1/8th Middlesex

[Ian Underwood]

Hi all

I have never come across any photographs of the 1/8th Middlesex, either pre-war terrier training from 1912 on, or on active duty in France. I've searched ebay for years and also the small selection of books in my possession. Does anybody have any postcards or pics in books they'd like share with me.

I'm looking for images preferably from April 1917 or before, as I'm compiling the history of the chap in my signature (finally) and would like a photo or two to embellish the document I'm laying out for the family archives.

cheers

Ian.

[bmac]

Ian,

No concrete ideas but have you checked the local history sections of the reference libraries in Boroughs the 8th Middlesex recruited from. An analysis of the casualties in early summer 1916 show these to be:

Ealing

Hounslow

Hillingdon

Richmond; and outside London

Staines

[Ian Underwood]

Thanks for the hints, unfortunately I'm over the other side of the globe in sunny Sydney. The Middlesex Reg museum would be another good place to start I guess, maybe one day I'll get to trawl all of these resources.

Whilst the 1/8th certainly 'did their bit', the fact that they were held in reserve for most of the more iconic battles (Loos, 1/7/16 etc) means that they don't feature as prominately in publications and memoirs as other units. My man had a cousin who was from the same town who served in the 13th Royal Fusiliers. I found more references to the 13th R. Fus in quick google search the other day than I have on the 1/8th Middlsex in a couple of years!

Ian.

[simb]

I thought I was going to make your day, but unfortunately the postcards I have are 1/7th Middlesex, where one of my great-uncles spent his time. My grandfather, who survived, was a Lance/Cpl in the 2/8th, transferred into the 1/8th in June 1916, and another great-uncle, who did not survive, was a private in the 1/8th.