Unknown cap badges

[High Wood]

A.C.I. 232 is Army Council Instruction 232 of 1916. Without looking it up I would guess that it is the criteria for discharging a soldier under certain conditions, possibly a combination of age and ill health.

Albert George Wettle was discharged a month after enlistment on the grounds that he was under developed and of insufficient strength to become a soldier. From Alfred's paper's Frank Alfred doesn't seem to have been his son and yet:

WETTLE, FRANK ALFRED
Rank: Private Service No:5/2008 Date of Death:12/07/1916Age:19 Regiment/Service: Royal Sussex Regiment 1st/5th Bn. Grave Reference H. 3.Cemetery MESNIL RIDGE CEMETERY, MESNIL-MARTINSART
Additional Information:

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred James Wettle, of 18, Alexandra Rd., St. Leonards-on-Sea.

Strange that he is not mentioned on his father's enlistment papers.

[fyrftr422]

Thx Simon. Strange that they wouldn't have used 392 to accomplish the same purpose? Just speculation on my part, I',m still new at the British paperwork.

I, so far, know little to nothing about Albert, I just have a group photo of him, named "Bert" and he certainly looks like a young guy but no indication of Regiment. Right now that is all I am going on, and the word of my Wife's Grandmother about her Mother having 2 brother's at the front. I'll have to post the photo when I get home from work tomorrow.

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by fyrftr422

Thx Simon. Strange that they wouldn't have used 392 to accomplish the same purpose? Just speculation on my part, I',m still new at the British paperwork.

It might be to do with being discharged with a pension.

[fyrftr422]

Not entirely a bad thing

[fyrftr422]

Originally Posted by High Wood

Strange that he is not mentioned on his father's enlistment papers.

That is strange that only 2 of his children would be named on the form. They had 5 altogether, Adelaide, Frank, Albert, Robert and Leslie (I have a photograph of the 5 of them with Alfred). Wonder why he would have only listed the 2 youngest. Maybe he was afraid they wouldn't accept his enlistment knowing he had 3 other children with 2 of them already enlisted in the B.E.F.?

[Toby Purcell]

Very interesting photos. I have seen many images of men in hospital blues as with the two shown but that is the first time I have seen the men wearing scarves instead of their red ties. As one man is in a greatcoat it would seem to be winter, when greatcoats could be worn over the hospital blues providing that an armband identifying them as wounded was also added.

I agree that the older gentleman to the left is wearing an Army Veterinary Corps badge. The other man appears to have a rosette of some kind either obscuring or in place of a cap badge. It does not seem to me to be a stylised poppy.

[fyrftr422]

I can't imagine winter in Alexandria, Egypt would warrant a greatcoat though.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by fyrftr422

I can't imagine winter in Alexandria, Egypt would warrant a greatcoat though.

Then you have never been to Egypt. I can assure you that it gets cold in the evenings in the Middle East and coats and woollen cardigans, et al, were needed and worn when the temperature dropped.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

Then you have never been to Egypt. I can assure you that it gets cold in the evenings in the Middle East and coats and woollen cardigans, et al, were needed and worn when the temperature dropped.

Even in the daytime during winter months. Made the mistake of going there in January one year - absolutely freezing in Cairo. Pouring with rain too.

[fyrftr422]

I stand corrected, and no, I have never been to that continent. Alfred was there Oct-Nov '15, not exactly the warmest months of the year.

[Graham Stewart]

Originally Posted by fyrftr422

That is excellent info, much more than I have known, looking forward to passing this onto others int he family.

I noticed on the Silver War Badge card that his reason for discharge is numbered differently than the other 3. They were all "Para. 392", yet Alfred was "A.C.I. 232". Any idea what that meant?

I also have an enlistment certificate for him, beautiful piece of history!

Kings Regulations Paragraph 392(xxi) is actually "Time Expired". Your relative was Discharged under an Army Council Instruction, which requires looking up.

[grumpy]

Reference Middle East temperatures in winter:

AOC in C RAF Germany, Sir Sandy Wilson, was incredulous when I briefed the Air Staff on what weather to expect for Gulf War I.
Time and time again British Forces sent in a hurry to the area have expected all-year warm to hot.
It just is not so!

Pack a hot water bottle with the sun helmet!

[Graham Stewart]

Originally Posted by grumpy

Reference Middle East temperatures in winter:

AOC in C RAF Germany, Sir Sandy Wilson, was incredulous when I briefed the Air Staff on what weather to expect for Gulf War I.
Time and time again British Forces sent in a hurry to the area have expected all-year warm to hot.
It just is not so!

Pack a hot water bottle with the sun helmet!

Exactly - being 3,000 feet up on a plateau in Saudi's mountain region for the last six years we expect frost, freezing winds, hail and occasional snow showers in winter - so am always well wrapped up.