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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: justontime on Monday 09 April 12 15:50 BST (UK)
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I would be grateful for any information about the men in this photo please. I think perhaps the one on the right is my grandma's bother and I can probably confirm this if I have more information. Why does his cap look soft? The others seem to have more rigid caps.
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3 Great War veterans there the two on the left have wound badges visible
All are Sergeants im just having difficulty pinning regiment down due to the light on cap badges.
There are shoulder titles visible too if you can get a zoom on them?
A lot of lads took the wire out of caps especially the more seasoned vets amongst them a sort of "status" symbol.
Do you have any possible names to compare similar cap badges and regiments from Medal Index Cards.
Ady
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Hi
These Soldiers are in the Bedfordshire Regiment
Cheers
Maiwand
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Ady thank you for your reply, I am afraid I do not have much useful information. The man on the right looks like my grandma's brother Jack Chambers Buswell who was in the Bedfordshire Regiment, he joined up in January 1916 and was killed in action on 8/10/17 (in the same week that his brother Edward was killed in action). He was a Lance Sergeant, I don't know what that means but I assume it is a bit less than a sergeant so I am not sure that this man would be him.
I couldn't get a clear shoulder or cap badge, this is the best I could do
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Maiwand, sorry our posts crossed. Thank you for your answer. It looks as if it must be Jack Chambers Buswell after all. I appreciate your help.
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They're most likely from the Bedforsdhire and Hertfordhsire Regiment.
The man in the centre has abeen wounded at least three times.
They appear to be Kitchener's Army recruits, juding by their belts.
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I'm sorry Combover but what are 'Kitchener's Army recruits' and is the Bedfordshire regiment the same as the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment? Could the man on the right be a man who joined in Jan 1916 and was killed in action in Oct 1917?
Thank you for your help with this.
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Good evening,
Not Bedfordshire and Hertfordshires, they were only renamed as this in 1919. Also the man on the left does not have a Bedfords cap badge. It is too square in shape unlike the other two which are 8 pointed stars covered with a maltese cross and garter belt with a hart in the centre. The nearest to it is the Wiltshires but theirs is surmounted by a crown.
John915
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Thank you John915, that has helped a lot and the picture of the cap badge makes it much clearer. I appreciate your help.
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My apologies!
Kitcheners army were the conscripted soldiers.
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No! Kitchener recruited the early volunteers.
A
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Thank you Combover and Ainslie
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Kitcheners army were the volunteers prior to Jan 1916...Those of a few months before were usually Derby scheme members.
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Thank you scrimnet. If I am right about the identity of the man on the right he joined Jan 1916. I'm not sure if he was called up or if he chose to join. In civilian life he was a clicker (shoe industry). I don't know much more about him except that he was engaged and that he attended the church Bible class and played football for the church team.
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Hi justontime.
You may already know this site of Steven Fuller's.
http://www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/index.html
If not enjoy.
Sandy
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Thank you Sandy.
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Thank you scrimnet. If I am right about the identity of the man on the right he joined Jan 1916. I'm not sure if he was called up or if he chose to join. In civilian life he was a clicker (shoe industry). I don't know much more about him except that he was engaged and that he attended the church Bible class and played football for the church team.
Actually it is quite possible that he joined under the Derby Scheme...A deferred volunteering...But as a clicker he would have been quite useful making boots etc for the forces...