old uniform did he get a new one

[tom compton]

dear pals i was thinking the other day about my granddad and his uniform he was in the dorset militia from 1903 - 1908 and i was wondering if he would have used his old uniform or would he have got a new one in 1914 when he joined the 6th dorsets .thanks tom

[sotonmate]

Tom

Take a read of:

http://www.1914-1918.net/17div.htm

as there may be a clue in the opening sentences,which suggest that there were "no organised billets or equipment" available for the 17th Division Brigades, which included the 6th Dorsets in 50 Brigade. At the time they were building new Divisions under the K2 expansion so I would think that maybe new uniforms were in short supply unless your Militia only had red ones with white etc edging,in which case they may have had to get something a little more inconspicuous !

You will see from the above site that the 6th Bn was in France from March 1915 and keeping busy !

Best wishes

Sotonmate

[tom compton]

thanks for your post sotonmate i was thinking he would have had a khaki uniform and seeing that uniforms were in short surply he would have used it ?. what do you think. have you any interest in the 6th dorset . tom .

[sotonmate]

Tom

I am not specifically interested in the 6th Dorsets but they are near neighbours to my Hampshires,which I have been looking at in some detail as my Great Uncle was killed at Gallipoli with the 2nd Bn. I reckon your Grandad would have had a khaki uniform from the start of his unit's connection to the 17th Division,and certainly so before he went to France with 50 Brigade in 1915. I expect they would have had full kit before hitting the front line. This would have hopefully included a bottle opener ! Take a look at this for all the Dorset Regt Battalions:

http://www.1914-1918.net/dorsets.htm

Best wishes

Sotonmate

[sotonmate]

Tom

Here's 2 bits of 6 Dorset's War Diaries I found in the Long Long Trail:

http://www.1914-1918.net/Diaries/wardiary-6dorset.htm

http://www.1914-1918.net/Diaries?wardiary-6dorset2.htm

Sotonmate

[sotonmate]

Tom

Sorry the second one has an error:

http://www.1914-1918.net/Diaries/wardiary-6dorset2.htm

Sotonmate

[tom compton]

thanks for all the information soton it all helps to build a better picture of my granddad life befor he died in arras in 1917 .I wonder seeing were you live if you know anything about romsey or somerley camps i think the 6th dorsets stayed in the two camps in 1915 befor going to france .thanks again tom

[sotonmate]

Tom

I have a picture of a pre-1914 Volunteer Militia which might help you to see what sort of uniform your Grandad may have worn. The unit in the picture is the 1st Westminster Rifles in 1909,carrying earlier equipment including the Long Lee Enfield Rifle. This is shown in a library book I have out on loan,called The First World War in Pictures and put together by Richard Holmes (ISBN1-84222-319-4).

[sotonmate]

Tom

The pic was left behind. I will work on it and try again tomorrow,it may have been too big to send and I may have to downsize it.

Sotonmate

[tom compton]

thanks soton .tom

[sotonmate]

Tom

You should have the picture by now.

About your question re-Romsey and Somerford,I think that these were two of many local camping places prior to embarkation to France. There was a recent thread (someone here may remember it) with a photograph showing a Scottish Regt marching back to camp from a service at Romsey Abbey. Perhaps the 6th Dorsets were getting in position to embark at Southampton. Doubtless the War Diary will tell you this. I will make a note to read it when I go to the National Archives soon. I will also look at the days surrounding your Grandad's death at Arras in 1917.

Sotonmate

[sotonmate]

Tom

I will need your Grandad's name ! I ask this because I assumed he was a Compton,but looking at 1917 deaths there no Dorsets and there are 3 on the Arras Memorial with no known grave,a Hampshire (Roy),an Essex (Arol) and a Royal Scot (Henry).

Sotonmate

[sotonmate]

Tom

Taking a peek at the early actions from 6th Dorsets you might like to read this:

http://www.1914-1918.net/bat14_2.htm

where it describes their actions in recovering the Bluff in a counter-attack.

Sotonmate

[sotonmate]

Tom

I found the papers of your man Edgar Blyton TRISTRAM at the NA yesterday. He is on WO363/T1419,and the folios 0218 to 0241,so if you wanted to order them from their you now can.

The papers include his pre-1914 service summary:

12 years and 5 months as No.1102 Dorsetshire Regiment-discharged November 1896,later 12 months in Royal Reserve,discharged 1901,then 2 years in Royal Garrison Regiment,discharged 1903.

He signed on again on 8 Sept 1914 aged 44 on 1 year Attestation Papers.

There are details of his wife and 5 children,4 boys and a girl.

I also saw the War Diary for the 6th Dorsets for the period around his death. This is WO95/2000,which actually covers the whole war,and is a more informative version than I have seen before now. There are monthly maps showing trenches and front lines,a whole page of the Diary for each soldier recommended for a decoration,daily orders copies, and generally a more complete picture. Unfortunately the first two weeks of April 1917 are missing,this part of the Diary has a ravaged appearance with sheets out of place so it is possible that they have gone walkabout. Anyway I took a few pics and will process them and let you have them later. I think that your soldier was in the Battle of the Scarpe around Arras at the time of his death. At the end of March 1917 his unit was in billets at IVERGNY,the last week of that month was spent in various training schemes with the forthcoming battle in mind. The front was just east of the town of WANCOURT,a little south east of Arras. So I have no specific data on the days near his death,only where he was,no numbers of dead and wounded and where.

I also forgot to read the start of the Diary to see where they embarked from the UK etc. You may see this bit from his papers.

Best wishes

Sotonmate

[tom compton]

thank you soton your a diamond .what a pity the diarys first two weeks of april are missing.he died on the 13th of april in arras town there were two 6th dorset men killed on that day private tristram and private wilks both by the same shell? i see by your details that his time in the 3rd dorset militia from 1903-1908 is missing .it will be interesting to see the maps etc. i have since found out that somerley is not just a village in sussex but a park or a big house in ringwood hampshire this is on the way to romsey were they also stayed .the only girl of the five children is my mother .thank for all your hard work and interest and keep it comeing .tom