Tony

Hello, I?m trying to find some info on one of my ancestors who spent some time in the army back in the 1830s/40s. Does anyone know which unit may have been stationed in Fort Pett Hospital & Barrack, Rochester (Kent) in 1841? All I know is his name and that he was 39 years old at the time. Thanks Tony

Then it possibly is Horace Tarling, I'll have to see if I can find him on the 1901 census. 5 minutes later....... Found one possible living in London aged 6 in 1901. Just have to find his medals now Here he is. Tony

That sounds very probable Lee. It's a nice piece of kit and I think that makes it more interesting. Tony

Hello Graham, They are photos of different soldiers. Keith/Graham The card with the cap badge is signed H Tarling. I found three Tarling?s in the E. Yorkshire?s but only one H Tarling: 218 Pte. Tarling, Horace A, East Yorkshire Regiment and later 26786 of the West Riding Regiment. I?m just wondering why he had a low number as he only looks about 12 years old. His tunic doesn't have the patches to the shoulders or pleates to the pockets, is that some sort of emergency issue? The shoulder title looks like it has a W as the fourth letter but it could also be H, the soldier?s name in this case is quite common (GA Wood) so I don?t expect to ID him although being a corporal narrows it down a bit. The problem is, there isn?t a Cpl. G A Wood listed on the NA and he could have ended up with a different rank by the end of the war. Tony

Here's something about the entitlement http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/wwii_medals.htm Tony

Lee, Do you know why it has gas mask instead of gasmaske written on it? Tony

Thanks a lot for that. I'll be in Ypres in a couple of weeks and will be going to the trench W Hilleard was killed in well, where the trench would have been anyway. Tony

Graham, My great grandad was in the Queens and in S. Africa so that's very interesting to hear. I don't know who the above soldier was but he was a mate of my g grandad's brother Bill who is in my avatar, I think the whole family were in the Queen's till the Great War. Tony

I need some help from those of you used to spotting and identifying small blurry objects in photos. Which regiment do you think this cap badge belongs to? I'm leaning towards the East Yorkshire regiment or possibly the Cheshire regiment. Now this one is difficult. Can anyone read the sholuder title here? I have both soldier's names so can cross check with the online NA site I hope. Thanks Tony

A very kind offer. Would you mind looking up 7620 William John Hilleard of the Queen's (11th Battalion) please, he was killed near Hill 60 in July 1917. I have a bit of info on him but the SDGW CD might know something I don't. Then there's 2656 Pte. George Stevens also of the Queen's, killed on the Somme in Sept. 1916. Both men were from Bermondsey. Cheers Tony

Hello Westfale, I see what you mean but I too have different types. As Ed says, there were manufacturers all over the Empire/Commonwealth producing these stars so I wouldn't worry. I had my Grandad's stars and medals issued a few years ago and my Mum has recently received her Uncle's stars and medals, the latter stars are of a far better quality but the medals are about the same. You can pick up an Africa Star for about ?10 - ?15 so it may be worth keeping an eye out for one you prefer the look of. Tony

Thanks Graham, How do you know he was 1st Battalion? Tony

Thanks, I've still not had it in my hands but it came with a group of medals I bought a while back. I'll be collecting them when I get back home in March. Tony

I wouldn't worry about it. These stars are still being issued today but with a larger suspension ring, attach a picture so that we can see for comparison. It might be worth looking here http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2906&hl= There's nothing wrong with your English so no need to excuse yourself Tony

Ahhhhhhhhh, thanks for that. Tony

Hello, Any particular reason for that? Tony

I've not got many Scott but if you go back to page 2 you'll see the bulk of my WWI British medals. I have some back in England that I'll be picking up next time I'm there, and a few odd ones to my name which I've just started to collect. I know Chris Boonzaier's groups will make you, me and anyone else drool. Tony

A nice trio Scott and I see your avatar has changed slightly too I have 2 mounted (not court mounted) trios whereby the the pin is present but have seen attachments for ribbon bars without a pin. They had brass rings similar to a keyring to hold it in place and the other had something like small rosettes that slotted over 2 short pins at each end of the bar. Tony

Thanks Michael, He's Horace Frank Fain from Godalming. I had a girlfriend who lived there but I can't remember her name I'll splash out the ?3.50 to see what his record says. Tony

He's out of nappies now Chris and I can't find any of the old pictures. I did just take one of the mask though and now I see not only a difference in the colour but the string is held in place differently too. It's amazing, there were probably more gas masks produced than EKIIs but try finding one. Tony

Thanks for looking anyway Rick. Tony

Not very decorative and I'm not sure if it counts but here you go, my only piece of evidence apart from online records and books that a certain soldier was killed. Wonder who got there with the bad news first, the telegram boy or the postman with this letter. Tony

I am a plonker sometimes. There I was asking about the 94th and I have their regimental history on the bookshelf. They were at Warneton when the ridge was blown and took part in the ensuing fighting. After a number of losses (64 killed, 173 wounded and 10 missing) they were taken out of the line for rest at Linselles for a month. The Regiment returned to the line in late July where they were situated just east of Zillebeke, which is only a mile roughly (if that) from Hill 60. They took another bashing there (6 officers and 109 ORs killed, 8 officers and 376 ORs wounded, 1 officer and 138 ORs missing) and came out of the line at the beginning of August. This time they rested until the beginning of October in the line at Bullecourt and only lost 10 killed and 45 wounded. They returned to Flanders on 2nd October to the area they all knew well, on the 4th the tanks broke through positions in Zonnebeke and got through to Broodseinde. Before being taken out of the line on 20th October, one of their MG NCOs was wounded in the hand by an aeroplane bullet while watching a dogfight. I believe M v Richthofen was in the area at the time so I wonder if they were watching him giving chase or being chased. Losses for 2 ? 20 October were: 8 officers and 115 ORs Killed 13 officers and 338 ORs wounded 16 men missing 3 officers and 210 men off sick (lazarettkrank) They didn?t get back into the thick of it again till they drew the short straw and were sent to Kemmel in April 1918 (officers-13 killed, 24 wounded, 1 missing 2 not feeling well, ORs 155 killed, 655 wounded, 45 missing and 156 off sick). Tony

I have one too down in the cellar Chris only I'm not 100% sure if it's German or Belgian. I'm leaning towards Belgian because of the colour though. It still works or did when my son was a few months old but the wife had a moan about me using it to change nappies which was good really, because I didn't have to change them anymore. Tony

Yes I'd say he was wounded at St. Eloi and died at a casualty clearing station as I just found this too: From March 1916 to the Armistice, Aubigny was held by Commonwealth troops and burials were made in the extension until September 1918. The 42nd Casualty Clearing Station buried in it during the whole period, the 30th in 1916 and 1917, the 24th and 1st Canadian in 1917 (during the capture of Vimy Ridge by the Canadian Corps) and the 57th in 1918. The extension now contains 2,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and seven from the Second World War. There are also 227 French burials made prior to March 1916, and 64 German war graves. The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. Tony