Hi Phil, Scrimnet, Steve & Sandy
Many thanks for all your helpful comments and insights regarding the photo and yes, my grandad was a gym instructor, so that fits with the photo nicely.
I have a red booklet called Regular Army Certificate of Service which is where I got my information from regarding dates and postings, although now that I look again it doesn't seem to say which battalion he was in. I must have got that from my uncle.
According to the booklet, grandad enlisted on 20th November 1906 and his army number was 5875048, but that number 8259 does ring a bell. Could he have had more than one number? His posting in Egypt was from 18.1.14 to 4.8.14. Then he was Home from 5.8.14 to 11.8.14 and in France from 12.8.14 to 15.5.15. He continued in the army until 1928. Maybe the dates are just administrative as I should imagine it would take a few days to get from Egypt back to England in those days even in the best of circumstances.
He was wounded twice during his time in France, once on the Aisne and the other time on the Marne according to my uncle, but we don't know which came first. Might one of those places include Aubers Ridge? He was shot in the same leg both times. I imagine that the second time was just before he returned to Britain in August 1915.
While I was rooting round to see what else I have that might explain why number 8259 is familiar I found another couple of photos, which I will post separately. I'm going to look at the Flickr site first!
Thank you all so much and any more info will be very gratefully received!
Diana