Sandra Parker Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 Private Ernest Bradford No 242714, The Buffs, (East Kent Regiment) , and later Private Ernest A Bradford No 21227, Northamptonshire Regiment. He was discharged 2nd April 1916. I believe from information from Alastair Massie, National Army Museum, that in September 1915 he was posted from the Buffs to the newly formed 1st Garrison Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment with which he served in Egypt until being invalided home (presumably) ten weeks later. On both occasions E A Bradford was discharged as physically unfit for war service. Can anyone tell me what is the uniform he is wearing in this picture? How could he be discharged then re-enlist so soon afterwards? I do have copies of his war service records if that helps. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 could have been discharged as time expired and simply joined up again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 His Northamptonshire Regiment number is one that I would expect would be issued around October 1915. That doesn't look like a Northamptonshire Regiment cap badge. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 The Buffs number is a post 1917 TF number so I do not understand how he could have been transferred out of the Regiment in September 1915. On this basis I would doubt the information from the National Army Museum. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphjd Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 His Northamptonshire Regiment number is one that I would expect would be issued around October 1915. That doesn't look like a Northamptonshire Regiment cap badge. Steve. Its The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) badge. Certainly not the Northamtonshires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebriggs Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 Hi all Here are the MIC cards of Ernest Bradford that I can find:- Looks like he enlisted in Northants Regt in June 1915 Arrived in Balkans in Oct 1915 Discharged from Northants (?) on 2.4.16 Re-enlisted into E Kent Regt post April 1917 and given 6-digit number He has 2 Medal Rolls entries in fact - is this really the same man???? or can it be two men ?? cheers Mike p.s. can send better MICs by e-mail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 14 July , 2007 Share Posted 14 July , 2007 I've checked the medal rolls and Ernest Bradford of the Buffs was in the 5th Battalion. The next number is 242715 WH Bradford also of the 5th Buffs. It is a strong possibility that these 2 men were from the same family. Does this help with a positive ID? If your man was posted out of the Buffs to the Northamptonshire Regiment in Sept 1915, it would have been before he went overseas. I suppose there is the possibility that he rejoined the Buffs after being discharged from the Northamptonshire Regiment in April 1916 and gone overseas again with the 5th Buffs. As Mike says, the Buffs number is post April 1917. What does his service record say? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 15 July , 2007 Share Posted 15 July , 2007 The logical conclusion to me is that the 242714 Ernest Bradford is a completely different man. His medals are on a completely different Roll from a different District to the Northamptonshire Regiment man. I'm 95% sure that 21227 is an October 1915 number. Since he enlisted in June 1915, then that says to me that he was in a different Regiment for the three/four months - July, August, September, October - before transferring to the Northamptonshire Regiment, possibly only days before his date of entry (possibly embarkation rather than disembarkation in this case). His number is certainly indicative of a large group of men who were posted to the 1st Garrison Battalion in late 1915. (Most of the 21xxx numbers in fact) My view would be: June - October 1915 - Buffs ??? October 1915 - Transferred to 1st Garrison Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. 24-10-1915 - Embarked to Egypt. 2-4-1916 - Discharged from Northamptonshire Regiment. He definitely appears on the Northamptonshire Regiment 1914-15 Star Rolls. I don't have the VM/BWM page with him on. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigronhartley Posted 15 July , 2007 Share Posted 15 July , 2007 Hello Sandra, His 'Pensions' Papers (WO364) can be seen via the Ancestry site (2 sets), he enlisted in the Buffs, transferred to a Garrison Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment in Sept 1915 before he went overseas and rejoined the Buffs for Home service only. Hope this helps. Regards Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 15 July , 2007 Share Posted 15 July , 2007 Thanks, Ron. That makes things clearer. Enlisted 1-9-1914 into Buffs. Regiment Number SR/EK/GS/289 ?? To Canterbury 3-9-1914 Posted to 6th Buffs, 26-9-1914 Discharged 6-1-1915 - KR 392 Xvi - No longer physically fit for service. Re-enlisted into the Buffs, No. G/7882, 26-6-1915. To Canterbury, 27-6-1915 Posted to 3rd Battalion, 29-6-1915 Transferred to 1st Garrison Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment on 21-9-1915. Served overseas from 24-10-1915 to 2-1-1916. Posted to Northamptonshire Regiment Depot, 2-1-1916 Discharged 2-4-1916 - KR 392 Xvi - No longer physically fit for service. Interesting one. Added to my knowledge, at least! Thanks! Record also has details of wife, son and two daughters. I can't see any indication in his records that he is the 242714 man. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Parker Posted 15 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2007 My sincere thanks to everyone who has added a comment in reply. It has helped to sort out the records that I have. Michael, there are no WH Bradfords anywhere in the family that I have traced, and I have fairly accurate records of the family members. My files of the pages of his service records are too big to add to this forum, but I would gladly send them privately to anyone who is interested, although I note that Ron has had access to those records. My Ernest Alfred Bradford definitely signed up for Short Service on 1st Sept 1914 with 'The Buffs'. He stated there that he had been previously in "The Surrey Rifles Volunteers. free discharge'. Discharged on 6.1.1915 Was 'Short Service' so called because they thought that it would be over in a year, or was there some other reason? I hope I have managed to upload part of the first record and will attempt the second part separately. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Parker Posted 15 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2007 the next bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Parker Posted 15 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2007 maybe this will work in 2 parts. This is the top part of the page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Parker Posted 15 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2007 and the bottom part. Wow, I've learned a lot about uploads and downloads and pixels today!!!! If all this just means that the info given so generouslty is still correct, then thank you yet once again. If it is of interest to anyone else, then that is a real bonus for me. Once again, my sincere thanks and appreciation for your generous assistance. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 15 July , 2007 Share Posted 15 July , 2007 Hi, Sandra. I've got to go out today, but I'll try and post more comments later. The "Short Service" heading is actually a throwback to the late-1800s when the Army shortened its basic length of service to 12 years (7 years active service, 5 on reserve). It means a Regular Army enlistment as opposed to Territorials or Special Reserve. The Volunteer battalions were the precursors to the Territorial battalions. These changed name in 1908. The fact that he refers to them as Volunteers probably means that he would have served a basic 4 year (part-time) stint that probably finished before 1908. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DerekEB Posted 21 December , 2008 Share Posted 21 December , 2008 Private Ernest Bradford, 242714, born 16 Aug 1896, was my father. He enlisted in the Buffs and served the whole war with them. He served in India and Mesopotamia. He survived unscathed. I have his 1914- 1919 Great War service medal, alas without ribbon. I also have a couple of photos of him in uniform and his birth, marriage and death certificates. He told me he missed a big battle in Mesopotamia (Kut al Armana?) as the troop ship he was on was quarantined due to yellow fever on board. He would not talk about this. I have never heard of Ernest A Bradford in my own family history research. My father had a brother William, but he was William Edwin. I would welcome any further information. Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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