Royal Berks Regiment,with a 1914-1915 Star.

[Simon Furnell]

Evening all.

Long time no post(4 kids and a busy job,are really getting in the way at the mo)but i have come up with a bit of a question for you Royal Berks chaps.

I have a number which is either 15890 or 16890(think it is the lower number),and the guy has a 1914-1915 Star plus the Victory and War medal.

I also have a name.

Arthur James Butler.

There is also a Silver Jubilee Medal,from George the 5th and Queen Mary,dated 1935.

The question's are,from the information above,any ideas which battalion he served with from his number,and what were the dates you had to be in theatre to qualify for the medal?.

The next question,and this is where it gets a little bit complicated,is that there is a 1914 Christmas Tin that these are all held in,that was sent back to this man's wife as soon as he finished the contents(reckon it was a Tobacco one,knowing his Grandson as i do),and was something i had seen through glass,or in pictures in books,but had never held before.

Bye lord they are well made.

Christmas 1914 tin,and 1914-1915 Star,with a 15000/16000 number?.

Sounds like a challenge to me.

Look forward to hearing from you all,and thanks in advance.

All the best,and good hunting.

Simon.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

The Number [Which is actually 15690{see MiC Arthur J.Butler}]is that of a Kitchener Volunteer,ie around August~November 1914,which without further research would be difficult to tie into any particular Battalion,as Men enlisting so,could find themselves poted to more or less any Battalion.He may well have served with a "Service" Battalion @ Galipolli & Salonika,the MiC/Roll will confirm.

However all is not lost:~

a}you need to accquire via download the MiC for your Man,if fortunate it may have his initial Battalion on it,& will have date of embarkation in Theatre,which if not as a re~Inforcement will help establish his Battalion.

b}once you have MiC you need to utilise the References for the 1914~15 Star & BWM/Victory Medals & obtain the Medal Roll Pages,these should{esp 1914~15 Star Roll}confirm ALL Batalions/Regiments Served with.

c} MiC may show he was discharged {SWB List/***/**?}A Copy of this Roll Page{@ NA} will give much further information,including date of enlistment,discharge,Type of Wound,Age,Regt; Discharged From.

d}His MiC listing shows he served all his Service with Royal Berkshire Regt as Pte,so could mean he was Discharged,due to Wounds,Sickness etc;

Good Luck{PS: It is very addictive~There is no going back,once you start...}

[Guest Hill 60]

Although the last posting shows that your man survived the war I thought you might like to know about another A. J. Butler who served with the Berkshires.

The other man was 2782 Private Arthur James Butler, 1st/4th Bn Royal Berkshire Regiment. Died on the 25/08/1915 aged 18 years and buried in grave I. C. 15 at Hebuterne Military Cemetery.

He was the son of William Thomas and Florence Emma Butler, of 11, Connaught Rd., Reading.

[Simon Furnell]

Thanks chaps.

That is definitely something to be going on.

Correct,he did survive the war,and became a gamekeeper by trade.

I remember him vaugely,as a kid,and know he died in around 1975.

Didn't realise he was a vet of WW1,at the time.

Could have asked him meself,thinking about it,but i was only 8 at the time he passed away.

2/4th maybe a favourite,during 1915.

Thanks for your time,chaps.

All the best.

Simon.

P.S.

Wasn't far from Connaught Road,the other day.

Me Great Gran came from Sherwood Street,not all that far from Brock Barracks.

Many a member of my family served with the Royal Berks before they went else where(RAF,RM,ROAC,RA,MGC,Labour Corps).

This guy sounds like a squaddie,to me,and lived a long and prosperous life.

All the best.

Simon.