Jenny Francis Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Can anyone help me identify my relative's regiment from the cap badges on the following pictures? His name was Arthur, George, Eric Sargent & he was born in 1898. As far as I know he was an A/SGT in R.Fus, & then in the Labour Corps. I believe the cap badge in pics 1 & 2 is the Fusiliers but are the cap badges on pics 3 & 4 from the Labour Corps? And are pic 3 & 4 even the same badge as it is difficult to see? If anyone could help at all it would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Sergeant, Royal Fusiliers (with two wound stripes). The chap in the greatcoat I couldn't say. Bottom one might be Northumberland Hussars yeomanry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Bottom one looks ok for Labour corps. Rifle and shovel crossing in the centre of a Laurel, crown atop, scroll at bottom, :Labor Omnia Vincit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 17 minutes ago, GWF1967 said: Bottom one looks ok for Labour corps. Rifle and shovel crossing in the centre of a Laurel, crown atop, scroll at bottom, :Labor Omnia Vincit. The bottom picture is definitely not Labour Corps. The shape of the badge does not conform to the LC cap badge. Its in fact the cap badge of the Surrey Yeomanry. Note the very flat base and distinct cypher to the central circle. all the best Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 (edited) Just two cap badges then Jenny, and I agree with Steven and Mark. Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) and Surrey Yeomanry. Edited 19 February , 2017 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 (edited) Another cap-less photo of him on Ancestry shows him with a shoulder title T over Y over a word (which I can't read). The T stands for Territorial, the Y for Yeomanry and the name would denote the specific Regiment of Yeomanry. Steve. Edited 19 February , 2017 by Stebie9173 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 I can't see a record for him online. The Pension records on Ancestry have the records for a Norman Le Grys No. G/81344 who originally served with the 2nd Surrey Yeomanry before being transferred to the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment just prior to embarkation overseas on 16 February 1918. On arrival in France he stayed at Infantry Base Depot. Initially intended to join the 7th Queen's, he was instead transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and posted to 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. It was typical of the army at this time to transfer groups of men (usually in groups of 50 to 100) and then renumber them as a group on transfer. Bearing in mind that it would seem that he started with the Surrey Yeomanry and served overseas with the Royal Fusiliers and the numbers are within 10 of each other, it wouldn't surprise me if Le Grys and Sargent were part of the same group heading to France. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Here is his entry in the Polebrook Absent Voters List for the 1918 General Election - most of these details tend to apply to Spring/Summer 1918, though the election wasn't until December 1918. The 6th Royal Fusiliers were one of the Reserve battalions of the Regiment - based in Carrickfergus in 1918. Men were usually posted to the Reserve Battalion after returning to the UK with wounds, etc. It may be that he was wounded fairly early in his infantry career and had been posted back to the UK. His studio photo with the rank of Sergeant (leaning on the table thing) shows two wound stripes on his lower left sleeve, incidentally. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 (edited) Looking at the Medal rolls on Ancestry Start point of Royal Fusiliers transfer group there is a consistent set of movement dates for men number GS/81341 John King to GS/81364 Charles Whitthread Royal West Surrey Regiment (no battalion mentioned because at Infantry Base Depot only) from 16 Feb 1918 to 4 Mar 1918 Royal Fusiliers, 23rd Battalion from 5 March 1918 onwards. I am more certain now that he would have shared the above dates of initial overseas service. I would suggest a first draft of his service as: Enlisted in late 1916 / early 1917 on reaching age 18 Initial service in the Surrey Yeomanry in the UK - photo with swagger stick on enlistment; photo in greatcoat prior to embarkation? Transfer to the Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment ) on 16 Feb 1918 Embarked overseas on 16 February 1918 Transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and posted to 23rd Battalion on the Western Front. Possibly wounded in Spring of 1918. Returned to UK - photo with Lilian and appearance on Absent Voters List Returned to France / Flanders with unknown battalion of Royal Fusiliers Wounded for 2nd time in Summer of 1918 Photo as acting Sergeant with wound stripes. Transfer to Labour Corps in late 1918 Steve. Edited 19 February , 2017 by Stebie9173 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Francis Posted 19 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Thank you all so much, especially Stebie9173, for all this information, that is just brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Yes, brilliant stuff Steve, I always admire your detective work. Well done indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Just to add. The photo of Arthur and Lilian attached to his Ancestry family tree shows him with one overseas service stripe on his right sleeve (denoting between zero and one years overseas service - he would be eligible for the first stripe on arrival in France and a second a year later). Lilian appears to be wearing a Royal Fusiliers "sweetheart" brooch in the centre of her dress. (I live about half a mile away from Werrington where he lived after the war, incidentally). Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald D Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 The 23rd RF War Diary for March 1918 doesn't show any reinforcements going to the Battalion during that month. It maybe because of the chaotic situation at the end of that particular month, when the War Diary was written up, that things like that could be overlooked. There were some in February but only added at the end of the month to show battalion strength, but with no date shown as when received. The Labour Corps number, 620377, is probably sometime during the month of September. My Grandfather was also transferred from the RF in late September with the number of 634319. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Le Grys' record shows: Joined 2nd Division Depot Battalion on 20-2-1918 Joined 23rd Royal Fusiliers on 5-3-1918 Le Grys was gassed a week later and evacuated to England. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald D Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 The War Diary shows that there were quite a few gas casualities in early March. From 12th onwards, before being relieved on the 15th, there were 11 officers and 240 OR's gassed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Francis Posted 19 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Thank you all again,..Steve I hadn't noticed the Royal Fusiliers sweetheart brooch that Lillian was wearing or the stripe on Arthur's arm. Arthur made it through the war, & became a policeman but unfortunately died in 1923 ( aged only 24)in a motorcycle accident. He was my Dad's half brother. How amazing that you only live half a mile from where he lived after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 February , 2017 Share Posted 19 February , 2017 I assume he is buried in the Werrington St John the Baptist church yard? The Kilsby Absent Voters List shows Arthur Joseph Sargent as No. 350848, Private in the Essex Regiment. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Francis Posted 19 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2017 Hi again Steve, I do have a photo of Arthur George Eric Sargent's grave, but I don't know for sure where it is, I guess it could well be at Werrington St John the Baptist church yard. As for Arthur Joseph Sargent, reg no. 350848 from the Essex Regiment, he is my Great Uncle, & Arthur George Eric Sargent's, Uncle. We know Arthur Joseph came back from the war, but don't know any more information. Also Arthur Joseph had a younger brother Albert Harry Sargent ( also my Great Uncle) who died in Ypres on 23/24 Oct 1917. He was a private in the 10th battalion of Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, reg no. 34521, when he was killed in action whilst working on the Ypres to Zonnebeke Road. Previously we know he was in The Buffs regiment no. 11200 but have no idea when he first joined up or when exactly he transferred to Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry? He is buried in Duhallow Cemetary in Ypres. Jenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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