30 men and a dog

[Richard Bain]

After the recent death of her eldest aunt, my wife was given this photo of her grandfather, Robert Brown (1884 – 1957), back row, extreme rhs, under the blue smudge. According to family, he served with the (R?)ASC in France. He came from Helensburgh and was a baker to trade. The photo is undated and has no info on the back but was taken by a photographer from London Road, St Alban’s. The dog is a West Highland White Terrier. This is as much as we know since he, apparently, didn’t talk much about his war service. According to the Long, Long Trail, the (R?)ASC were primarily involved in transport, not cooking, so who baked the bread for the boys and the cakes for the Staff Officers??

Richard Bain

[Terry_Reeves]

Richard

THe ASC was heavily involved in the supply chain as far as food was concerned which included bakeries and butcheries. There were major bakeries at Boulogne, Rouen, Havre, Dieppe and Calais to say nothing about the myriad of field bakeries and bakery sections nearer the front. ASC Base Supply Depots also provided bread and a whole host of other foodstuffs.

Terry Reeves

Edited 4 December , 2005 by Terry_Reeves

[Guest C729LEE]

RB

In answer to your question - the dog - was that a typographical error - Barking?

I'll get me coat.

LinL

[Tony Lund]

A Holmfirth RASC baker wrote this and it was published in the local paper in 1916.

“When Honour is divided, and victory is won,

Don't think the only hero is the man behind the gun,

What corps of men work harder than the happy A.S.C.

With their labourers, clerks, and butchers, not to mention bakery?

While Tommy's in the trenches, and Jack is on the sea,

They labour at the bases, and their work is hard maybe,

But you never hear them grumble, though they toil both night and day,

To prepare the food for others who are fighting in the fray.

The baker at the oven toils hard throughout the day,

To give Tommy bread, not biscuit, to cheer him on his way.

It is brought to him by transport, sometimes motor, sometimes horse,

And helps to keep him happy and prevent the heavy loss;

So when the boys come marching home just think of what I say,

The A.S.C. have helped to rob the Kaiser of The Day.”

By Private H. Hubbard, 47th Field Bakery, Somewhere in France.

[Gunboat]

Great Picture even the dog manages to look sombre

Interesting to note the bearded fellow in the back row in the lighter shirt?

I thought only pioneer sergeants were allowed a beard...could this be a royal naval division rating?

[Gilgamesh of Uruk]

RB

In answer to your question - the dog - was that a typographical error - Barking?

I'll get me coat.

LinL

Or even a misreading of "barker" as "baker"?.

Wait for me ....

En passant - who was "Ally Sloper" anyway? My grandparents next door neighbour (a butcher in civvy street) told me he'd served in the ASC, after joining up under the Derby scheme. They were always known to the rest of the army, he said, as "Ally Sloper's Cavalry".

[squirrel]

I think he was a music hall comedian IIRC.

[Richard Bain]

Hello Pals,

Thanks for all the replies. When you turn up an unknown photo like this it does you good to see that somebody, somewhere knows something!! I liked the poem Tony, I'll download it and pass it round the in laws. At least it shows that Grandpa Brown was using his particular skills in the war effort. "47th Field Bakery", could the photo be of a "bakery unit" stationed at St Albans ready to go to France? Hi "Gunboat" - the chap next to Grandpa Brown caught my attention as well, however, did you notice the difference in shadings of some of the other uniforms? Was there not a "Kitchener Blue" at some time? Any way, the next point is the Westie (Who let the Dogs Out ? Woof Woof!). The breed was originated by Col Malcolm of Poltalloch, Argyll in the 19th Cent. How common were they at the start of the war? Did this one actually come from the West Highlands, near Helensburgh?Is this a Scottish Unit? Does the Kennel Club have a Forum? Questions, questions, questions, we might get answers some time.

Thanks again, Richard

[truthergw]

It's good to be reminded that it wasn't all bullets, bayonets and up lads and at'em.

GUNBOAT, I can well imagine a matelot scrounging around in an army bakery but would he really pose for his photograph?