The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - (***MODERATORS' CHOICE)

[Graham Stewart]

Further to my last regarding 'Choppie' Leslie - I was recently trawling through some internet images and this one caught my eye, as it was supposedly his cousin Frank King Leslie, who was killed in Gallipoli with the Royal Fusiliers. However on a closer look, I'm almost 100% certain that this is indeed 2nd Lt. Cecil George Leslie on his commission into the Northumberland Fusiliers and that the photo has been mis-identified.

[Graham Stewart]

[Graham Stewart]

It's the 1870's and a young couple walk into the photographic studios of A.D. Lewis, 111 & 113 Scotswood Rd, Newcastle-on-Tyne. They are brother and sister and he is a soldier in the 5th Regt of Foot(Northumberland Fusiliers), whose Depot was at Fenham Barracks. He is dressed in the distinctive scarlet uniform of the day, which was introduced c.1871, with gosling green, collar & cuffs, piped with a white 'tre-foil' on the cuff - introduced in 1871 and at the base of the collar. The shoulder straps are also edged with white piping, but a metal brass numeral '5' is worn on the shoulder strap to indicate 'his' regiment. The collar badges are the plain brass bomb type which we see quite often, even these days. He has with him his 'glengarry' cap upon which is the distictive brass grenade bearing the numeral '5', surrounded by the Regimental motto "QUO FATA VOCANT", which would be replaced in 1881. The brass buckle of his belt, also bears the distinctive regimental insignia of a '5' in the centre, surrounded by the title "Northumberland Fusiliers", which would be worn until 1874.

Sadly who they are is unknown to me, but I have a great pleasure in having them  as part of my Northumberland Fusiliers collection.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Graham Stewart

[Jerry B]

Excellent pics posted Graham, these last two and the one before, brilliant and with great clarity of image.

 

.

[Graham Stewart]

Just arrived today and despite it's condition it's a lovely Regimental Xmas card, in which is a lovely period photograph of the band of the 1st Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers and dated 1912/13. The photo was taken in Mhow, India and unlike many other period Xmas cards that I have of the Regiment this one is unusual in having a genuine photo and not a commercial print.

The actual photo of the Band, which has been inserted into the Xmas card.

Inside a message from "Archie" to his possible loved one "Annie". We will never know who either of these two people were, but they would be totally unaware of what the future was to bring in August 1914, and I sincerely hope that both of them got through those terrible times.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

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.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

Again the 3rd Bn, N.F. in South Africa and the same location, but here we have 'F' Companys football team who have become the proud winners of the Inter-Company Football Shield.

[Graham Stewart]

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.

[Graham Stewart]

By April the Battalion had moved into another district - "1st Bn, Fifth Fusiliers on parade at Rawal Pindi 1909".

All of the photos appear to have been taken by the Battalion Colonel - C.H.L. Jones

[Graham Stewart]

One of the more unusual photo's in the collection was this one of the "Nursing Orderlies & Staff, Cherat, India, North West Frontier, which I believe was also taken around 1908.

By February 1912 the Battalion had moved into Mhow Barracks and this photo was taken Trooping the Colours on St.Georges Day, 1912.

Included in the group photo's was this lovely studio photo of two members of the 1st Bn, taken while at Mhow. They wear the five button foreign service frock coat in scarlet, with gosling green facings. The lad standing is wearing an Indian General Service medal and both wearing "good conduct badges on their lower left cuff.

[Graham Stewart]

You're probably all sick to death now of N.F. photo's, so here is the last one, again taken in India, but where is unknown, but possibly taken during the Kings visit to the country. It's certainly not St.Georges Day as no red and white roses are visible anywhere.

Thank you for your patience and do hope you enjoyed them.

[jf42]

On 4/30/2016 at 14:45, Graham Stewart said:

 

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.

Graham- greetings. I just re-read the caption to this great image more carefully and noticed the reference to Glengarry badges. Given that the Glengarry was already obslolete for general use by the start of the 2nd Boer War and, indeed, in 1903  the Foreign Service cap that replaced was obsolescent, having been replaced in 1902 by the Brodrick cap for Home Service, I wonder where the Glengarry badges were dug up  for attachment to the 3rd Battalion's hats, especially as the battalion was only formed in 1900. Intriguing.

[Graham Stewart]

On 5/22/2016 at 15:14, jf42 said:

Graham- greetings. I just re-read the caption to this great image more carefully and noticed the reference to Glengarry badges. Given that the Glengarry was already obslolete for general use by the start of the 2nd Boer War and, indeed, in 1903  the Foreign Service cap that replaced was obsolescent, having been replaced in 1902 by the Brodrick cap for Home Service, I wonder where the Glengarry badges were dug up  for attachment to the 3rd Battalion's hats, especially as the battalion was only formed in 1900. Intriguing.

Hi jf42 - It certainly is intriguing as it's the only occassion in which I've seen a glengarry badge worn this way by the N.F., which leads me to wonder if sliders were affixed to the badges, or were they still lugged? Considering that the N.F. also wore a cloth 'red V' band in the pagri of their FSH's, one wonders why the 3rd Bn hadn't adopted it for wear with the slouch hat, as it later was.

Also there appears to be no mis-identification of which Battalion it is, as there is a series of photos of them taken in South Africa, in the St.Georges Gazette, the Regimental Journal of the N.F..

[savysarah]

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

 

[savysarah]

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

[Graham Stewart]

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.

[savysarah]

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!

[savysarah]

I cant wait to tell my gran more .

Is there a way i can see the documents?  ☺

[Graham Stewart]

Will be in contact later this evening via email and hopefully I'll be able to attach the documents that I have found.

[coldstream]

A recent postcard that came my way showing a Man in civilian clothing which was posted to an address in Brighton in 1919.

A closer look will show you that he wears the Cap Badge of the Regiment fixed into his lapel buttonhole. 

Simon

A closer view.

[Graham Stewart]

On 21/06/2017 at 10:29, coldstream said:

A recent postcard that came my way showing a Man in civilian clothing which was posted to an address in Brighton in 1919.

A closer look will show you that he wears the Cap Badge of the Regiment fixed into his lapel buttonhole. 

Simon

A closer view.

Certainly a bit different to what you would normally see worn with civvy clothing. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Another recently acquired Xmas card of the Regiment has me well pleased. The front of the card is in reality no different to the others that I have in my collection, but it was the interior that really caught my eye.

Even the Xmas message is what you would expect ot see in this type of Regimental Xmas Card.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

However it was the actual photo of the Officers, WO's and Sgt's of the Depot which really caught my eye and this must be the first occassion that I've ever come across such a modern photo in a Regimental Xmas card such as this and I'm really pleased to have it in my collection. Hopefully I may be able to date the card by going through the Regimental Journals, but we're certainly looking at a period post-WWII, up until the disbandment of the RNF in 1968. If anyone out there recognises any of those present in the photo then please tell us who they are. Certainly the display of medals on their chests would signify a lot service during World War Two and so would possibly make this photo very early 1950's at the latest.

[jf42]

 DELETED

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2018 by jf42
Adding images

[jf42]

 The  previous post has been deleted. I was talking nonsense

[captainofthe7th]

I hope this uniform is a welcome addition to the topic though it is a bit more contemporary than most of what is posted.  This came from the estate of Allan Browne who appears to have been a collector and there were a few RNF uniforms coming from him, but this was the only one marked "Brown" by the tailor so it was my choice if I could only have one, which was the case.  I hope to learn more about him though I believe he was National Service so it may be a bit difficult.  I'm in touch with the RNF museum, but things are on hold at the moment due to the virus. 

I found the tiny pips to be of interest.  The cap and cap badge are added for display and I believe the badge may be for ORs, but I could not find a suitable officers' type and I think this will do for my needs.