Northumberland Fusiliers/Labour Corps

[Guest Northumberland]

I am told that my grandfather Charles Gordon volunteered at the outbreak of the war joining the Northumberland Fusiliers in Newcastle upon Tyne; his regimental number was 5674 ( on his Mons star and his medal card) and he was a signalman; at some stage he was transferred to the Labour Corps ( number 580394) presumambly in or after 1917 when the Corps was formed. I was advised by the PRO some time ago that his war records were destroyed in WW2 (I have just written to the NF Museum in Alnwick to see what info they may have). I know that his lance-corporal was Ernie Richardson and that both survived the duration and that they had their 'R&R' in Rouen , Normandy. My mother says he was on the Somme and at Ypres. He befriended a family called Barbrel in Rouen and I visited them when a schoolboy in 1964.

There are numerous things I would like to find out :

1. Is his regimental number an indication of how early he 'joined up'?

2. Were soldiers with sequential numbers usually in the same battallion/unit?

2. What battalion might he have been in?

3. Why might he have been transferred to the Labour Corps?

4. What % of people joining in 1914 survived throughout WW1?

I look forward to hearing from anyone who may have any useful information

regards

CWGB

[Chris_Baker]

Hello CWGB, welcome to the forum and good luck

I am curious as to how the PRO could have given you the info that his service records do not exist. They do not undertake searches of this nature, and you may have been misinformed. You need to take a look yourself or get someone to do it for you.

You say that he had a Mons Star. Take a look at it, if you can. Is it a 1914 Star, or a 1914-15 Star? If the former, it pins it down to the 1st Battalion. However, unless he was a reservist recalled or otherwise had serious prior military experience, it is very unlikely that a 1914 volunteer would have been posted to the 1st Bn in France by 22 November 1914, the final qualifying date for the 1914 Star. Much more likely that he enlisted in the new army, going out in 1915.

Look him up in the medal rolls, also at the PRO. It will give you his battalion(s) and possibly some date information.

Transfer to the Labour Corps was invariably due to medical downgrading. This usually followed recovery from a wound, sickness, accident, or sometimes just ntural physical deterioration (not always due to war conditions).

Our resident Labour Corps experts may be able to deduce from his LC number when he was transferred, and to which Company.

There are many, many discussion threads on this forum about army numbering systems. All very complex. Have a search.

[Guest Northumberland]

Charles Gordon was married on 23 September 1914 as he had 'signed-up' and he and my grandmother wanted to 'tie the knot' before he left.

[Ivor Lee]

CWGB

A Labour Corps number of 580394 would mean a transfer to the Corps in the summer of 1918.

Pinning it down to a specific Company is more difficult. There were a group of men with numbers close to his who were transferred to 36 Company but right in the middle of this group is one man who was in 900 Company and another in 423 Company!

So I am afraid the answer lies in his service record if it survived the bombing of 1940.

[Guest Northumberland]

Family research has un-earthed a box of old postcards, a few of which are to, or from, my grandfather Charles Gordon; these establish without doubt that he was in the 14th Battalion Northumberland Fusilers which was founded in Newcastle upon Tyne September 1914; this ties in with his marriage in that month specifically arranged just before he went off to join the 14th.

One card is from Grandad to Grandma from Sheffield in 6 Feb 1915. ( Hillsborough barracks perhaps?)

 

A card written in French to grandpa addressed to the Norhumberland Fusiliers France from a Gabriel/Gabrielle from Armentieres dated 21st May ( looks like) 1915

A card addressed to the expeditionary force in France April 8th, looks like 1916….. from friend (looks like David Oxland... a sailor perhaps?) in Stockholm . saying he, the friend is on his way to Russia in the next few days  "I hope all is well with you and the other Tyneside lads"

 

Card posted from Long Eaton from Bernard P Dew to my Grandmother advising her that Charles is near Albert in the Somme valley below Arras  dated 6 May, could be 1915 or 16 . Bernard according to his medals record was also in the 14th.

I see elsewhere on "Long Trails' there is some information about the 14th including two of only three known photos ( according to a comment in a local newapser from the Fusiliers museum in Alnwick)of the 14th, so any further information anyone has about the 14th ( I have written to the Museum for some) would be greatly appreciated

regards

Charles

NB We also now know that the card was from David Adams who later became Lord Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1930 and was Labour MP for Consett County Durham from 1935 until his death in 1943 ( souce: "Dictionary of Labour Biography") CB added 3 July 2004

[laughton]

Northumberland:

I took out my magnifying glass and checked the listing in John Sheen's book and I did not see any mention of a "Charles Gordon", although there were a number of other "Gordon's". I may be blind, so do not take this as absolute proof as to John's book. Best you look at it yourself or contact him directly.

You can find my reference to this fabulous text at:

http://www.censol.ca/research/greatwar/tyneside/tyneside.htm

Do you have any additional information as to what unit of the NF that he served with during the war? Have you checked also the book on the 34th by Shakespear? That is also linked from our site.

Pleased to see others researching the NF. Good luck!

Richard

[Guest Northumberland]

Richard

thanks for the info about Sheen's book on the Tyneside Irish which I shall look up; my other question about the Irish may have misled you; I'm certain grandad wasn't in theIrish; my sister found the attached card addressed to him at the 14th.

We also now know that the card wqs from David Adams who later became Lord Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1930 and was Labour MP for Consett County Durham from 1935 until his death in 1943 ( souce: "Dictionary of Labour Biography")

regards

Charles

[laughton]

So obviously with the name "Gordon" you need the Scott's version of Sheen's book. I had that as well, but only by mistake and it was returned. If it is as good as the Irish version, it will be well worth your pennies. Good luck with your research!

Richard of Canada