My cousin recently discovered these pictures.
We have no idea of the date or location but I think Grandad was in the Lincolnshire Regiment and was in France, luckily he survived. Hopefully my cousin can find his service record. Like many who had experienced the war he spoke very little about it. I only know that being a farm boy, and used to horses, he worked with the horses in France and I remember him telling me about driving the gun carriage and going too fast and overturning it.
The red cross picks him out.
In this picture he is with a French soldier.
My Grandmother.
This is her at work, my cousin thinks it was a flax mill.
It was fantastic to receive these pictures as they are new to me.
Great pictures to find!
ReplyDeleteWorking with a gun carriage means he was in the Royal Field Artillery (or Royal Horse Artillery) and as a driver he would have those cartridge pouches across him.
The cap badge on the other pictures is different but not as the Lincolnshire reg I could find. The Sphinx is good but so many other regiments who served in Egypt had that. I hope you get this cleared up but 70% of serice records were lost in the blitz!
Thanks Mr A, I was hoping that maybe you could throw some light on this. That's interesting what you say about the Royal Horse Artillery. I have a few more photos of him in uniform so maybe I can enlarge the badges and have a better look. I'll get in touch with my cousin and find out exactly what she has.
DeleteThis might help...
Deletehttps://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/33178-is-this-a-royal-horse-artillery-uniform/
Thanks.
DeleteOH MY Dave these are a real treasure for you and your family! It's so rare to find photos this age in such good condition. Your Grand Dad was a handsome young fellow!
ReplyDeleteSondra, It was a wonderful surprise to receive these photographs from my cousin as I was unaware of their existence. There's a lot more delving to be done to find out more of his history. I'll be watching the outcome of the mid term elections and hoping that there's a change of power in the House of Representatives.......fingers crossed.
DeleteGreat photos to have, Dave. Such are so rare because in those days cameras were less prolific and having them taken was comparatively expensive.
ReplyDeleteoddly enough, with all our "smart" phone cameras and constant snapping, these current digital pictures will not last for decades as hard copies.
Thanks Avus. Its interesting what you say about the photographs because neither grandparents came from well off back grounds but they had photographs taken. I'm guessing that these photographs would have been for special occasions.
DeleteWhat fantastic records to have, as said above, photographs from that time were less common, and many have since been lost too.
ReplyDeleteSomething I find interesting is how despite the obvious horrors, many survivors of WW1, while they wouldn't often speak about it, many also said they were proud to have served and in fact, wouldn't have missed it for the world. That's not a sentiment you hear regarding WW2 so much.I think that is due to the localised nature of the various regiments - the so called 'Pals Battalions' and the inherent camaraderie.
We owe so much to those quiet and modest men who fought in both world wars - school visits to the cemeteries and battlefields should be compulsory in my opinion.
Mick, yes I'm very pleased to have them and the children like them too. My grandfather and his brothers joined up, maybe together I dont know. I cant remember any great uncles on my grandfathers side so perhaps they didn't survive. My daughters a history teacher and has taken children to both the Somme Battlefields and to Auschwitz. The children get very emotional and it has a great effect on them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a priceless treasure. I love looking at old pictures. Your grandmother was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Wanda, it was good to be given them and particularly as it's the centenary of the end of W W 1.
DeleteHI DAVE, I'm here through Wanda's blog. I have read your comments for years and decided to drop by and see your blog.
ReplyDeleteI love vintage photos. We have a lot from my husband's family. It's so frustrating because most don't have names, locations or dates on them. Kind of a mystery family but so much fun to look at.
Thank you for dropping in. Old photo's are good and I was lucky that my cousin sent me so many, and was able to put names to the faces. Hope you become a regular reader.
DeleteHi Dave, I'm Jenny from South Carolina. I came to your blog from Wanda's blog. I wonder, have you ever seen the web site shorpy dot com? It's nothing but old pictures. Yours would fit in very well there. Fascinating photos! Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenny, I will have a look at that site.
Delete