RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: graham saunders on Friday 20 November 15 14:34 GMT (UK)
-
This photo is of the 6Th Bn Royal Berkshire Reg taken we believe prior to 1914 it hung in my grandfathers house until his death he was CSM william Henry Newell by the tine of his demob If anybody has any information as to the location or indeed people in this photo i would be grateful
-
perhaps this should be in 'ARMED FORCES' can it be moved please ?
-
Moved to Armed Forces
Milly
-
Taken from Forces War Records: Royal Berkshire Regiment: (https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/475/royal-berkshire-regiment/)
6th (Service) Battalion
Sept 1914 Formed as part of the Second New Army (K2) at Scotland to join the 53rd Brigade of the 18th Division and then moved to Colchester.
May 1915 Moved to Salisbury Plain.
26.07.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
During 1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights, The Battle of the Ancre.
During 1917
Operations on the Ancre, The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The Third Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Langemarck, First Battle of Passchendaele, The Second Battle of Passchendaele.
12.02.1918 Disbanded in France, remaining personnel to the 1st 2nd and 5th Battalions.
So maybe this photo could be in Scotland or Colchester?
This may also be of interest to you: http://www.1914-1918.net/18div.htm
-
Hi Graham
The soldiers in the photo are wearing bandoliers associated with troopers in a mounted unit.
The regiment could be the Berkshire Yeomanry which was also in the TA.
-
Worth asking here: http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/home (and no, this is for real although the website name is a bit of a surprise!) ?
-
believe this to be the royal berks. because on a closer exam the cap badge appears to be the china dragon with the word china underneath. my grandfather signed on in maidenhead berks in 1908 into the royal berks [princess charlotte of wales] reg.TA . He was certainly in Maidenhead at the 1911 census and perhaps this photo was taken before they moved to colchester My thanks for your replies
-
Worth asking here: http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/home (and no, this is for real although the website name is a bit of a surprise!) ?
The people there are very helpful. Am sure they would be interested in seeing your photo.
Milly
-
Looks like I jumped to the wrong conclusion about the bandolier.
This item was used by infantry units before WW1 but was found to be unsatisfactory for infantry, it continued in use by mounted troopers during WW1.
See what the museum says...
-
Cyclists also used the bandolier. The regiment created a cyclist battalion during WW1.
One thing against it being pre war TF was that from about 1911 you would expect some of the men to be wearing the Imperial Service badge above the right breast pocket.
Ken
-
again thanks for your replies i have been in touch with the wardrobe in wiltshire but nothing specific came to light. In the fifties and sixties the TA bn. was headquartered in Brock Barracks Reading is it possibly there ?
-
Yes - Google it
Ken
-
I believe the 6th Battalion Royal Berks was raised in Shorncliffe, Folkestone in Sept 1914 and moved to Colchester in Oct 1914 until May 1915 and then on to Salisbury Plain.
The trees in the background of the photo look like they are bare in winter. This would indicate the location is Colchester. The use of the leather 1903 pattern ammunition bandolier also suggests the photo is in 1914/15 before being equipped with 1908 pattern webbing equipment for use in France where the 6th arrived in July 1915.
-
Hi There
I have a suspicion that this group is not the 6th Battalion. I think they are the pre war 4th Battalion. The 6th (Service) Battalion was a Kitchener battalion and when first formed in 1914 wore post office uniforms due to the shortage etc. The group wearing bandoliers are very smart and look like pre 1914 men. A number of Pre war TA soldiers were posted to the Service Battalions to assist with training in the first instance, then remain whilst deployed to give structure. The Regimental Website at the Wardrobe [So named because thats the name of the building which contains the Regimental Museum] has many images from the 1st WW within the online COLLECTION. Give that a try.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Maiwand
-
i believe that your suspicion is well founded my grandfahter enlisted as a territorial in 1908 in maidenhead and in the late 50s early 60s they had become 4/6th bn royal berks and the regulars became the DERR at a parade in Windsor Gt Park with the Wiltshires. My sister and her husband live just outside Devises i will get them to check. thankyou for all your research