savysarah

I cant wait to tell my gran more .

Is there a way i can see the documents?  ☺

Wow great pictures!

On 03/01/2017 at 21:15, Graham Stewart said:

Savysarah - Thanks for the PM regarding your great grandfather James Geoffrey Hamilton and also for posting that photo of him, because there were two things that I picked up on it strainght away. Firstly the amount of Good Conduct Badges he is wearing on his lower left cuff, four of them and if I remember correctly each one indicated "two years" good conduct, which also brought with it additional pay. I have a copy of Regulations regarding the wearing of these somewhere among my collection.

Now to the cap badge - and this one is very important, because it isn't a cap badge at all. It is infact a General Service Pattern brass button, which bears the "Royal Arms" upon it and considering that this photo was taken during the Great War then these buttons were worn by a unit created in September 1916 and known as the Training Reserve. Again I have all of the instructions regarding the formation of this unit.

Therefore I would think he possibly re-enlisted, but for reasons unknown ended up in the Training Reserve, whose role was to train soldiers prior to them being sent overseas.

Your PM was quite detailed, so I must ask did you manage to get hold of his pre-World War One service records? You also mention on rejoining the Northumberland Fusiliers that he got a new regimental number G/6210, but I have to tell you that the N.F. never used letters with their numbers. The only Fusilier unit to do that was the Royal Fusiliers.

On top of which, but you'll probably already know this, is that he was voted as the Best Recruit in July 1888 and obtained his 2nd Class Certificate of Education during the same month, becoming a Lance Corporal in November 1888. My records also show his appoinment of Colour Sgt as of 26th February 1900 and was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers in March 1900.

Omg this is amazing i had the info found by a dover historian very kindly im now looking for more info and you have givrn me more already means alot!

On 30/04/2016 at 16:54, Graham Stewart said:

In February 1909 the 1st Bn, N.F. were based in Peshawur, India and from here they went on for Battalion training and a series of photo's were taken on the occassion and captioned by a Company Commander. I've reproduced those photo's here with the captions.

V FUSILIERS AT AZAKHEL 1909 - "My Regiment lined up ready to go out on a field day"

 

"This is a photo of my Company halted just off the border road"

General Willcocks Residence at Shabkadar - "Shabkadar Fort where I spent a four days on the Field Telephone keeping communications with my Brigade"

Members of the 1st Bn,N.F., either collecting water or washing in a shallow river bed in the area above.

Do you have anything on wylberg military base?

On 30/04/2016 at 14:45, Graham Stewart said:

Back in February I received an amount of period photo's from a gentleman simply known as "Jelly Terror", who had initially posted one or two of them on the Badge Collectors Forum. The photo's themselves were taken in both South Africa and India during the last Century and some were sadly damaged due to their age. Luckily I have managed to sort them out to become viewable and now have the privilage of posting them here for our members to view.

The above photo was taken in 1908 and shows the regimental crest cut onto the rocks at Cherat, India by Sgt C. McKim(front) and Pte Bloxham. The crest measured over 8ft wide and 10ft in depth and I believe it is possibly still there to this day.

Second photo - South Africa 1903 and here we see a small group of members of the 3rd Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers outside of the sports pavillion at their base in Tempe, Bloemfontein, Orange River Colony on St.Georges Day. In the photo we see them with "slouch hats", but what is even more unusual is the fact that they have are wearing their glengarry badges in them, which is the first occassion I've ever seen them worn this way.

WOW MY GRANDAD WOULD OF BEEN AROUND HERE  he was in South Africa 2nd battalion Wylberg as sergeant 

James Geoffery Hamilton

On 29/04/2014 at 23:49, Graham Stewart said:

Prior to serving in South Africa the 3rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers moved several times - from Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth to Fulford Barracks, York around March 1900. In May 1900 the Battalion moved to Strensall Camp, York and then onto the Barracks, Bradford in October the same year. In April 1901 the Battalion moved to the Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight.

 

There the Battalion remained until May 1902, when it embarked upon the S.S. "Atrato" and sailed for St.Michael in the Azores, eventually reaching the Camp, Antigua in June 1902, where I believe the above photo was taken.

Just now, savysarah said:

 

MY GRANDAD 1st battalion his daughter was born isle of white he must of been there too 1901