Royal East Kent Yeomanry

[ShaunJ]

If your relative is Alfred Horton born in Tooting 28th May 1896 or 1897 ( I think it is actually 1896) to a Dutch mother Grietje/Grietia, who had siblings Douglas and Albert, then there is no doubt that he served in France with the Royal Sussex Regiment. If he had prior service with the East Kent regiment, he did not go overseas with them.

[Beaver49]

Yes that's him.

[ShaunJ]

WW1 medal roll shows previous service with "2/5 R Sussex regt" no 3895

[Beaver49]

Hi - first of all thank you very much for your help ShaunJ. I have been speaking with my son and we checked our records. You're right he was born 25th May 1896 in (Streatham) and he is called Alfred in his birth certificate and marriage certificate. He did also live in Lochinvar Street in 1922 (on his marriage cert). So I think you must be right about him being in the 13th Sussex Regiment if you can see his Pension Index Card record with Lochinvar St listed. It is great to be able to confirm this and have his service number. Also thanks for the extra information on the PoW and discharge records - do you know where can we obtain those records if we wanted to get copies? One mystery still is the photo we were given of him, it very much looks like his face from memory but this chap looks like he's in an officer's uniform which doesn't seem to tally. I will try and upload the (very poor) photo I have

[Beaver49]

Hopefully this picture comes through. He's holding a pipe in his left hand and he did smoke a pipe.

[ShaunJ]

The photo is indeed of a British officer (and a German officer). So not Alfred

[ShaunJ]

Also thanks for the extra information on the PoW and discharge records - do you know where can we obtain those records if we wanted to get copies

I posted a link to the PoW record on the Grande Guerre website which is free of charge.

The discharge information came from the Silver War Badge medal roll which you can view on Ancestry (also free of charge I think for this Remembrance weekend). And the Pension index card is on Fold 3, and should also be viewable foc this weekend.

[ShaunJ]

The officer's cap badge could be Machine Gun Corps

https://www.brittonsbadges.co.uk/en-GB/all-badges-currently-in-stock/a-wwi-officers-bronze-machine-gun-corps-cap-badge/prod_11028

[John915]

Good evening,

If he was in the 13th batt RSR then his number would start SD****. 11th, 12th and 13th batt's were the South Downs batt's raised by Colonel Lowther, also known as Lowther's Lambs.

The names of all 11th, 12th and 13th men are available online if I can find the link.

John915