Mr Grinch Posted 5 January , 2008 Share Posted 5 January , 2008 Hi all, Recently bought a group if medals to a Private in the 1/5th Battalion the Hampshire Regiment. Im a Middlesex Regiment man so do not know much about the Hampshires. What i do know is that they sailed for India in 1914 and remained there through out the war. I also know they served in the Afghan war in 1919. Does anyone know where i can get info on there movement in India during the war, when they were recalled to the UK and battles etc.. in the Afghan war ?? I understand the 1/5th were a Territorial Battalion so were they treated different from the regulars ?? Any help would be greatly appreciated. King regards and Happy New Year ! Mr G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 5 January , 2008 Share Posted 5 January , 2008 Hi - my wife's maternal grand father was in this Bn. Do you have a Territorial War Medal in the group? The 1/5th came from Southampton (Carlton Place HQ), with the splendidly-named Lt Col H di S Burford Burford-Hancock in command. On 9th October, 1914, they sailed for India (the 1/5th on the Cawdor Castle), arriving, eventually, at Allahabad in mid-November (incidentally, Mrs B's g-dad had his 21st birthday in the Suez Canal). Various detachments were sent off, and after 13 months at Allahabad, the HQ and two companies went to Lucknow. The Bn was reunited at Faizabad in march '16. Throughout this time, drafts were sent, maunly to Mesopotamia, and drafts were received from home. Through 1916 and 17 they moved around somewhat, until January 1918, when the Bn was at Maymyo in Upper Burma, and then back to Calcutta in September. In April '19 they sent to Simla 200 men to assist in putting down riots in the Punjab. In May 1919 they joined the 2/7th and 2/9th Gurkhas, and the 151st Infantry in the 46th Mobile Brigade, for service in the Afghan War. They went to Kohat, and took up positions outside the town (125 degrees Fahrenheit in the tents!), and were attacked (without loss) by about 400 hill men. Lack of water, and no rations for 4 days made conditions difficult, and the final straw was an outbreak of cholera in the Kohat Cantonement, leading to 6 deaths in the Bn. They moved from Kohat at the end of June, for Ambala (losing one man to heat stroke), then on to the hills for the summer, and to Bombay for embarkaton on the German prize Konig F August on 15th October, arriving Southampton 8th November 1919. During their stay in India, no battle casualties had been suffered, but 22 o.r. had died. In addition 2 officers and 26 o.r. had been killed, 1 officer and 6 o.r. died of wounds, 29 o.r. had been wounded and 16 taken prisoner, serving with other units. All this comes from The History of the Hampshire Territorial Force Association and War Records of Units, 1914-1919 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Grinch Posted 5 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2008 Wow thanks for the info. How long would he have to served before he would qualify fot the Territorial Medal ? I dont have, but the chap i bought it from states the group is complete. Thanks again Mr G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 5 January , 2008 Share Posted 5 January , 2008 To qualify for the TWM, one had to be a serving member of the TF at the outbreak of war (or to have served 4 years prior and re-joined), to have volunteered for overseas service by 30th September 1914, and to have served overseas before the end of the War but not be eligible for the 1914 or 1914-15 Star. As the criteria were pretty limited, only 34,000 were awarded, and I'd imagine that the majority would be to members of the 43rd and 45th (1st and 2nd Wessex) and 44th ( Home Counties) Divisions, Obviously it would seem your man didn't qualify. It might be worth posting some details, as there are some extremely knowledgeable members, particularly regarding the Hampshires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Grinch Posted 6 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2008 Hi, Yes the grouping is to a Private 2441/240876 William R Beament. What can be gauged by the service number ? If he joing in late 1915 or 1916 would of he been posted to India with the 1/5th or would he have been with them from the start ? I know loads of questions, but im still learning on the research front. Cheers Mr G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 6 January , 2008 Share Posted 6 January , 2008 Couldn't help on the numbering front, I'm afraid, but you might find someone else drops by with that info. Obviously he was re-numbered along with the rest of the TF, but I can't give you more than that; sorry. Sue's g-dad was 1543, re-numbered as 240251. I'd guess that (plus the lack of a TF Ware Medal) indicates your bloke was a wartime enlistment, possibly at the start of the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Grinch Posted 6 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2008 Maybe your wifes grandfather served with Beament ? Good possibility. Ive found out that Beament was born around Chard Somerset but moved to St Mary's, Southhampton, around 1900. Other than that, i hope to find out more later. Regards Mr G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 6 January , 2008 Share Posted 6 January , 2008 Hello Mr G. According to the medal rolls William Richard Beament was entitled to a British War Medal only so he didn't see action in a theatre of war. It is possible that he also qualified for the Indian General Service Medal with Afghanistan 1919 clasp. Are these medals part of the group that you have? In terms of an enlistment date my database on the Hampshires indicates 2441 as an early September 1914 enlistment which fits in with Steve's assessment. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Grinch Posted 6 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2008 Hi Marc, Yes the group came with the BWM, IGS Afghan 1919 clasp, Defence Medal and Special Constabulary Long Service Medal. Thanks for looking that up for me and thanks for the further info. Can you tell me if any action took place for the 1/5th Battalion during the Afghan campaign ?? Regards Mr G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 9 January , 2008 Share Posted 9 January , 2008 Mr G. The only Afghan action that I can recall for the 1/5th Hants is the brief engagement with hill men at Kohat mentioned by Steven in his earlier post. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JsyFdSqn Posted 13 June , 2011 Share Posted 13 June , 2011 I have a copy of The History of the Hampshire Territorial Force Association and War Records of Units, 1914-1919 . If anyone is interested please contact me.. Jase Hello Mr G. According to the medal rolls William Richard Beament was entitled to a British War Medal only so he didn't see action in a theatre of war. It is possible that he also qualified for the Indian General Service Medal with Afghanistan 1919 clasp. Are these medals part of the group that you have? In terms of an enlistment date my database on the Hampshires indicates 2441 as an early September 1914 enlistment which fits in with Steve's assessment. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hulme-griff Posted 10 November , 2012 Share Posted 10 November , 2012 A little late to reply perhaps but I just found the medal cards for 3 brothers (my gt uncles) who were in the Hampshires. Lancelot, Theophilus and Frank Hulme. I have postcards sent from one to my granddad and he wrote on the back of one. Lance Corporal, a/Corporal 1918.... a/Sgt S & T 1/5th Hants Regt. Meerut. Other cards include one from Allahabad, another from Secunderabad, one I saw some years ago was from Islamabad. finally a horse drawing a carriage with a machine gun fitted and soldiers waking behind, one of which is Frank Harding Hulme. I think leaving camp on Salisbury Plain (tents in far background) The medal cards are, Lancelot and theophilus, British war medal and India GS medal with Afghanistan and North West Frontier Force 1919 clasps Frank however has Brithish War Medal and Hampshire reg Territorial Force Medal, His enlistment was a little earlier Regtl no 1573. I hope someone finds this of interest. Griff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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