Captain A M Read

[n cherry]

I have been thinking of putting this on the forum for about three weeks now and see I've almost been usurped..my question relates to previous threads but is slightly different....

His headstone at Dud Corner gives two units-the Northamptonshires and the RFC. It seems Captain Reed was originally commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment, then later served with the 7th Hariana Lancers in India before joining the Northamptonshires in 1911.

In 1912 he joined the RFC and in August 1914 went with them as part of the BEF to France before being attached to and seriously wounded with the 9th Lancers in September 1914. Recovered from his wounds he joined or rejoined the 1st Btn Northamptonshires in 1915 who he remained with until his death at Loos on 25th September 1915. As you can see he served with at least 5 units..but why two units on his headstone or was it just an officer thing? Did other members of the RFC who died before the formation of the RAF who were shall we say just attached to the RFC get their parent unit on the headstone? Does anyone know of a ranker who served with two units having both on his headstone...I'm thinking specifically here of any blokes who were forcibly transferred into the RE's as 'chemical corporals' but I've seen other threads of forcible transfers...were they allowed both units on their headstones?

[Terry Denham]

Many officers are listed as xyz Regt AND RFC - hence the two names on the headstone. I have not seen an OR from the RFC with this on their stone - perhaps another Pal has.

In a similar vein, men transferred to the Labour Corps late in the war often have their previous unit listed on the headstone.

[gem22]

I find it surprising that we don't see more of this double unit identification amongst both officers and ORs. Think of all the men who returned to F and F from blighty after recovering from wounds. Countless thousands were drafted into new units willy nilly. Many seemed to consider themselves lucky to get back to their old unit.

Also how about where units were amalgamated because it wasn't considered worth regenerating them from a cadre. There must surely have been lots of them.

Then we get the MGC. Am I right in thinking that initially people were drafted in from other units?

Surely they would be entitled to a second crest; but I don't recall seeing one.

Garth

[Terry Denham]

Generally CWGC inscribe the last unit only on the headstone. The exceptions are the Labour Corps as mentioned above and some men who were attached to other units.

It is not general practice to 'list' previous units on headstones.