1st WW - The Birmingham Bn..

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is an interesting small locket, in 9ct. gold. The fine enamel on the front marks the Birmingham Battalion - which I think must have been an original 'Pals' Bn. - certainly the 1914 date would indicate this. The back has a photo - this was an uncle in the family - born in 1924, so this is not his locket. His Father was William Boynton and should anybody have the right ref. it will be good to know if it was his - and not the other side of the family. I suspect that the original purpose was as an 'Albert' on a watch chain. Obviously taken over by a lady to wear on a neck chain.

[Mervyn Mitton]

[leigh kitchen]

14th, 15th, 16th (Service)Bns The Royal Warwckshire Regiment (1st, 2nd & 3rd Birmingham) - The Birmingham Pals, raised September 1914 by the Lord Mayor & The City of Birmingham.

I think that this is a lapel badge worn by personnel of the three battalions in their civilian clothes, converted to a locket.

A quick look around does'nt come up with a William Boynton of The Brmingham Pals Merv, tho' there's a Sgt Herbert Boynton of the 15th Bn, joined up on 16/9/1914, discharged sick on 14/3/1916.

Found a William Boynton, born about 1894, joined the army in 1917, resident at 116 Guildford St, Aston, Birmngham - was'nt in the army in 1914 & was Army Service Corps, not Birmingham Pals - any chance this could be your William Boynton?

Edited May 27, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[Paul L Murphy]

Here is an example of the cap badge they wore.

[Graham Stewart]

Like Leigh I believe it's one of the lapel badges for the original battalion members to wear in mufti and later converted into a locket or fob.

[Martin W]

Great looking lapel pin Merv and Paul,the Birmingham Battalion badge is outstanding.

Being born in Birmingham and the fact that my maternal grandfather,Charlie Ward,was in the Warwick's during WWI,i really enjoy seeing any items associated with the regiment.

This is the only photo i have of my Grandfather taken during WWI.

He is standing in the center of the group with his arms folded and cap tipped back.

Thanks for showing guys.

Regards,Martin.

[Martin W]

Paul,

hopefully ,one of these years on one of my trips back to Birmingham i will find a nice original "Pals" badge?

All i have for now is this repro i picked up a few years ago.

Regards,Martin.

[leigh kitchen]

"People" say this is genuine, but I'm a little suspicious, no real reason:

[Paul L Murphy]

"People" say this is genuine, but I'm a little suspicious, no real reason:

The details around the face and the chains seems poorer than in my example. Is it known how many different companies made this ?

[Martin W]

Paul,

as i mentioned i beleive my badge is a copy but the slider is marked for Gaunt,London.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Amazing how a small item can generate so much history. Thankyou Leigh for the info. and I agree with you and Graham, that it must have been originally an ident. badge - must have had the crescent for the lapel button hole. The lady who sold it to me - with other items - came in again yesterday and I queried the name - I mentioned you had found a Herbert Boynton - 'That's him' - she cried. So we know he started off as a Sgt..

I suppose this is one of the reasons a Forum such as ours exists - the families forget their members and they fade into history - and then you all come along !

[leigh kitchen]

Born in Hilton,Darby, joined up at Sutton Coldfield on 23/9/1914 aged 24 years five months, had already served (time expired) in a RAMC Volunteer Feld Ambulance unit, possibly 1st North Mids Field Ambulance.

Father was Thomas Boynton

Civilian profession "manager".

5' 8" tall, 157 3/4 lbs, fresh complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Chest 35", 40" fully ezpanded, good physical development & pulse rate.

On 1/11/1915 transferred as a sergeant to 17th (Local Reserve) Bn R Warwicks, 25/2/1916 medical board at Chiseldon reccommended for disharge due to internal derangement of knee cap (not result of military service), discharged 14/3/1916 as "no longer physically fit for war service".

Discharged to an address in Handsworth, Birmingham.

[AlecH]

Hello Leigh Kitchen,

Read the thread with interest, father was member of Royal Warwickshire Regiment (I believe they have a social club even today, in Coventry city centre). My family home is in Handsworth, Birmingham.

Regards

[leigh kitchen]

Good, check out this thread on The R Warwicks:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=37418&st=0&p=348337&fromsearch=1&#entry348337

They formed the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1968, so the threads on RRF are relevant too, the R Warwicks social club is probably under the umbrella of the RRF nowadays?

[leigh kitchen]

Great looking lapel pin Merv and Paul,the Birmingham Battalion badge is outstanding.

Being born in Birmingham and the fact that my maternal grandfather,Charlie Ward,was in the Warwick's during WWI,i really enjoy seeing any items associated with the regiment.

This is the only photo i have of my Grandfather taken during WWI.

He is standing in the center of the group with his arms folded and cap tipped back.

Thanks for showing guys.

Regards,Martin.

Looks like one of the regular battalions from the shoulder title?

[Martin W]

Yes Leigh,

he was in the regulars and not the "Pals".

Regards,Martin.

[leigh kitchen]

You will have checked re. his MIC, Service Records etc I would think?

[Martin W]

Hi Leigh,

yes i have tried but there were quite a few Charles Ward's in Warwick's during the WWI period.

Sadly,there is not much that we know about Charlie's service record.

Let us just say that he was not the best of men,a very bad man in fact,in the eyes of the family.

Basically,he left my grandmother with three daughters some time in the 1930's,i beleive.

We do know that he rejoind the Warwick's prior to WWII,and we think he was with the BEF at Dunkirk.Well he told my father he was at Dunkirk,and from what i recall the Warwick's were at Dunkirk.

During WWII he joined the Pioneer Corps and i do have photo's of him in his PC uniform.

I guess he came back to visit my grandmother,from time to time?

I wish i knew more.He probably sold off his Medals for beer,who knows.

I remember meeting him a couple of times when i was very young before he died back in the 1960's.A sad story,on the whole.

Regards,Martin.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Martin W

[leigh kitchen]

All families have their black sheep, with the passing of time they seem to have an added interest - the WWII photo shows the Pioneer Corps cap badge by the way.

Some R Warwicks were victims of one of the infamous killing of unarmed POWs by German troops incidents during the Dunkirk period.