WW1 Service Spoon - RGA 2312

[EmmaK]

I’m wondering if anyone might be able to tell me anything about who this spoon was issued to? I picked it up in a charity shop this afternoon and would love to know more about it. It has the following marks:

- T.Wilkinson & Sons Birmingham

- the War Department mark

- RGA

- 2312

Many thanks in advance.

[GWF1967]

1 hour ago, EmmaK said:

I’m wondering if anyone might be able to tell me anything about who this spoon was issued to? I picked it up in a charity shop this afternoon and would love to know more about it. It has the following marks:

- T.Wilkinson & Sons Birmingham

- the War Department mark

- RGA

- 2312

Many thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum.  
That’s a very nice find. I always check the cutlery in charity shops, but I’ve only got lucky twice.  
 There are four possibilities listed on FMP - your whereabouts in the country might narrow the field.  
James Heaton - Clithero Lancashire. 
William Murphy - Tipperary. Ireland. 
Alfred John Pritchard. 
Ernest Reeves. - Milton, Kent.  

[GWF1967]

12 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

Welcome to the forum.  
That’s a very nice find. I always check the cutlery in charity shops, but I’ve only got lucky twice.  
 There are four possibilities listed on FMP - your whereabouts in the country might narrow the field.  
James Heaton - Clithero Lancashire. 
William Murphy - Tipperary. Ireland. 
Alfred John Pritchard. 
Ernest Reeves. - Milton, Kent.  

Alfred John Pritchard originally served as W/2312 Royal Field Artillery - he was renumbered 224221 when serving with the RGA - Down to three. 

[EmmaK]

Wow, Thankyou GWF1967! I really wasn’t expecting I’d receive a response so soon. Impressive!

I’m on the Cumbrian side of the Lancashire border, so James Heaton would have been by far the closest to me. I was excited to find it, I recognised the war department stamp - but also felt sad that someone had passed it on to a charity shop without realising what it was.

[Chasemuseum]

Better than throwing it into the garbage.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

2 hours ago, GWF1967 said:

There are four possibilities listed on FMP

I was surprised there were only 4 candidates.
I'd have thought that any of the Territorial (Heavy) Batteries would have had 4 digit numbers up until renumbering in 1917.
The Long Long Trail lists 16 such batteries:
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-royal-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/the-heavy-batteries-of-the-royal-garrison-artillery/

[EmmaK]

Interesting Thankyou! This is all new to me, thanks so much for all the info.

And you’re right Chasemuseum! Much better, yes!

[GWF1967]

46 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

I was surprised there were only 4 candidates.
I'd have thought that any of the Territorial (Heavy) Batteries would have had 4 digit numbers up until renumbering in 1917.
The Long Long Trail lists 16 such batteries:
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-royal-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/the-heavy-batteries-of-the-royal-garrison-artillery/

I too was surprised to find so few, I’d expected far more.  

[Chasemuseum]

When I talk about things going to the tip, I am very serious. Back in the 70s a mate of mine would go up to the local tip and spend a couple of hours prowling when he had the chance to take some time of school.  It was OK to wander over the tip back in those days so long as you kept clear of the dozer. He always came back with atleast one group of medals, usually WW1 pairs and trios, but occassionally Australian Boer war medals, MM groups and MC groups. Also a lot of German WW2 medals. He always kept his eye out for the old metal biscuit tins.

The group I liked the most was a NSW boer war officer pair with a huge string of bars on the QSA. He also found a few other things, but the staff at the tip were not keen on letting him keep the pistols, they had to be put aside for the police.

[EmmaK]

On 22/03/2024 at 10:41, Chasemuseum said:

When I talk about things going to the tip, I am very serious. Back in the 70s a mate of mine would go up to the local tip and spend a couple of hours prowling when he had the chance to take some time of school.  It was OK to wander over the tip back in those days so long as you kept clear of the dozer. He always came back with atleast one group of medals, usually WW1 pairs and trios, but occassionally Australian Boer war medals, MM groups and MC groups. Also a lot of German WW2 medals. He always kept his eye out for the old metal biscuit tins.

The group I liked the most was a NSW boer war officer pair with a huge string of bars on the QSA. He also found a few other things, but the staff at the tip were not keen on letting him keep the pistols, they had to be put aside for the police.

Fascinating!