rgalley Posted 29 December , 2013 Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Not a particularly good shot, but included for posterity. Never mind the quality ... still a great photo! An occasion involving the Seaforth and Cameron Brigade in the area of Bedford Park, although it appears that the Camerons are the ones on parade with other Camerons and Seaforth spectacting. The men in the centre background appear to be presenting arms, there's a piper playing and a couple of bobbies in attendance as well. Judging by the civilian hats, clothes and state of the trees, probably early autumn 1914? I reckon the occasion is a funeral. Privates W. Geddes (1/4th Seaforth) and A. Charker (1/4th Cameron Highlanders) died on 10th and 12th October 1914 respectively. They are not buried in the main military plot of Foster Hill Road Cemetery but lie alongside each other a bit off the beaten track at the bottom of Cemetery Hill by the fence marking the boundary of the cemetery and Bedford Park. With the Camerons taking centre stage, perhaps this is Charker's funeral? Piper playing the lament and the firing party waiting to perform the salute over the grave. A couple of the men in the centre distance are bareheaded. Pall bearers? Arthur Charker was the chap who died of wounds sustained when he was stabbed with a bayonet during a (drunken) argument with Private John Fraser in their billet at 6 Albert Terrace Bedford on the night of 9/10/14 (pay day!). Charker lingered for a couple of days before dying at 8am on 12/10/14. Before he died, Charker tried to plead the innocence of his friend Fraser, claiming the incident was an accident. This is probably the most notorious of incidents recorded during the Higlanders' time in Bedford. The group of graves close-by the boundary of Foster Hill Road cemetery and Bedford Park. The boundary line is marked by the trees and shrubs on the left side of the photo. The three CWGC headstones in a row are from l to r: Private (4366) W J Robinson, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d. 16/09/14), Private (1524) W Geddes, Seaforth Highlanders (d. 10/10/14) and Private (1895) A Charker, Cameron Highlanders (d. 12/10/14). The grave in front of the row of three is that of Private (1669) J Geddes, Cameron Highlanders (d. 13/12/14). From the records I have it appears that W Geddes was James's brother. Both were victims of the infamous 'Measles Epidemic'. I'm afraid I have no information about Robinson of the Inniskilling Fusiliers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 29 December , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Tried to research Robinson with little luck. Not in SDGW, but his number indicates enlistment in 1893, so an old soldier. His unit never came to Bedford so I am guessing he was local to the town. Newspapers should clear it up, a job for another day…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 29 December , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Great to see some more pictures from HP, it was a major camp from what I can gather. There was a big sale of stores and equipment when it closed at the end of the war, I read an interesting article in the Bedfordshire Times about it. I also thought the picture might be a funeral, photographer was Geary from the town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 29 December , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Not sure if this is of interest, might be worth tracking down the article that is referred to…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 29 December , 2013 Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Here are men of either 1/6th or 1/7th Black Watch in Coventry Road, Bedford shortly before the Division left the town for France. Coventry Road is within the Queens Park area of town and the Gordons had been billeted here in the early weeks following the Division's arrival in August 1914. The two Black Watch (TF) battalions were sent to Bedford to reinforce the Division in April 1915 just before it went to the Front. This is interesting -- in that they appear to have SMLEs and 1903 Pattern (as opposed to 1907 Pattern) bayonets. I wonder if they went to France with that combination It's not all that common to see P1903s. Chris Here's the Black Watch in Beverley Crescent, Bedford getting ready for departure to France. In response to Chris' note re: rifles, I'd also come to the conclusion that the 3 men in Coventry Road (see above) were holding SMLEs (I'm not sufficiently au fait with bayonets to tell immediately 03 from 07 patterns! Sorry, Chris!). However these men in Beverley Crescent are equipped with Long Lee Enfields. The male civilian wearing a cap in the foreground appears to be holding a box brownie. Wonder where those photos are now! N.B. The houses in the background feature in Chris' stereo view of the Gordons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 29 December , 2013 Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Here're are all 3 bayonet types likely to be seen at Bedford Pattern 1888 (on MLE/CLLE) Pattern 1903 (on ShtLE) Pattern 1907 (on ShtLE) and my only recent Bedford picture: a studio view of a Fusilier? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 29 December , 2013 Share Posted 29 December , 2013 Fabulous photos guys! I always enjoy them. I especially liked the photo of the Glengarry covers having participated in that debate. It was described by an officer as being like a posties hat and I did manage to find what I thought it might have looked like - a double shako (with a peak at the back and front). Now I've seen the photo, I know what he means and the double shako postie hat of that era wasn't so far out. Thanks again Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 1 January , 2014 Share Posted 1 January , 2014 Not sure if this is of interest, might be worth tracking down the article that is referred to…. Thanks for this John. A very similar article appeared in the Beds Times at much the same time. The Beds Times article states that the photo of B Company, 5th Seaforth Highlanders was taken in Bedford shortly before the Division left for France. Wrong! The photo was taken in France later in 1915 judging by the fact that Balmoral bonnets have replaced Glengarries. The 5th Seaforth wore Glengarries (along with the canvas cover!) when they left Bedford. I think this is the article mentioned in the Northern Star cutting posted earlier ... Sorry ... missed a couple of lines from the top of the final column. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 1 January , 2014 Share Posted 1 January , 2014 Happy New Year John/Richard. I lied -- I did find a couple more Bedford pics -- may be researchable / identifiable? No1 A Territorial RA officer who appears to have lost an arm? Not entirely sure of the significance of the band on his other sleeve (This is a Kingham Studio print) No2 identified in pencil on the back as HCB (Fife Coy) and then 'uncle Dan, married Aunt Jean, sister of Tom Henderson" Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 2 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2014 Happy New Year to to both too Richard, thanks for digging that out, interesting. Was it you who just won a Bedford card on ebay recently? Nice cards Chris, I have done a quick search on ancestry with little results so far…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 2 January , 2014 Share Posted 2 January , 2014 Happy New Year to you too, John. No comment re: the card! Save to say my eyes are still watering! Been a couple of corkers in recent months which have been out of my league Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 3 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2014 Yes mine too………. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 3 January , 2014 Share Posted 3 January , 2014 I knew it!.....watched several biggies recently but didn't bid...wondered if you two were involved...ouch.......but nice pics. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 3 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2014 So there is someone else out there ….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 3 January , 2014 Share Posted 3 January , 2014 So there is someone else out there ….. Yes, seems so. Someone's particularly keen on the Argylls. Here's one to ponder over. This was part of a small collection of p/cs that was given to me by someone who lives locally, last year. The images of Highland troops are all Bedford and identifiable either by studio / photographer name, or location. All except this one. Judging from the sett of the tartan trews they're also A&SH. Not sure whether the 'caravan' is military, or just a convenient spot for the chaps to bed down in, but looks like it's been properly set up (or whatever it is one does with caravans!) with boards under the wheels and entry ladder. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 There follow some non-Highlander images from the small collection I was fortunate enough to inherit last year. Most of the Bedford photographers are represented. Starting with ... Bedford Yeomanry by C A Solomons, Bedford. Dated 11/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 I reckon this chap's an Army Service Corps Driver. Portrait by J.T.Welch, 6 Midland Road, Bedford. Dated June 1917 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 Royal Engineer Signals and nurse. Portrait by E.S.Ball. St Mary's Studio, Bedford. Undated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 Territorial Artilleryman. Unfortunately, shoulder titles aren't clear enough to determine district. Photo by Arthur D Sadler, Bedford. Dated 10/14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 Message on the back of photo reads, 'Yours Sincerely Gordon Cotton'. I think he is Army Service Corps. Can anyone enlighten me on his belt arrangement? Portrait by Alice Neame, Bedford. Undated. I'd like to find out more about Alice Neame. She must have been something of a pioneer as a female commercial photographer in this period of history? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 "Charlie". Portrait by J.T.Welch, Bedford. May 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 Portrait by C.A.Solomons, Bedford. Dated 'Xmas 1917'. Message on face of card is 'Yours sincerely, Radcliffe. Unfortunately I can't make out the lettering on the shoulder title beyond T5. T5 what, I wonder??! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 No photographer and undated, but this chap is Territorial RE East Anglian district and wears a Bandsman's badge on his sleeve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 A member of the Australian Imperial Force. Portrait by Alice Neame, Bedford and dated June 1918. I understand that the 3rd Division AIF was in and around Bedfordshire at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgalley Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 No photographer and undated, but I'm wondering if this could be Haynes Park later in the war? The sergeant wears a Scout's badge and overseas stripes. I can't make out the shoulder titles and the cap badges are not clearly defined. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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