WW1 Rollestone No.6 Camp Salisbury Plain

[startt]

Taken in February 1918 these are new recruits F Coy
53rd YS.Batt. Hants Regt. Rollestone No.6 Camp. Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Top right is 8/25185 Pte.B.Tingle. The full corporal is Cpl.Perkins

[John915]

Good evening,

No picture posted or what you wish to know. This however is rollestone camp, ignore the arrow it's on the wrong side of the road. http://www.streetmap.co.uk/place/Rollestone_Camp_in_Wiltshire_510611_255611.htm

I believe the camp is still in use today for TA and Cadet annual camp.

John915

[startt]

Top row right hand side.8/25185 Pte B.Tingle F Coy 53rd YS.Batt. Hants Regt Rollestone No.6 Camp. Salisbury Plain
From his war diary which started January 16th 1918. I have a list of names mostly Christian who were there. Bill Sherman,Charlie, Gregory,Sayers,Fitz,Cpl Perkins, Sid, Sgt.Blight,Captain Gass,  george Smith,Pephim.
Life appears to have not been to bad for these new recruits, no being confined to barracks during initial training  and the food was good.                                               

[startt]

Thank you for your reply John.
This picture would be the full company with Captain Goss. other names are Edwards,Broome,Joe Aldis,Bill Hughs,Watkins,Tim Selwood,Smith,Jack Clark,Simmonds,Tick Selwood,Cpl Home,Richards,  Patrickson killed,Edwards,Thorn,Solway,Bert Issacs,Dodds. Bert Tingle and Bert Issacs were both from stratton,Cirenecster.

[Heath Clayton]

Hi Startt and John,
I'm hoping you are still reading these posts two years down the line ...
I was very interested in your photos of Rollestone Camp, as I'm researching a soldier called Arthur who was there in April 1918.
The soldier in your photo of the full company, second row from front, third left, looks very much like Arthur.
Unfortunately I don't know Arthur's surname. I am interested in him because he was my gran's boyfriend, and he sent her some great photos of himself and a silk postcard with Christmas greetings from Mons in 1918. From the tone of his short messages I feel sure they would have married if he had survived the war. I have made extensive searches on the CWGC graves website, plus Ancestry and FindMyPast, but without a surname it is very difficult.
The info I have about Arthur is that he was with the 53rd Young Solders' Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment and was living in Hut 20 at Rollestone Camp on 10th April 1918, when he sent a photo of himself with some of his comrades, a sergeant and lieutenant (2 stripes?). In the attached photo he is standing, far right.
Arthur would have been born around 1897-99, I am guessing he was among the younger soldiers to join up when the age limit was lowered to 18 and a half.
Bearing in mind Arthur was alive in Mons around the time the War ended, he may have returned to England as an invalid, disabled, or even may have died in the flu epidemic.
Among your list of names of soldiers in your photos, are there any Arthurs? Also do you know any more about how Rollestone Camp was organised, or the length of the training period?
Any info would be extremely welcome!
Many thanks.

[startt]

Sorry no Arthur mentioned. The first call up were in the Gloster Regiment. My father caught chicken pox and was quarantined so missing there deployment in France where they suffered causality. He went then with the North Staffordshire Regiment. By this time September the situation in France had become very organised, it was 2 weeks in the line and 2 weeks off. The War Office even docked him 6/4d as he had left the front line early. Try the Great War Forum, with what facts you have.

[Heath Clayton]

Thank you so much for your prompt reply and advice about the Great War Forum.

From your father's experience it seems that there was no pattern to the allocation of the newly-trained soldiers from the YS Battalion to another regiment, but that they were posted to whichever regiment needed more men at the time. In a way, your father's chicken pox probably saved his life.

I didn't realise the soldiers worked 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off, I had imagined they were in the trenches all the time. I have a lot to learn!

[startt]

First World War diary transcription of Bertram Tingle 1899-1994
Late of  Barnway,Stratton,Cirencester,Gloucestershire.
January13th 1918 to February 7th 1919

8/25185
Pte B.Tingle
F Coy
53rd YS.Batt. Hants Regt
Rollestone No.6 Camp
Salisbury Plain


Sunday January 13th 1918
Up at 6.30. Breakfast 8 Church Parade 10.. Very nice service not regular Chaplin. Dinner at 12.30. One of the best. Went to Larkhill with Bill,Charlie and Bills friend. Had tea at C of E hut, ripping place,spiffing grub.Cleaning equipment in hut evening.Bed 8pm.
Monday January 14th
6.30 cleaned boots etc. breakfast 7.30.parade and bayonet fighting until 9.30.Musketry (aiming) till 10.00. Squad drill till 10.30.Aiming till 11.00.forgot what we did till 12.30. Dinner then parade at 2.00(Battalion on Parade Ground)
School during the day.
Tuesday January 15th.
6.30 cleaning up. Breakfast 7.30. Parade 8.0 Battelion till  9.0.musketry till 9.30. distance judging till 10.30 . I was 5yds out in one and 10 in the other. S a till 11.00
Bayonet fighting till 12. P.T till 12.30.very enjoyable( Carey said etc.) dinner 12.30. Letter from Stewart. The 1st parade . School preparation for exam till 3.00. Then was called out with five others   to be ready  to go to Tidworth  at any moment so packed kit bag etc and waited till 8 then bed. Cake for tea.

[Heath Clayton]

Hi Startt,
Thank you for posting this extract from Pte. Tingle's diary. You are so fortunate to have this amazing record. It has given me an insight into what Arthur must have experienced at Rollestone Camp. It sounds as though the training was thorough and enjoyable. As you say in your earlier post, it seems they were well-fed and looked after.
The Great War Forum and website 'The Long, Long, Trail' look extremely helpful, and I registered earlier today, hoping I might get some useful info from there as well.
Liz.