rhodesie Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 I'd be grateful for any help with the following. My late beloved uncle, Thomas Longworth born in Liverpool 6th April 1901, whose photograph is shown below, was said to have been at the battle of the Somme. I remember him talking about the gap at Ginchy and mentioning machine guns (but he was very reluctant to talk about the war at all). I should also add that according to family legend, he enlisted at the age of 15 using his late brother's birth certificate (Joseph Longworth). I hope that someone can help to identify the badge in the picture (I have tried to myself but my eyesight is rather poor I'm afraid). Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteWolf Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Good evening I blown the picture the best I can and to me it looks like the Machine Gun Corps badge. Crossed machine guns with a crown on top. the same as the one in my avatar (points left) with the picture of my great uncle Thomas. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Just a thought.... If he was born in 1901 and enlisted at the age of 15 in 1916, he would not be sent out immediately but would (obviously) have to undergo a period of training in Britain. Could he have been out early enough to take part in the struggle for Ginchy? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodesie Posted 5 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Good evening I blown the picture the best I can and to me it looks like the Machine Gun Corps badge. Crossed machine guns with a crown on top. the same as the one in my avatar (points left) with the picture of my great uncle Thomas. Andy Thanks for helping Andy Just a thought.... If he was born in 1901 and enlisted at the age of 15 in 1916, he would not be sent out immediately but would (obviously) have to undergo a period of training in Britain. Could he have been out early enough to take part in the struggle for Ginchy? Ian I really don't know Ian, but I vividly recall him mentioning the gap at Ginchy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 He could, of course, have fought at Ginchy in 1918. The area was defended in March 1918, and liberated in August by units of the 38th (Welsh) Division I seem to remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horseshoe Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 I'm sure those are Machine Gun Corps badges on his collar. However, the Machine Gun Corps didn't usually wear collar badges like that. Unless it's a post-war picture right at the end of the corps' existence, it's possible he was in either a Guards Machine Gun unit or a Canadian MGC unit, both of whom DID wear the collar badge. I would guess he is Guards Division MGC. They were involved in the Battles of Ginchy/Flers-Courcelette/Morval (part of the Somme battles) in September 1916, and that would fit with the "Ginchy gap" story. Just a thought. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 I can't say that this is typical but my grandfather was attested at the Guards Depot on 26/5/15 and didn't get out to France until 4/10/16. Paul is (of course) correct and Ginchy was fought over twice. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 I'm sure those are Machine Gun Corps badges on his collar. However, the Machine Gun Corps didn't usually wear collar badges like that. Just a thought. Rob I have a number of wartime photographs of MGC men wearing the badge on their collars; it seems to be quite common in some units in the Corps. Why is everyone presuming this must be 1916? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen D Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 If you look at the photo again, it is taken post war as he has his medal ribbons up. A youngster in the war wouldn't have that many. I see there are two Thomas Longworths with MGC MICs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 I have a studio photograph of my uncle, kia May 1918, taken in Grantham in 1917 and he is wearing MGC collar badges - by the size of them they are cap badges and he is certainly very smartly turned out for the photo with a gleamingly white lanyard, polished boots and brasses, swagger cane etc. Photos of MGC o/r's wearing collar badges seem to be quite common. Making an impression as a "new" Corps perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen D Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 David can you post the MICs here? There maybe some clues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodesie Posted 7 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2006 David can you post the MICs here? There maybe some clues. Owen, as requested. I would be grateful for any help with interpretation. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodesie Posted 7 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2006 Apologies ... I seem to have, somehow, lost an image from my previous post. Here are the two MCI's for Thomas Longworth. I have tried to enlarge them (without success). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen D Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 Hope this helps. So which one is it ? I'd go for bottom one, reason is in photo he has crossed MGs and medal ribbons up. Did Tank Corps still wear crossed MGs? If he was Labour Corps he'd have spade and rifle????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodesie Posted 9 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2006 Hope this helps. So which one is it ? I'd go for bottom one, reason is in photo he has crossed MGs and medal ribbons up. Did Tank Corps still wear crossed MGs? If he was Labour Corps he'd have spade and rifle????? Many thanks for your all your help Owen. I would value any other opinions, observations or comments about the above MCIs, should anyone care to offer them. Thanks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Hales Posted 23 March , 2007 Share Posted 23 March , 2007 Apologies ... I seem to have, somehow, lost an image from my previous post. Here are the two MCI's for Thomas Longworth. I have tried to enlarge them (without success). If Uncle Tom enlisted using his late brother Josephs birth cert, wouldn't one of these http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...mp;mediaarray=* be his MIC ? Owen Hales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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