6th/7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment Sgts. Sept 1914

[Raster Scanning]

The 6th (S) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment was a K1 unit that was vastly  over strength  with volunteers, so along with a cadre of older 3rd Battalion men the excess were formed into the 7th (S) Battalion (K2). Both battalions initially shared facilities at Mandora Barracks. Here in a picture from those early days the combined NCO's are recorded. They wear a collection of scarlet, khaki and civilian clothes. (I love the man at the end of the front row in a civilian suit, bow tie and a dark blue army peaked cap). My collection

Edited 10 September , 2022 by Raster Scanning

[FROGSMILE]

Yet another super photo posted by you Raster Scanning.  That’s a lot of rows of life experience encapsulated there. The scarlet upper garments are in every single case 7-button home service frocks (rather than full dress tunics) that visual evidence suggests were still being issued at many regimental depots in 1914.  The man at front left with the dark blue cap, but mixed dress seems to have an open revered drab khaki military jacket - as it has two breast pockets - rather than being a civilian suit.

Edited 10 September , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[Wheezy]

On 10/09/2022 at 16:20, Raster Scanning said:

The 6th (S) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment was a K1 unit that was vastly  over strength  with volunteers, so along with a cadre of older 3rd Battalion men the excess were formed into the 7th (S) Battalion (K2). Both battalions initially shared facilities at Mandora Barracks. Here in a picture from those early days the combined NCO's are recorded. They wear a collection of scarlet, khaki and civilian clothes. (I love the man at the end of the front row in a civilian suit, bow tie and a dark blue army peaked cap). My collection

Hi

My great grandfather is in this pic. 2nd row up from the bottom, seventh from the left. He is CSM Harold Watts. He survived the war, having served throughout. Big burly chap with handlebar moustache. Wish I knew more about his war history. 

[Matlock1418]

19 minutes ago, Wheezy said:

My great grandfather is in this pic. 2nd row up from the bottom, seventh from the left. He is CSM Harold Watts. He survived the war, having served throughout. Big burly chap with handlebar moustache. Wish I knew more about his war history. 

Hi Wheezy,  Welcome to GWF.  Glad you found something of interest here.

Could please offer us a bit more info on your GGF, even if not of a military nature [though of course that would be handy! Especially if you have his regimental number(s), off medals perhaps??] - any other forename(s)??, his DoB, DoM, DoD, family members, place of residence etc [before, during and/or after the war] may perhaps enable members to track him down for you.

M

Edited 11 December , 2022 by Matlock1418
add

[Wheezy]

Hi Matlock

Sadly not a lot to go on. His full name was Henry Watts (sorry, previously said Harold!). He was listed as Sergeant in the 2nd Bedford Regiment on his marriage cert in 1900 when he was 27. so he would have been 41 in 1914 and 45/46 when war ended. At that time he was living in Bore Street, Bedford.
   He had campaigned with the Regiment in South Africa. In fact, I have an amazing pic of him on horseback, presumably there with the cavalry.

  I guess, like many, he continued as a reservist after the Boer war ended and then joined the Bedford 6th Service Battalion in 1914. I have a pic taken of him at the Sergeants Mess at Aldershot 1914. He is listed as CSM Watts. I also have all the 6th Service Battalion 1915 platoon pics from Windmill Hill, Salisbury. He was in 13 Platoon.

  As I mentioned before, he survived the war. 

   One of the rather sad reasons I am unable to give more detail is that the family lost contact with him on my mothers side, because my great grandparents divorced, presumably not long after the Great War. This was a fairly unusual and no doubt somewhat shameful occurrence in those days, I guess. I’ve always assumed that the war must have played a part - the long absences abroad over the three to four years must have been very challenging. Perhaps divorce was one of the less flagged up consequences of the war, along with the serious unemployment after it ended. 
   Anyway, the upshot is that I know nothing more unfortunately. My grandfather was the image of him.
  I don’t have any of his medals. I believe my uncle has them and he lives in Canada. 
    I’ve not had the inclination to follow this up further into the records until now. Seeing his picture on your website really got me thinking that I’d like to know more. 
  
Thanks for your interest, 

Wheezy 

[Raster Scanning]

Served as

12161 6/Bedford

375556 Labour Corps (258 and 282 A. E. Company).

GS/140481 Royal Fusiliers

He is incorrectly listed as 12137 6/Bedf when admitted to No 3 CCS with Trench Foot on 14-7-1916, being transferred to the 9th Ambulance Train the next day.

 

Bye the way, I am not aware of a Bore Street in Bedford. Maybe Bower street?

 

Edited 12 December , 2022 by Raster Scanning

[Wheezy]

Thanks, Raster. Amazing stuff. Actually I think it’s Bore Street, Lichfield. Seems to be a mistake on the marriage cert 

[Raster Scanning]

My thanks too. Good to add another name to my picture.

[Wheezy]

What does CCS stand for? 

[Raster Scanning]

Just now, Wheezy said:

What does CCS stand for? 

Casualty Clearing Station

[Wheezy]

Just realised that he went off with trench foot the very day before the battalion went into battle at Bazentin Ridge with big losses, according to the regimental diary. Good timing or what! 

[Matlock1418]

4 hours ago, Wheezy said:

His full name was Henry Watts (sorry, previously said Harold!). He was listed as Sergeant in the 2nd Bedford Regiment on his marriage cert in 1900

Wheezy - that 'Henry' forename does help! 

As has been identified above it seems he has a MIC as: 

12161 6/Bedford

375556 Labour Corps

GS/140481 Royal Fusiliers

The 375556 Labour Corps number also comes up as a Disability Pension Card [seems he transferred to the Army Class Z Reserve with the RF and there is an additional/earlier number of 53040]

Image courtesy of WFA/Fold3

This also seems to show a further Royal Fusiliers number of  A/6451959 - as a seven digit numeric this is likely to be a post-war renumbering and thus it seems to suggest post-war service - and as such it may be that perhaps his service record is still with the MoD and could be recovered for a fee https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records ... perhaps!

M

Edit - that latest RF number fits nicely with post-war RF  See LLT https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/new-british-army-numbers-issued-in-1920 = 6446001- 6515000 Royal Fusiliers

Edited 12 December , 2022 by Matlock1418
edit

[Wheezy]

Really bowled over with this research, Matlock. Thanks so much. Amazing how you’ve managed to find all this out. 
 

Wheezy

[steve fuller]

Put me out of my misery John; other than the older officer, I recognise every officers' face from other photos I've seen / have but cant put a name to any!