SteveE Posted 2 December , 2003 Share Posted 2 December , 2003 From the little information I've gathered so far and from the service record of my great grandfather in the 25th Bn Royal Fusiliers (Frontiersmen) I've always understood that this battalion embarked for East Africa in April 1915. However, his MlC entry states the theatre of war first served in as "1 France" and date of entry therein as "10.4.15". Did this particular battalion serve in France at all or is this simply a mistake on the MIC? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 3 December , 2003 Share Posted 3 December , 2003 Well the date is right for embarkation, but the Frontiersmen went to Mombasa via Aden. The theatre of war is presumably an error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 3 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2003 Cheers Chris, looks like my assumption was correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 3 December , 2003 Share Posted 3 December , 2003 As I'm in the middle of some serious home improvements all my notes / files atc. are buried somewhere in the spare room for the moment. But, if memory serves, the Frontiersmen did go to France, well actually Belgium, immediately, in a fit of pique after being received with less than total enthusiasm from the War Office when they volunteered their services. This was before being officially incorporated into the army and then shipped off to Africa. I also recall reading that the King of Belgium was so grateful for their limited but spirited help that they were given some kind of honour by him. My Dad knew an ex-Frontiersman who died recently (well, about two years ago) and received a few bits and pieces afterwards. I have somewhere, and I'll send it to Chris when I can find it, a personal account from a Frontiersman of a reunion of the boys in France and Belgium in the early 1920's. Interestingly they were so upset by the poor state of German cemeteries in comparison to the flowering Imperial war Graves cemeteries that they 'adopted' one for refurbishment. Can't remember which without checking. I'll get back to everyone on this. OK, where's the hammer....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 3 December , 2003 Share Posted 3 December , 2003 Keep on hammering Andrew. "H" Manchester Troop of the Frontiersmen volunteered to act as scouts for the Belgian Army and embarked at Folkestone for Ostende on 2nd August 1914. They were not officially part of the BEF as far as I'm aware. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Yippee. My memory works quite well! After I had posted this I had become a little concerned that I was talkng rubbish. Thanks for the confirmation Terry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Grundy Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Steve Try looking at the "Legion of Frontiersmen" website at: http://www.frontiersmenhistorian.info/index.htm They are a very helpful bunch when it comes to research. Best wishes, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 6 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Thanks for the URL Jim. I'll give them a try. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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