Were watches issued on de-mob

[Foxkarej]

My grandfather was demobbed in March 1919 and was a Private.

Among the items he gave me from his service was a battered silver coloured pocket watch. It has a black face and a second dial where the figure 6 would be

On the rear it has the letters GS/TP underneath those are two X's and P 5297 and underneath those an upward pointing arrow.

I have a photo of him posing in his demob suit and issued boots on the day in question but i can't see any evidence of a pocket watch. He wore it for all the remainder of his life on a plaited dark leather strap whch may account for it not showing on the photo.

I believe the arrow may be a war department mark. Any help in confirming it was a de-mob watch and what the other markings on it mean would be appreciated.

John.

[philsr]

My grandfather had a similar one.

It has a black dia, lumimous numbers a second dial at the 6 position.

The name Carlyle and Clement and number A559 on the face.

It has a number 11738F on the back.

It does not have a Govenment arrow on it.

I always assumed that it was issued by the railways without any real evidence for the assumption.

Phil

[walrus]

I suspect that the watch in question was not issued on demob, but may have been acquired either while serving or later, as military surplus.

Were 'demob suits' provided at the end of the Great War? (I thought that was a WWII idea).

Tom t W

[macfarro]

I have one very similar from my grandfather, made by Helvetia with GS/TP, the number 162186 and the WD arrow on the back. It is still in a small semi circular leather/fake leather pouch

My gdad was too young for WW1 but was in the Home Guard in WW2 - I always assumed he was issued it then

Rob

have just found mine on a collectors web site where it is listed as circa 1940

[Foxkarej]

I suspect that the watch in question was not issued on demob, but may have been acquired either while serving or later, as military surplus.

Were 'demob suits' provided at the end of the Great War? (I thought that was a WWII idea).

Tom t W

The photo of him wearing the suit was taken at a studio. He told me he had the photo taken immediately after his discharge in March 1919 and he did refer to it as his 'demob' suit. I know when he married shortly after he worked overtime for a month to buy a wallclock I now own so i can't really see him being able to afford a suit when he left the army.

John

I suspect that the watch in question was not issued on demob, but may have been acquired either while serving or later, as military surplus.

Were 'demob suits' provided at the end of the Great War? (I thought that was a WWII idea).

Tom t W

The photo of him wearing the suit was taken at a studio. He told me he had the photo taken immediately after his discharge in March 1919 and he did refer to it as his 'demob' suit. I know when he married shortly after he worked overtime for a month to buy a wallclock I now own so i can't really see him being able to afford a suit when he left the army.

John

[Michael Johnson]

Not perhaps right on topic, but when my great-uncle was released on medical grounds in Novemeber or December 1916, he didn't even have a coat, just a sweater. He came home, and my great-aunt was at the pictures, not having had any word he was coming. He spent a rather miserable few hours waiting on the porch.