gnr.ktrha Posted 1 March , 2006 Share Posted 1 March , 2006 Hello, I have a few questions about this battalion. 1. Can anyone tell me when a man with the number 6841 is likely to have enlisted, I know it in time for the Boer War, as the chap was awarded the QSA with 4 Clasps. 2. Did the 3rd battalion serve during the Boer War ? Where can I find out more ? 3. What did they do between then and 1914 ? 4. Does anyone have any named photo's of the 3rd Bn Sergeants' C1914? 5. Was there a Regimental Journal covering this period ? Any information regarding this unit would be great. Thanks for looking, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen Posted 2 March , 2006 Share Posted 2 March , 2006 Hi Stewart , 3RB didn't serve in the Boer War , only 1RB & 2RB . 3RB India 1889 -1901 Aden 1904 UK ( Devonport ) 1905 Ireland 1910 - 1913 France & Flanders 1914 If your man has a QSA he was with either 1RB or 2RB , is he Albert C Crabbe ? There is the Rifle Brigade Chronicle which gives an acoount of the Rifle Brigade " doings " , a book for every year from 1890 and is still goung strong as the Royal Greenjackets Chronicle . Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 2 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2006 Yes, it's Albert C Crabbe. Did you look up his MIC ? He has two MIC's. Both carry the same information on them, except one has him as a Lance Sergeant. His QSA has the clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State & South Africa 1902. Does that tie in with a Battalion ? He was a Private then. All his awards carry the same service number. Do you have any The RB Chronicles ? The fella who has his medals has not done anything with them. He bought them in London in the mid 1990's, when he was down there working. He's not a collector, he just took a shine to them at a market [Lucky chap], and now he would like to know something about the man behind them. I don't know much about the RB's, so have only done the basic checks so far ie, MIC and CWGC. There are no remarks on the MIC's or any not of discharge or SWB. Because he has not been promoted, I wonder if he left the Army early in the war [wounded or Time expired] Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen Posted 2 March , 2006 Share Posted 2 March , 2006 Yes , looked up his MIC and thought it might be him by the pre war regular number and being a Sergeant . Not unusual to find two , found one guy with five ! . I think he is a 2RB man but you would need a a good soul with the QSA medal roll to do a look up . I no longer have the Chronicles . What are the other medals 14Star & pair ?. at a quick guestimate i think he probably enlisted around 1898 but you need the Star medal roll to find out exactly. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 2 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2006 Hello, I'm sure the group was a QSA [3 clasp], 1914 star and pair. There was no clasp on the Star, and there is none noted on the MIC. I see that the 3rd Battalion was one of the units that truced with the Germans in 1914. I've never seen enlistment dates on the star roll before, It's only Black watch ones I have seen so far, did that happen sometimes. I know the SWB roll usually has the date of enlistment. Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 March , 2006 Share Posted 3 March , 2006 Stewart, He is not 1/RB as I have the complete QSA & KSA Rolls for them. I have about 90% of the 2/RB Rolls and have not found him as yet but some of them are in bad condition. Another aspect is the Combined Battalion, a mixture of RB & KRRC which was put together during the Boer War, as well as the 4/RB who were in SA for 1902, arriving at Cape Town on 4th January 1902. I will keep looking for you, will also check through the chronicles to see if there is a picture of the 3/RB Sergeants of that period but cannot remember one off hand. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 March , 2006 Share Posted 3 March , 2006 War Record for the 3/RB on Christmas Day says the following:- Christmas in the trenches will always be remembered by the Battalion as a day of perfect peace, during which both sides declared a truce by mutual consent. Not the least interesting feature was a German juggler, who drew a large crowd of Riflemen and Germans in the middle of No Mans Land. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 3 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 March , 2006 Thanks Andy, I have a copy of British Battalions in F&F 1914, by Ray Westlake. He gives a basic description of what the Battalion was upto during that time. There is also a Sergeant's personal account in the book I have regarding the Christmas truce. That's about all I have that cover the Battalion in any detail. Do the Chronicles go in to much day to day detail. I have a similar book relating to the Black Watch, and it gives some details relating to Births and marrages within the battalion and also things like sports results. It great to get this kind of detail. Brings the unit to life a bit more. Is there a regimental museum ? I will try and get the guy to pay a researcher to look for his records and get copies of medal rolls, that might turn up something. If he does I will let you know and see about getting copies for you, if you would like ? Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 4 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 March , 2006 Hello, Did the composite Battalion have a name ? How long did it last for? Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 March , 2006 Share Posted 5 March , 2006 Hi Stewart, I do not think the Composite Rifle Battalion is what you are looking at given the clasps on the Q.S.A. but it is covered in the 1900 Rifle Brigade Chronicles and was made up of Reservists that were unable to join their Battalions due to the Siege of Ladysmith. The Rifle Brigade Chronicles are a great resource if you are interested in the Regiment and do give day to day accounts of the life in the Regiment, sports, promotions, births etc etc and detailed accounts of the state of each Battalion and the duties/actions they were involved in. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 5 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 March , 2006 Hello, Sounds very probable that he was a 4RB man in 1902. Thanks for all you help. If you do happen to come across anything regarding this chap, it would be great to hear from you. As you can imagine, the RB Chronicle does not turn up too often in Perthshire, infact not many military books do! Most of the good second hand bookshops have gone Do you have any other thoughts on this chap ? Once again, thank you very much for all your efforts. Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 March , 2006 Share Posted 5 March , 2006 Hi Stewart, It sounds that he could possibly have been 4th Battalion. After the disembarkation at Cape town the next destination was Kroonstad, where they spent quite a bit of time on the Kroonstad - Lindley blockhouse line. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 28 March , 2006 Share Posted 28 March , 2006 Stewart, Got him on the 4th Rifle Brigade Queens South Africa Medal Roll. 6841 A. Crabbe, confirmed clasps of Orange Free State, Cape Colony and 1902. No further notes in the remarks section. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Simon Lazenby Posted 29 March , 2006 Share Posted 29 March , 2006 Hi Guys Sorry to drop in on your post like this but you seem to have a fair knowledge on the Rifle Brigade. I'm looking for any info' online about 20th KRRC from formation to late 1917? Thanks, Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 29 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2006 Hello Andy, Thats great news. It's good to know which battalion he was with back then. I should try and get his service papers. Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 29 March , 2006 Share Posted 29 March , 2006 Stewart, He appears in the 3rd Battalions 1914 Star Roll (WO329/2482) on page 23. Entered France on 22/9/14 medal despatched by post on 8/7/19. Be careful though, we are discussing medals and certain members here seem to get on their holier than thou pedestal when these are discussed Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 29 March , 2006 Share Posted 29 March , 2006 A very interesting thread,and one that may have me asking you all a few questions over the next couple of weeks. One of my Great-grandads was,i believe,a CSM with A company,3rd Battalion,the Rifle Brigade,and was seriously injured during the Somme,in August 1916,around Guillemont. His name was George Henry Hapgood,who lived at Easton,near Winchester,and he was a pre war regular whose number was 2688,if i remember correctly. He was hit by 3 rounds during the battle,the first grazing his skull,and knocking off his tin hat. As he put his hand up,to see where his hat was,the second round took his right index finger off at the 2nd knuckle,and a 3rd round went through his chest missing his heart by an inch. He was left for dead on the battlefield,and was only saved when the padre,who was burying him,noticed he was still breathing. He spent many months in hospital,and,after recovering,became an Acting Quartermaster Sergeant Major,who was sent to Tipperary with his whole family,including my Nan,sometime in late 1917. He was Honourably discharged on September 14th,1918,and died in 1977,at a ripe old age. I always remember my Mum saying that he had a tendency to point his shortened finger at people,when making a point,and i am also lucky to have his collapsible aluminium cup,which he carried on the Somme,and used to have his rum ration in. He was one of 7 brothers who served during the war,and,remarkably,they all survived. Somewhere,within the family,there is a framed scroll signed by George the 5th,that thanks my Great-great-grandparents for their sons service,and their safe return. My vague memories of him are of this big man,smoking a large cigar and wearing a Panama hat,supping a pint of best bitter on a summers evening,30 years ago,outside of my Grandparents local village pub. I just wish i had been able to ask him more questions about his time at the front,but i was only 8 at the time. I think the 3rd were in Ireland at the start of the war,but i am not sure when they went over to France. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 29 March , 2006 Share Posted 29 March , 2006 Hi Simon, The 3rd certainly were in Ireland. August 4th Order received to mobilize. 5th-9th Mobilization 10-16th Route Marches, etc. to get reservists fit. 17th Embarked at 4.30p.m. at Cork in S.S. Patriotic 18th Disembarked at Holyhead and entrained for Cambridge 19th Arrived at Cambridge and encamped on Midsummer Common. Training around Cambridge and Newmarket until September 6th Sept. 7th Entrained at Newmarket for Southampton and arrived there at midnight. 8th Embarked for France in S.S. Lake Michigan 10th Arrived St. Nazaire. Remained outside the harbour while the rest of the Division disembarked. Most of the 1914 Star roll for the 3rd state 10/9/14 although there are a few some days before and some a little later. I canot find your great grandfather on the 14 Star rolls. Will check again and then look at the 14-15 Star Rolls for you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 1 April , 2006 Share Posted 1 April , 2006 Many thanks,Andy. His number,and Company,came from my Grandad,but that could have been when he first joined up. I am pretty sure he was over fairly early,but maybe he went over and joined another battalion,rather than the 3rd. Thanks again for the look up. His name was George Henry,but was also known as Frank,within the family. All a bit weird. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 2 April , 2006 Share Posted 2 April , 2006 As a little P.S,Andy,i have a prayer book of his here,which is dated 1911,which is when he may have joined up. May have been a Private still in 1914. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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