontarf, Dublin (on the Royal Golf course there).

SofM Scottish Command - St Andrews and Barry Camp, Fife.

SofM Eastern Command - Hythe.

SofM Western Command - Altcar Camp.

SofM Southern Command - Hayling Island.

SofM Northern Command - Strensall Camp.

SofM Aldershot Command - Thornhill Camp (postwar renamed ‘Clayton’ Bks).

Chelsea School of Instruction London District - Wimbledon Common.

A complete timetable from the Southern Command School of Musketry for a 40 hour course of training for instructors over a period of 8 days covered the following topics:-  Trigger operation;  Aiming Instruction;  Firing Instruction; Care of Arms; Visual Training; Judging Distance; Mechanism; Tests of Elementary training; Miniature (sub-calibre) Range Work; Indication and Recognition of Targets; Fire Orders; Fire Discipline; and Use of Cover.  In addition to training musketry instructors, training was also given for the Hotchkiss Machine Gun.

#Specifically in order to certificate as instructors those past the normal age for military service, in order that they could train the New Armies and burgeoning OTCs.

**Frank Bourne, the former Colour Sergeant of Rorkes Drift frame, was adjutant and quartermaster of the South African SofM as a Major following a 10-year spell in the same role at Hythe.

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 February by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

On the night of the 2^nd April 1911 when the Census was taken, a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Thomas Head Raddall, School of Musketry, was recorded  in barracks at Marine Ward, Hythe. At the same location were recorded a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Henry Edward Chaney, Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Harry Mansfield Lee, Company Sergeant Major George Few  - all School of Musketry – and an Armourer Staff Sergeant Robert Harry Brown, of the Army Ordnance Corps.

Thomas was aged 34, married and born Farnborough, Hampshire.

The birth of a Thomas Head Raddall was registered in the Hartley Wintney District, (which covered Aldershot and Farnborough), in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1877.

Wikipedia records him as born 9^th December 1876.[1]

There is quite a bit about him online, but a comprehensive narrative has been provided by a blog post so I’ll unashamedly use the core of that for the purpose of providing background.

Thomas Head Raddall senior was born in Hampshire on 6 December 1876, the only son of another Thomas, a draper’s assistant, and his wife Eleanor. He had four sisters.

His father seems to have had a nervous breakdown, attributed to alcohol abuse. The family left Hampshire and moved to West Ham. Young Thomas worked as a cashier in an office near St Paul’s Cathedral, where he ate his lunchtime sandwich each day until when he was just fourteen or fifteen, he enlisted in the Royal Marines as a drummer boy and was sent to the Royal Marines depot at Deal. He stayed there until just before his eighteenth birthday and during this time he met Ellen Marion Gifford (Nellie) of nearby Eastry, who was to become his wife.

He then enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Portsmouth Division on 18 October 1892 and saw service in the Far East from 1896 to 1900, cruising between Hong Kong, Weihaiwei in the north-east of China and Kobe and Nagasaki in Japan. Back in the UK, he married his Nellie on 23 September 1900 at Eastry.[2]

His 1913 Canadian Army enlistment has a verified date of marriage of the 1^st October 1900 at the Parish Church of Ash next Sandwich, Kent, England. . Daughter Nellie was born at Walmer, Kent, on the 16^th July 1901. [4]

Their first child, a daughter, was born in Deal ten months later.

Thomas’s British Army discharge records are held in the WO97 series. They include his Royal Marine attestation at Gosport on the 18^th October 1892. Aged 15 years and 10 months and then working as a Clerk, he signed up to serve for fourteen years and two months. He was described as 5 feet 6 and a quarter inches tall with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. His distinctive marks included a small scar over his left eye.

There is a detailed summary of his postings while serving with the Royal Marine Light Infantry. His service with the Royal Marine Light Infantry ends with his transfer to the Corps of the School of Musketry, Hythe, 23^rd December 1902. [3]

Thomas had been promoted and now applied for a post at the quaintly-named School of Musketry in Hythe. In fact, it now trained men in the use of modern rifles and machine guns. Thomas was himself a first-class marksman and he got the job and the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor. [2]

While at Hythe he re-engaged  on the 18^th April 1903 to complete 21 years of service. (WO97 records). [3]

It was in the married quarters of the School that Nellie gave birth to a son, named Thomas Head Raddall for his father. The birth took place on Friday 13 November 1903, but Nellie, obviously a superstitious woman, always told her son he was born on 14 November. He was baptised at St Leonard’s church.[2]

Thomas was born 13^th November 1903 at Hythe, Kent, and baptised in Hythe in January 1904 according to his fathers Canadian Service Records.[4]

His father held the new rank of Sergeant Instructor from the 10^th April 1904 and was promoted first C.S.M.I.  on the 1^st October 1906 and then Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor on the 29^th October 1908. [3]

Young Thomas later remembered Hythe as a ‘sleepy watering place’. He learned to walk in the School’s Barrack square and attended the National School in the town, where in the library he became entranced by the stories of Fenimore Cooper with his Indians and Leatherstockings. Encouraged by his music-loving father, he went to piano lessons with ‘a little, ape-faced man’ who whacked his fingers with an ivory baton when he made a mistake.

A daughter Winifred May was born at Hythe on the 24^th November 1905 and baptised there on the 14^th June 1906. [4]

Thomas senior, meanwhile, was realising that the School of Musketry, Hythe, the British army and Great Britain itself had little more to offer him and his family. The high spot of his time in the town had been his membership of the British rifle team at the London Olympics of 1908. [2]

He competed in the team 300 metre free rifle event at the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]

Having applied to be allowed to serve beyond 21 years on the 9^th November 1912, this was cancelled at his own request on the 7^th March 1913. On the 3^rd May 1913 he embarked for Canada to serve with the School of Musketry there.

Then Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor 632, School of Musketry and detached for duty in the Dominion of Canada, he was discharged at Halifax, Nova Scotia on the 17^th October 1913 on termination of his second term of engagment. He had completed 21 years of service exactly. He was described then as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion. He had a small scar over his left eyebrow amongst other distintive marks.  His military conduct was rated exemplary. He was recorded as an expert musketry instructor and machine gunner – a thoroughly trustworthy and steady N.C.O. who was a strict disciplinarian. He held the medal for Long Service and Good Conduct which appears to have been awarded towards the end of 1913\start of 1914.[3]

He was full of ideas and wanted more opportunity for his children. When he was thirty-five, in 1913, he applied for a post in Canada as a firearms instructor for the militia and was successful. In May that year, the little family – there was now another daughter – sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hythe was very civilised compared to the small wooden house without electricity in which they now lived. [2]

Thomas attested in the Royal Candian Regiment on the 18^th October 1913 and received Regiment Service number 9734. He gave his previous military experience as 21 years with the Royal Marine Light Infantry and the School of Musketry, Hythe. He and wife Ellen were then living at 53 Chebucto Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia. His date of birth was shown as the 9^th December 1878. He was described then as 34 years and ten months old and was 5 feet 8 inches tall. He had dark brown hair,blue- grey eyes and a dark complexion. Distinctive marks was a linear scar on the palm of left hand. He had passed a course of Instruction at Hythe on the 18^th September 1902, and passed another course in Canada on the 27^th March 1914 to instruct Captains and Field Officers.His statement of service shows intially on joining up he was transferred to the School of Musketry as a Private, but was immediately promoted locally as a 2^nd Lieutenant while serving at the school.[4]

War broke out in Europe the next year. Thomas senior enlisted on 22 September 1914. and got a commission in the Winnipeg Rifles. [2]

He attested for service with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Valcartier Quebec on the 22^nd September 1914. He and wife Ellen were then living at 53 Chebucto Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia. His date of birth was shown as the 9^th December 1878. He was described then as 36 years old and was 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall. He had dark brown hair, gray eyes and a clear complexion. Distinctive marks was a linear scar on the palm of left hand. On the 1^st October 1914 he was promoted Lieutenant and seconded for duty with the 8^th Battalion, (90^th Winnipeg Rifles), Canadian Expeditionary Force as Machine Gun Officer.

One of his record cards is stamped “Unit sailed Oct 3 1914”, and another has “O\S 4-10-14” while an uncompleted next of kin card has “From Quebec per S.S. Vancouver 7/10/14” but unfortunately a number of pages are so poorly scanned that it’s difficult to sure if he went with them.

Not long after wife Ellen have birth to a daughter, Hilda Kathleen, on the 25^th November 1914 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hilda was baptised on the 14^th February 1915 in Halifax.

His Canadian service records shows he attested again for the Overseas Expeditionary Force at Valcartier, Quebec on the 9^th January 1915. His date of birth was shown now as the 9^th December 1876. He gave previous service as 21 years in the Imperial Army and 2 years in the Permanent Force, Canada. He was described then as 38 years and 1 month old and was 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall. He had dark brown hair, gray eyes and a clear complexion. Distinctive marks included a linear scar, but it’s not clear from the abbreviation used as to where this was.[4]

He was sent to France in 1915 but managed to stop in Hythe on the way to catch up with old friends.[2]

Still only locally an officer, his underlying rank was promoted to Sergeant Major on the 10^th August 1915. A Temporary Captain from the 23^rd April 1915, he was reported wounded on the 24^th April 1915. Subsequently recorded as a Shot Wound Right Arm. He was discharged from convalescence in the UK on the 31^st May 1915 and by the 28^th August 1915 a Medical Board had found him fit for general service. He was granted permission to take medical leave in Canada , sailing from the UK on the 2^nd July 1915.[4]

He was shot in the arm at Ypres and was the first wounded soldier to return to Nova Scotia but was soon back in France and in 1916 was promoted Captain. [2]

Returned from Canada by the 28^th August 1915, a Medical Board found him  fit for general service. On the 18^th October 1915 he caught up with the 8^th Battalion in the field, and was posted on to the strength of the Brigade Staff. Thomas was appointed 2^nd Brigade Machine Gun Officer on the 4^th November 1915 and Divisional Machine Gun Officer from the 2^nd February 1916. He returned to the 8^th Battalion on the 23^rd June 1916. He served as Adjutant from the 1^st December 1916 to the 28^th February 1917. During that time he was promoted Major on the 2^nd January 1917. The same day saw him in the London Gazette, mentioned in Lord Haigs’ despatch dated 13 November 1916. He was mentioned in despatches again in the London Gazette dated 1^st June 1917. [4]

Wounded in 1917, he fought at Passchendaele, now as a major;[2]

He was wounded. G.S.W. Right Side, on June 3^rd 1917 at Le Targette. Rank was shown as Major. He was initially treated at 3^rd Field Ambulance, then the British 6^th C.C.S, and then No.20 General Hospital, Camieres. Medically evacuated to the UK on the 11^th June 1917 aboard the Hospital Ship Brighton he was treated at “Daughters of the Empire”,I.O.D.E Canadian Red Cross Hospital, 1, Hyde Park Place. London. He was discharged on the 3^rd July 1917, (medical board recorded that injuries were due to shrapnel which had passed through the chest and ribs area) and posted to the 32^nd Battalion, followed by the 18^th Reserve Battalion. On the 29^th October 1917 he returned to France for service with the 8^th Battalion, catching up with his unit in the field on the 5^th November 1917. 1918 would see him again mentioned in despatches, (London Gazette issue 30706) and awarded the D.S.O. (London Gazette issue 30716). He was promoted Acting Lieutenant Colonel on the 7^th August 1918 whilst commanding a Battalion. [4]

by August 1918, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel.[2]

He had been awarded the D.S.O. [1]

He was killed on 9 August 1918 by machine-gun fire, in a wheat field while leading his men in an attempt to capture Hatchet Wood near Amiens. During his war, he had been mentioned in dispatches three times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He was buried in what was to become the Manitoba Cemetery, Caix and commemorated on the war memorial in Hythe.[2]

His Canadian Service Record shows him as a Major, (with the underlying rank of Sergeant-Major) at the time of his death with the 8^th Battalion, C.E.F. although on some pages that reference this part of his Army career he is shown as Acting Lieutenant-Colonel. [4]

Thomas left left a widow, Ellen, who was resident in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. His son was Canadian writer Thomas Head Raddall. [1]

According to Thomas’s Canadian Service Records in the period after his death his wife’s contact address was given as Ware Farm, Ash, Canterbury, Kent. By mid-1922 she was to be found at 71 Duncan Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia. [4]

Sources:

[1] Wikipedia Article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Raddall_%28sport_shooter%29

[2] https://hythehistoryblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/thomas-head-raddall-father-and-son/

[3] WO97 series papers sourced Genes Reunited.

[4] Canadian Service Record courtesy Library and Archives Canada. https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B8063-S047

So is he present on the Musketry Party picture? On the 1911 Census of England & Wales taken on the 2^nd April I’ve identified the following senior NCO’s ranks associated with the School of Musketry:

1 x Warrant Officer \ Sergeant Major
1 x Warrant Officer \ Superintending Clerk
4 x Quartermaster Sergeant Instructors
1 x Company Sergeant Major Instructor
3 x Sergeant Instructors

As we can see from Thomas Head Raddall, (and also Thomas Cokayne researched earlier in the thread), once attached to the School instructors tended to stay for years.  The working presumption is therefore that while some of those individuals on the census might have been promoted, it is unlikely there were any actual changes of personel. And if there were no additional NCO instructors that somehow have been missed, then the total number of QSIs, CSMI’s and SI’s is 8 – of which 6 are pictured here so 75%.

At the time of the Musketry Party picture Thomas was a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor with no known Medal entitlement.  That rules out:-
42 – a Sergeant Instructor
43 – a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor wearing medal ribbons.
46 – a Company Sergeant Major Instructor wearing a medal ribbon
47 – a Company Sergeant Major Instructor
47 - a Sergeant Instructor

So if he was present the only man that matches the known rank and medal status of Thomas was number 44.

No new IP is claimed for the above and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

For me so far it comes in the "not proven" category - number 44 is looking up at the camera while the other two pictures are taken more or less straight on.

Picture sources

[a] Little Black Devils Association: Commanding Officers of the 8^th Battalion. Sourced https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/616733

[b] Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Raddall_%28sport_shooter%29

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 23 February by PRC
1) Typos 2) 23/02 more typos

[FROGSMILE]

45 minutes ago, PRC said:

On the night of the 2^nd April 1911 when the Census was taken, a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Thomas Head Raddall, School of Musketry, was recorded  in barracks at Marine Ward, Hythe. At the same location were recorded a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Henry Edward Chaney, Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Harry Mansfield Lee, Company Sergeant Major George Few  - all School of Musketry – and an Armourer Staff Sergeant Robert Harry Brown, of the Army Ordnance Corps.

Thomas was aged 34, married and born Farnborough, Hampshire.

The birth of a Thomas Head Raddall was registered in the Hartley Wintney District, (which covered Aldershot and Farnborough), in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1877.

Wikipedia records him as born 9^th December 1876.[1]

There is quite a bit about him online, but a comprehensive narrative has been provided by a blog post so I’ll unashamedly use the core of that for the purpose of providing background.

Thomas Head Raddall senior was born in Hampshire on 6 December 1876, the only son of another Thomas, a draper’s assistant, and his wife Eleanor. He had four sisters.

His father seems to have had a nervous breakdown, attributed to alcohol abuse. The family left Hampshire and moved to West Ham. Young Thomas worked as a cashier in an office near St Paul’s Cathedral, where he ate his lunchtime sandwich each day until when he was just fourteen or fifteen, he enlisted in the Royal Marines as a drummer boy and was sent to the Royal Marines depot at Deal. He stayed there until just before his eighteenth birthday and during this time he met Ellen Marion Gifford (Nellie) of nearby Eastry, who was to become his wife.

He then enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Portsmouth Division on 18 October 1892 and saw service in the Far East from 1896 to 1900, cruising between Hong Kong, Weihaiwei in the north-east of China and Kobe and Nagasaki in Japan. Back in the UK, he married his Nellie on 23 September 1900 at Eastry.[2]

His 1913 Canadian Army enlistment has a verified date of marriage of the 1^st October 1900 at the Parish Church of Ash next Sandwich, Kent, England. . Daughter Nellie was born at Walmer, Kent, on the 16^th July 1901. [4]

Their first child, a daughter, was born in Deal ten months later.

Thomas’s British Army discharge records are held in the WO97 series. They include his Royal Marine attestation at Gosport on the 18^th October 1892. Aged 15 years and 10 months and then working as a Clerk, he signed up to serve for fourteen years and two months. He was described as 5 feet 6 and a quarter inches tall with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. His distinctive marks included a small scar over his left eye.

There is a detailed summary of his postings while serving with the Royal Marine Light Infantry. His service with the Royal Marine Light Infantry ends with his transfer to the Corps of the School of Musketry, Hythe, 23^rd December 1902. [3]

Thomas had been promoted and now applied for a post at the quaintly-named School of Musketry in Hythe. In fact, it now trained men in the use of modern rifles and machine guns. Thomas was himself a first-class marksman and he got the job and the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor. [2]

While at Hythe he re-engaged  on the 18^th April 1903 to complete 21 years of service. (WO97 records). [3]

It was in the married quarters of the School that Nellie gave birth to a son, named Thomas Head Raddall for his father. The birth took place on Friday 13 November 1903, but Nellie, obviously a superstitious woman, always told her son he was born on 14 November. He was baptised at St Leonard’s church.[2]

Thomas was born 13^th November 1903 at Hythe, Kent, and baptised in Hythe in January 1904 according to his fathers Canadian Service Records.[4]

His father held the new rank of Sergeant Instructor from the 10^th April 1904 and was promoted first C.S.M.I.  on the 1^st October 1906 and then Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor on the 29^th October 1908. [3]

Young Thomas later remembered Hythe as a ‘sleepy watering place’. He learned to walk in the School’s Barrack square and attended the National School in the town, where in the library he became entranced by the stories of Fenimore Cooper with his Indians and Leatherstockings. Encouraged by his music-loving father, he went to piano lessons with ‘a little, ape-faced man’ who whacked his fingers with an ivory baton when he made a mistake.

A daughter Winifred May was born at Hythe on the 24^th November 1905 and baptised there on the 14^th June 1906. [4]

Thomas senior, meanwhile, was realising that the School of Musketry, Hythe, the British army and Great Britain itself had little more to offer him and his family. The high spot of his time in the town had been his membership of the British rifle team at the London Olympics of 1908. [2]

He competed in the team 300 metre free rifle event at the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]

Having applied to be allowed to serve beyond 21 years on the 9^th November 1912, this was cancelled at his own request on the 7^th March 1913. On the 3^rd May 1913 he embarked for Canada to serve with the School of Musketry there.

Then Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor 632, School of Musketry and detached for duty in the Dominion of Canada, he was discharged at Halifax, Nova Scotia on the 17^th October 1913 on termination of his second term of engagment. He had completed 21 years of service exactly. He was described then as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion. He had a small scar over his left eyebrow amongst other distintive marks.  His military conduct was rated exemplary. He was recorded as an expert musketry instructor and machine gunner – a thoroughly trustworthy and steady N.C.O. who was a strict disciplinarian. He held the medal for Long Service and Good Conduct which appears to have been awarded towards the end of 1913\start of 1914.[3]

He was full of ideas and wanted more opportunity for his children. When he was thirty-five, in 1913, he applied for a post in Canada as a firearms instructor for the militia and was successful. In May that year, the little family – there was now another daughter – sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hythe was very civilised compared to the small wooden house without electricity in which they now lived. [2]

Thomas attested in the Royal Candian Regiment on the 18^th October 1913 and received Regiment Service number 9734. He gave his previous military experience as 21 years with the Royal Marine Light Infantry and the School of Musketry, Hythe. He and wife Ellen were then living at 53 Chebucto Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia. His date of birth was shown as the 9^th December 1878. He was described then as 34 years and ten months old and was 5 feet 8 inches tall. He had dark brown hair,blue- grey eyes and a dark complexion. Distinctive marks was a linear scar on the palm of left hand. He had passed a course of Instruction at Hythe on the 18^th September 1902, and passed another course in Canada on the 27^th March 1914 to instruct Captains and Field Officers.His statement of service shows intially on joining up he was transferred to the School of Musketry as a Private, but was immediately promoted locally as a 2^nd Lieutenant while serving at the school.[4]

War broke out in Europe the next year. Thomas senior enlisted on 22 September 1914. and got a commission in the Winnipeg Rifles. [2]

He attested for service with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Valcartier Quebec on the 22^nd September 1914. He and wife Ellen were then living at 53 Chebucto Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia. His date of birth was shown as the 9^th December 1878. He was described then as 36 years old and was 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall. He had dark brown hair, gray eyes and a clear complexion. Distinctive marks was a linear scar on the palm of left hand. On the 1^st October 1914 he was promoted Lieutenant and seconded for duty with the 8^th Battalion, (90^th Winnipeg Rifles), Canadian Expeditionary Force as Machine Gun Officer.

One of his record cards is stamped “Unit sailed Oct 3 1914”, and another has “O\S 4-10-14” while an uncompleted next of kin card has “From Quebec per S.S. Vancouver 7/10/14” but unfortunately a number of pages are so poorly scanned that it’s difficult to sure if he went with them.

Not long after wife Ellen have birth to a daughter, Hilda Kathleen, on the 25^th November 1914 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hilda was baptised on the 14^th February 1915 in Halifax.

His Canadian service records shows he attested again for the Overseas Expeditionary Force at Valcartier, Quebec on the 9^th January 1915. His date of birth was shown now as the 9^th December 1876. He gave previous service as 21 years in the Imperial Army and 2 years in the Permanent Force, Canada. He was described then as 38 years and 1 month old and was 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall. He had dark brown hair, gray eyes and a clear complexion. Distinctive marks included a linear scar, but it’s not clear from the abbreviation used as to where this was.[4]

He was sent to France in 1915 but managed to stop in Hythe on the way to catch up with old friends.[2]

Still only locally an officer, his underlying rank was promoted to Sergeant Major on the 10^th August 1915. A Temporary Captain from the 23^rd April 1915, he was reported wounded on the 24^th April 1915. Subsequently recorded as a Shot Wound Right Arm. He was discharged from convalescence in the UK on the 31^st May 1915 and by the 28^th August 1915 a Medical Board had found him fit for general service. He was granted permission to take medical leave in Canada , sailing from the UK on the 2^nd July 1915.[4]

He was shot in the arm at Ypres and was the first wounded soldier to return to Nova Scotia but was soon back in France and in 1916 was promoted Captain. [2]

Returned from Canada by the 28^th August 1915, a Medical Board found him  fit for general service. On the 18^th October 1915 he caught up with the 8^th Battalion in the field, and was posted on to the strength of the Brigade Staff. Thomas was appointed 2^nd Brigade Machine Gun Officer on the 4^th November 1915 and Divisional Machine Gun Officer from the 2^nd February 1916. He returned to the 8^th Battalion on the 23^rd June 1916. He served as Adjutant from the 1^st December 1916 to the 28^th February 1917. During that time he was promoted Major on the 2^nd January 1917. The same day saw him in the London Gazette, mentioned in Lord Haigs’ despatch dated 13 November 1916. He was mentioned in despatches again in the London Gazette dated 1^st June 1917. [4]

Wounded in 1917, he fought at Passchendaele, now as a major;[2]

He was wounded. G.S.W. Right Side, on June 3^rd 1917 at Le Targette. Rank was shown as Major. He was initially treated at 3^rd Field Ambulance, then the British 6^th C.C.S, and then No.20 General Hospital, Camieres. Medically evacuated to the UK on the 11^th June 1917 aboard the Hospital Ship Brighton he was treated at “Daughters of the Empire”,I.O.D.E Canadian Red Cross Hospital, 1, Hyde Park Place. London. He was discharged on the 3^rd July 1917, (medical board recorded that injuries were due to shrapnel which had passed through the chest and ribs area) and posted to the 32^nd Battalion, followed by the 18^th Reserve Battalion. On the 29^th October 1917 he returned to France for service with the 8^th Battalion, catching up with his unit in the field on the 5^th November 1917. 1918 would see him again mentioned in despatches, (London Gazette issue 30706) and awarded the D.S.O. (London Gazette issue 30716). He was promoted Acting Lieutenant Colonel on the 7^th August 1918 whilst commanding a Battalion. [4]

by August 1918, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel.[2]

He had been awarded the D.S.O. [1]

He was killed on 9 August 1918 by machine-gun fire, in a wheat field while leading his men in an attempt to capture Hatchet Wood near Amiens. During his war, he had been mentioned in dispatches three times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He was buried in what was to become the Manitoba Cemetery, Caix and commemorated on the war memorial in Hythe.[2]

His Canadian Service Record shows him as a Major, (with the underlying rank of Sergeant-Major) at the time of his death with the 8^th Battalion, C.E.F. although on some pages that reference this part of his Army career he is shown as Acting Lieutenant-Colonel. [4]

Thomas left left a widow, Ellen, who was resident in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. His son was Canadian writer Thomas Head Raddall. [1]

According to Thomas’s Canadian Service Records in the period after his death his wife’s contact address was given as Ware Farm, Ash, Canterbury, Kent. By mid-1922 she was to be found at 71 Duncan Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia. [4]

Sources:

[1] Wikipedia Article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Raddall_%28sport_shooter%29

[2] https://hythehistoryblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/thomas-head-raddall-father-and-son/

[3] WO97 series papers sourced Genes Reunited.

[4] Canadian Service Record courtesy Library and Archives Canada. https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B8063-S047

So is he present on the Musketry Party picture? On the 1911 Census of England & Wales taken on the 2^nd April I’ve identified the following senior NCO’s ranks associated with the School of Musketry:

1 x Warrant Officer \ Sergeant Major
1 x Warrant Officer \ Superintending Clerk
4 x Quartermaster Sergeant Instructors
1 x Company Sergeant Major Instructor
3 x Sergeant Instructors

As we can see from Thomas Head Raddall, (and also Thomas Cokayne researched earlier in the thread), once attached to the School instructors tended to stay for years.  The working presumption is therefore that while some of those individuals on the census might have been promoted, it is unlikely there were any actual changes of personel. And if there were no additional NCO instructors that somehow have been missed, then the total number of QSIs, CSMI’s and SI’s is 8 – of which 6 are pictured here so 75%.

At the time of the Musketry Party picture Thomas was a Quartmaster Sergeant Instructor with no known Medal entitlement.  That rules out:-
42 – a Sergeant Instructor
43 – a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor wearing medal ribbons.
46 – a Company Sergeant Major Instructor wearing a medal ribbon
47 – a Company Sergeant Major Instructor
47 - a Sergeant Instructor

So if he was present the only man that matches the known rank and medal status of Thomas was number 44.

No new IP is claimed for the above and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

For me so far it comes in the "not proven" category - number 44 is looking up at the camera while the other two pictures are taken more or less straight on.

Picture sources

[a] Little Black Devils Association: Commanding Officers of the 8^th Battalion. Sourced https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/616733

[b] Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Raddall_%28sport_shooter%29

Cheers,
Peter

You’ve got him alright Peter, absolutely brilliant work.  The photographic matches are crystal clear.

 I read in a Hythe blog that his wife Ellen returned to Hythe after the shock of his death but also because the massive explosion in Halifax close to his loss led to skyrocketing living costs just as she lost his salary.  She found in England that all her friends had gone and things weren’t the same, so she returned to Canada after a year or so and with the help of her offspring managed to get her life going again.

Edited 23 February by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

10 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

You’ve got him alright Peter, absolutely brilliant work.  The photographic matches are crystal clear.

Thank you @FROGSMILE

I hadn't meant to go into his army career in such depth but as the sources started turning up it revealed so much. Firstly I've never come across a Royal Marine attestation before.

Image courtesy Genes Reunited

Secondly his path to the School of Musketry is set out and the quality of his marksmanship is shown by his selection for the Olympics.

Then there is the spread of the Hythe way of doing things as witnessed by him initially going on detached duty to Canada to train the Militia Forces. As he originally intended to serve beyond 21 years in the British Army but then changed his mind and joined the Canadian Permanent Force immediately on completion of his 21 years - for which his reward was a local promotion to Lieutenant - for me it raises the prospect that he might have been head-hunted. That again would be testiment to his quality as an instructor.

Going back to the blog-post on him, I couldn't resist linking to the image of the Hythe School of Musketry posted there.

Image courtesy https://hythehistoryblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/raddall-som.jpg

His son Thomas Head Raddall appears to be a much loved and award winning Canadian author - following his death a provincial nature park was named after him. More can be found on him on t'internet, starting with his Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Head_Raddall

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

21 minutes ago, PRC said:

Thank you @FROGSMILE

I hadn't meant to go into his army career in such depth but as the sources started turning up it revealed so much. Firstly I've never come across a Royal Marine attestation before.

Image courtesy Genes Reunited

Secondly his path to the School of Musketry is set out and the quality of his marksmanship is shown by his selection for the Olympics.

Then there is the spread of the Hythe way of doing things as witnessed by him initially going on detached duty to Canada to train the Militia Forces. As he originally intended to serve beyond 21 years in the British Army but then changed his mind and joined the Canadian Permanent Force immediately on completion of his 21 years - for which his reward was a local promotion to Lieutenant - for me it raises the prospect that he might have been head-hunted. That again would be testiment to his quality as an instructor.

Going back to the blog-post on him, I couldn't resist linking to the image of the Hythe School of Musketry posted there.

Image courtesy https://hythehistoryblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/raddall-som.jpg

His son Thomas Head Raddall appears to be a much loved and award winning Canadian author - following his death a provincial nature park was named after him. More can be found on him on t'internet, starting with his Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Head_Raddall

Cheers,
Peter

Yes it’s a fascinating history isn’t it.  For the benefit of other interested readers here’s the link to the Hythe historical blog, which I suspect you already harvested and where I found the details about his wife’s /widow’s trials and tribulations: https://hythehistoryblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/thomas-head-raddall-father-and-son/

As regards his attestation sheet I haven’t compared them side-by-side, but it seems remarkably similar to the army counterpart.  It’s made me wonder whether that for a naval rating was the same.  Traditionally, although always closely and directly associated with the Royal Navy there were broad similarities in terms of military principles and rank structure with the army. 

Edited 23 February by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

On the 1911 Census  of England & Wales, Quartermaster Sergant Instructor Henry Edward Chaney, aged 31, married and born Bermondsey, Surrey, was recorded in barracks at Marine Ward, Hythe School of Musketry. ^[1]

Henry was born on the 5^th August 1882. ^[2]+[3]. His birth, mothers’ maiden name Poole, was registered with the civil authorities in the St. Olave Bermondsey district in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1882. ^[1]

On the 1891 Census of England & Wales the 8 year old Henry E. Chaney, born Bermondsey, Surrey was recorded living at 128 St. James Road. Bermondsey. He was in one of the two households at this address – the one headed up by his parents John H. (35, Printers Machine Manager) and Eleanor, (36). The couple have no other children living with them. ^[1]

Henry joined the Army at the age of 16, ^[3], serving with the Lancashire Fusiliers. ^[2]+[3]
Judging from the 1901 Census of England & Wales he had actually lied about his age – the institutional return for Chatham Barracks at Rochester, Kent shows a “21” year old Henry Chaney, born Bermondsey, Surrey as an infantry soldier – the same term is applied to many of those resident there. As there are some 15 and 16 year olds amongst them I did wonder if this was actually a mobilised militia battalion. The return was signed by the Officer Commanding 4^th Lancashire Fusiliers. ^[1]

However it wasn’t a militia battalion at that time – “In common with other regiments recruited from populous urban areas, the Lancashire Fusiliers raised two further regular battalions, the 3rd in 1898, and the 4th in March 1900. This necessitated adjustments to the numbers of the Militia battalions, which became the 5th and 6th battalions. However, the 3rd and 4th Regular battalions were disbanded in 1906.” ^[4]

The Anglo-Boer War site doesn’t have anything for him serving in that conflict, but as they admit their records are not complete.

Henry married an Elizabeth Mary Heal in the Portsmouth District in Q3 1902. ^[1] Children followed with a daughter Esther Eleanor Mary born in May 1903, when her father, then a Sergeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers, was stationed at Curragh Camp. ^[5]

Wikipedia records him as promoted to sergeant in 1899, sergeant instructor in 1904, sergeant major instructor in 1907 and Quartermaster Sergeant instructor in 1909. ^[3]

While serving at Hythe the family would expand with the birth of Catherine Elizabeth, (registered Q3 1904), Henry Lewis, (Q4 1905), Edward John William, (Q2 1908, sadly death registered the same quarter), John Ernest, (Q2 1909), Florence Rosina, (Q4 1910), Margaret Annie, (Q2 1912) and Charles Grahame, (Q1 1914). ^[1]

During that time he, like Raddall, competed in the 1908 London Olympics. He took part in the 300 metre free rifle event and was ranked 40th. ^[3]

On the 1911 Census of England & Wales wife Elizabeth Mary Chaney, aged 29 and born Colchester, Essex, was recorded in the married quarters at Marine Ward, Hythe. She stated she had been married 8 years and the union had produced 6 children, of which 5 were then still alive – Esther Eleanor Mary, (7, born Curragh Camp), Katherine Elizabeth, (6, Hythe), Henry Lewis, (5, Hythe), John Ernest, (1, Hythe) and Florence Rosina, (7 months, Hythe). ^[1]

From his time at the School of Musketry Henry also became involved in arms development work, particularly with the Lewis gun. ^[3] This is more likely the adoption of the Lewis Gun into service with the British Army before and after BSA purchased a production licence in 1914 following earlier trials with the company to overcome production difficulties. ^[6]

Pre-war and while at the School of Musketry it looks like he was Confidential Secretary and member of the Experimental Staff.  He is said to have conducted the first experiments with machine guns in aircraft. ^[2]

Pre-war the Royal Flying Corps was looking to adopt what we would now think of as a dedicated fighter aircraft. What would become the Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus was the preferred design. But there were problems with the belt-fed Vickers machine that was the initial weapon it was designed around. At some point Henry Chaney became involved in the testing process and is credited with recommending the change of armament to the Lewis Gun – the drop in rate of fire was more than compensated for by the flexibility, lightness and ease of use. ^[7]

The first F.B.5 was delivered to No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps at Netheravon in November 1914. ^[7]

When the Air Force Census was taken prior to the creation of the RAF he stated he had been Machine Gun Advisor to the RFC from the commencement of the war. ^[2]

On the 4^th December 1914 Henry was formally seconded from the School of Musketry, where he had been an Instructor for the Rifle and Machine Gun for 11 years, to the Royal Flying Corps, and commissioned Second Lieutenant – the latter part was gazetted in February 1915 but backdated. ^[2]

On 25 December (1914) the first use of the F.B.5 in action took place, when F.B.5 No. 664 took off from Joyce Green airfield to engage a German Taube monoplane, hitting the Taube (and possibly causing its loss) with incendiary bullets from a carbine after the Lewis gun jammed. Eighteen days later, the same flight crew, Second Lieutenants M. R. Chidson and D. C. W. Sanders, flying the first F.B.5 in France, No. 1621, were forced to land behind German lines, and the new plane fell into enemy hands. ^[7]

On the night of January 19th/20th 1915 a Vickers F.B.5 Gun-bus took off from RFC Joyce Green near Dartford. On board were Flight Commander William Mansfield and his gunner QMSI Henry Edward Chaney. In the early hours of the morning, under "friendly-fire" from the ground the plane from No 7 Squadron crash landed in sloping field at Salters Heath Farm, Chevening near Sevenoaks. There was no injury except a bullet hole in the elbow of Chaney's leather coat. There is a brief mention in the Sevenoaks Chronicle but as the aircraft were then secret, the article doesn't say, very much. ^[8]

From the 15^th February 1915, still a Second Lieutenant, he took on the role of Equipment Officer Grade 3, and with promotion to Temporary Captain on the 21^st September 1915 he became an Equipment Officer Grade 1. ^[2]

Over the years, Chaney had accumulated a good deal of experience with cameras and photographic equipment as well as of machine guns, and began to experiment with combining the two. His first successful gun camera consisted of a standard Lewis gun, to which a box camera had been bolted alongside the barrel. Further development led to the Hythe Gun Camera Mk 111 ,in which the camera body was incorporated into the barrel. The camera was cocked by using the Lewis gun’s cocking handle, and tripped the shutter through an internal linkage to the gun’s trigger. The gun camera now looked, balanced, and behaved much like a proper Lewis gun. Its design was approved and production authorized by the War Office. ^[3]

Hythe Gun Camera image courtesy https://www.forgottenweapons.com/hythe-gun-camera/

The associated article is well worth a read. This model gun camera remained in service around the world into the 1930’s.

From the 1^st September 1916 Henry was promoted Temporary Major and Graded as “Park Commander”. ^[2]

Henry was posted to the School of Aerial Gunnery on the 13^th September 1916 as Chief Instructor.  By the 12^th January 1917 he was Acting Commandant of what was then Number 1 School of Aerial Gunnery. He was confirmed as Commandant with effect from the 6^th February 1917 and promoted Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel. On the 1^st August 1917 he was transferred to the Headquarters of the Training Wing as Gunnery Inspector. He reverted to the rank of Temporary Major and was graded as a Squadron Commander while on Special Appointment. ^[2]

He was awarded a 1918 New Year Honours OBE by King George V. He also was twice mentioned in despatches for his services during World War 1 ^[3], both for Home Service. The first was in the London Gazette of the 24^th February 1917, and the second in the London Gazette of the 13^th March 1918. ^[2]

At the time of the creation of the Royal Air Force on the 1^st April 1918 his wife was recorded living at 27 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, also given as his permanent home address. He was then a Major working in the Headquarters of the Training Division as Inspector of Gunnery, subsequently No.3 S.D.P. ^[2]

The birth of the last child of the family, Harvey Victor James, had been registered in the Wokingham District in Q4 1916^{. [1]}

On the 20^th May 1918 Henry would transfer to the Air Ministry. He was graded fit for Home Service only. ^[2]

Chaney was found dead in his rented flat at Baron’s Court, London, in 1919. It transpired that he had shot and wounded his mother, who was staying with him at the time, before turning the gun on himself and firing a single shot into his left temple. The coroner recorded a verdict of “Suicide during temporary insanity”. At the time of his death, Chaney, who had risen to Major in the Royal Air Force, was penning a book about his life as a flying officer during World War I and there were reports about him living with a younger woman at the Baron’s Court address, while his wife, Elizabeth Mary Chaney, and seven children were living away in the country at Wokingham, near Reading. He is buried in North Sheen Cemetery. ^[3]

The circumstances of his death aroused the prurient interest of much of the press and thus the British public – it wasn’t everyday a married man invited his mother to the flat where he kept his (alleged) mistress and then tried to kill his mother. Unusually the coroners inquest even led to pictures being taken and at least one photograph of Henry being in circulation – the one used in this front page spread of the edition of the Daily Mirror in the 19^th March 1919.

Image courtesy the British Newspaper Archive.

Perhaps I should have put this one in the WIT thread. Henry was already a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor at the time the 1911 Census – one of four recorded at Hythe. There are only two in the picture taken of the October \ November 1911 Musketry party. If one, (44), is likely to be Raddall, the other, the medal ribbon wearing (43) does not seem a facial match for the known picture of Henry Edward Chaney. However, given his known interest in photography, there is always a possibility that he was the man behind the camera.

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Sources

[1] Genes Reunited (and other Genealogy websites!)

[2] AIR76 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8245524

[3] Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Chaney

[4] Lancashire Fusiliers from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancashire_Fusiliers

[5] Birth registration for Esther Eleanor Mary Chaney https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1903/01870/1728328.pdf

[6] Lewis Gun production history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_gun

[7] Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_F.B.5

[8] https://kenthistoryforum.com/index.php?topic=415.0#lastPost

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

Brilliant work Peter, what a fascinating story!  By coincidence I had read about Chaney before in an article published in the regimental journal of the Small Arms School Corps where I was serving at the time.  These publications were pre the glossy magazine era and of the type put together by a printing press and staples, but there was always a historical article in each edition about our forebears as instructors that I always looked out for and enjoyed reading.  The article focused much on his Lewis Gun and camera work with the RFC, and did not mention his denouement at all, so this has been something of a surprise.

Of course Chaney wasn’t the first to have a midlife crisis characterised by involvement with a younger woman, and he won’t be the last, but it’s a sad story all the same.  I feel particularly sorry for his widow, who would not have received any payout even if there had been an insurance policy, and she would have lost his income too, all while still trying to raise a pre school age child.  I can only imagine that she will have relied upon help from her older offspring and any family in a position to help.  It must’ve been very difficult.

I am entirely confident that he is number 43 in mrfrank’s photograph. 👍

Edited 1 March by FROGSMILE

[Tawhiri]

3 hours ago, PRC said:

At the time of the creation of the Royal Air Force on the 1^st April 1918 his wife was recorded living at 27 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, also given as his permanent home address.

I must admit having lived in Wokingham for five and a half years in the late 1990's/early 2000's, and walked past this address on many occasions it adds a certain amount of poignancy to Peter's account.

[FROGSMILE]

6 minutes ago, Tawhiri said:

I must admit having lived in Wokingham for five and a half years in the late 1990's/early 2000's, and walked past this address on many occasions it adds a certain amount of poignancy to Peter's account.

I wonder if she was able to afford to stay there.  I suppose it depends to a degree on whether the property belonged to her husband outright.  It seems unlikely.

[PRC]

According to his AIR76 record it looks like by early 1922 she had moved to 19 Howard Terrace, Milton Road, Wokingham.

The Broad Street adress is given as his home adress on the 1919 Probate Calendar - Henry died at 87 Talgarth Mansions, West Kensington, on the 27th February 1919.  The Broad Street address for his wife also is in the additional information on his CWGC entry. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/401874/henry-edward-chaney/

I can't see the detail on the 1921 Census of England & Wales census but Elizabeth Mary Chaney was recorded in a household in Wokingham with five of her children.

According to his probate Henry left an estate valued at £1,292 19s 6d. I've come across reports from the post-war period where committees sat to consider payments for wartime inventions. I wonder if his widower ever benefitted financially from the gun camera that her husband had such a big hand in developing - one can but hope.

5 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

I am entirely confident that he is number 43 in mrfrank’s photograph.

Unfortunately no evidence found (so far) that Henry Edward Chaney was awarded anything such that he would have been wearing medal ribbons in October /November 1911. And while the picture in the photo-spread in the Daily Mirror I think might be RFC rather than RAF, I don't see any sign of medal ribbons there either.

Given the career progression of Raddall, Chaney and Cockayne to work from, (admittedly a small sample, but it's a small pool!), it doesn't look like some one would be parachuted in straight away as a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor. So from the names identified from the 1911 Census that is likely to make number 43 either QMSI Harry Mansfield Lee or QMSI John Jones, or at a push perhaps a promoted CSMI George Few. So far no pictures of them, so I'm trying to identify any pre-war medal entitlement.

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 1 March by PRC
Typo

[FROGSMILE]

7 minutes ago, PRC said:

According to his AIR76 record it looks like by early 1922 she had moved to 19 Howard Terrace, Milton Road, Wokingham.

The Broad Street adress is given as his home adress on the 1919 Probate Calendar - Henry died at 87 Talgarth Mansions, West Kensington, on the 27th February 1919.  The Broad Street address for his wife also is in the additional information on his CWGC entry. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/401874/henry-edward-chaney/

I can't see the detail on the 1921 Census of England & Wales census but Elizabeth Mary Chaney was recorded in a household in Wokingham with five of her children.

According to his probate Henry left an estate valued at £1,292 19s 6d. I've come across reports from the post-war period where committees sat to consider payments for wartime inventions. I wonder if his widower ever benefitted financially from the gun camera that her husband had such a big hand in developing - one can but hope.

Unfortunately no evidence found (so far) that Henry Edward Chaney was awarded anything such that he would have been wearing medal ribbons in October /November 1911. And while the picture in the photo-spread in the Daily Mirror I think might be RFC rather than RAF, I don't see any sign of medal ribbons there either.

Given the career progression of Raddall, Chaney and Cockayne to work from, (admittedly a small sample, but it's a small pool!), it doesn't look like some one would be parachuted in straight away as a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor. So from the names identified from the 1911 Census that is likely to make number 43 either QMSI Harry Mansfield Lee or QMSI John Jones, or at a push perhaps a promoted CSMI George Few. So far no pictures of them, so I'm trying to identify any pre-war medal entitlement.

Cheers,
Peter

Thank you for the extra information Peter, I do hope that she was helped as you say.

You make a good point about medal ribbons In relation to Chaney and I will follow your photo search for the other instructors with great interest.

[PRC]

On 02/02/2024 at 18:50, PRC said:

Well the trip to the library was a bust - the link to the British Newspaper Archives kept going down, and the couple of times it did come up it kept insisting I pay before it would let me see anything. I don't know when I'll get another chance so I'll just reference the newspapers I'm aware of that look like they might have images. If anyone has subscription access and can take a look to confirm that would be brilliant.

1. The Honourable James Boyle, Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers when he attended the course and Captain, 1st Battalion when he was Killed in Action on the 18th October 1914.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial.

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Sources:

a:  Auckland Museum. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C35195
b: Bond of Sacrifice via Lives of the First World War. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/450788
c: Western Front Association: Article - Private Memorials on the Western Front. https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/private-memorials-on-the-western-front/james-boyle/

And looking at the British Newspaper Archive there are potentially additional images in the editions of the:-
Daily Mirror, 16th September 1908 "Earls Son Married in London" - NB the clipping also appeared in connection with the Western Front Association article listed above. It has currently been removed and all Google have as a cached version is very blurry.
Morning Leader, 16th September 1908.
The Gentlewoman, 3rd October 1908.

Cheers,
Peter

A few weekends back Newspaper.com had free access and I was able to pick up the image from the Daily Mirror dated 16th September 1908 but not the other two.

Updated comparison looks like this:-

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Sources:

[a]:  Auckland Museum. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C35195

[b]: Bond of Sacrifice via Lives of the First World War. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/450788

[c]: Western Front Association: Article - Private Memorials on the Western Front. https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/private-memorials-on-the-western-front/james-boyle/

[d]: Daily Mirror, 16th September 1908 sourced via Newspaper com and captioned “The Hon James Boyle, Royal Scots Fusiliers, second son of the Earl of Glasgow, wedded Miss Katherine Bowlby yesterday at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street, W., in the presence of a large and distinguished congregation. Above are the portraits of the bride and bridegroom.”

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, PRC said:

A few weekends back Newspaper.com had free access and I was able to pick up the image from the Daily Mirror dated 16th September 1908 but not the other two.

Updated comparison looks like this:-

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Sources:

[a]:  Auckland Museum. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C35195

[b]: Bond of Sacrifice via Lives of the First World War. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/450788

[c]: Western Front Association: Article - Private Memorials on the Western Front. https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/private-memorials-on-the-western-front/james-boyle/

[d]: Daily Mirror, 16th September 1908 sourced via Newspaper com and captioned “The Hon James Boyle, Royal Scots Fusiliers, second son of the Earl of Glasgow, wedded Miss Katherine Bowlby yesterday at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street, W., in the presence of a large and distinguished congregation. Above are the portraits of the bride and bridegroom.”

Cheers,
Peter

To my eyes all those portrait photos match perfectly Peter.  It certainly appears a positive ID to me. 

Edited 10 March by FROGSMILE