Welsh Guards

[grenadierguardsman]

Ive found 1923 and 1933 Welsh Guards died in WW1 ? My man being 1932 ?
Andy

[wardog]

Any chance of pictures Andy? Interested in how early WG badges are constructed. Regards, Paul.

[Frank Kelley]

Was this a common practice within the Welsh Guards, in recent years there has been a spate of badges appearing with numbers on sliders.

[Bill]

I have two numbered badges that came from an old collection.

A leek, No. 2612, David E. RANDALL (Port Talbot). Wounded. Joined up between 12th Feb and 14th Mar 1916. Oddly the 6 over stamps a 1.

A FSH badge, No. 4404, William TROUT (Cardiff) (also spelled Trought) joined up between Jan 25th and April 22nd 1918.

I've just realised that Dudley-Ward's list is those of the men who served overseas. His list includes approximately 3500 names of approximately 6000 men recruited, so presumably 1500 never went to France or Flanders. Were there gaps in the lists also?

Bill

[grenadierguardsman]

Originally Posted by wardog

Any chance of pictures Andy? Interested in how early WG badges are constructed. Regards, Paul.

Yes Paul, just having a bit of trouble with my email. One is Dowler Birminham marked.
Andy

[grenadierguardsman]

Here you go.
Andy

[wardog]

Thanks Andy. So both these variations have flat backs- no hollow to rear of leak? Regards, Paul.

[grenadierguardsman]

Originally Posted by wardog

Thanks Andy. So both these variations have flat backs- no hollow to rear of leak? Regards, Paul.

Both hollow.
Andy

[Frank Kelley]

If there were six thousand recruited that would actually be two and a half thousand that did not see service with the BEF?

Originally Posted by Bill

I've just realised that Dudley-Ward's list is those of the men who served overseas. His list includes approximately 3500 names of approximately 6000 men recruited, so presumably 1500 never went to France or Flanders. Were there gaps in the lists also?

Bill

[Frank Kelley]

I think that both of those are certainly good earlier rather than later examples.

Originally Posted by grenadierguardsman

Here you go.
Andy

[Bill]

I've had a closer look at the numbers and there are some discrepancies in Ward's book, but they sort of make sense.

The 1st Battalion that disembarked in France on 17.8.15 had a complement of 30 officers and 1018 men.

From the 2nd Reserve Battalion, 109 drafts were sent to the Front by the end of November 1918, totaling 161 officers and 3483 men. (There is a small amount of double accounting here because a few are returning to duty after postings outside the regiment or returning from hospital in Britain).

So 4501 men served on the Western Front, 700 more than recorded in the overseas listing. No. 1932 might be one of those excluded.

The total of number of men who served to the end of 1918 was about 6000.

At the end of the war the Reserve Battalion might account for up to 1000 new recruits and some men would have been transferred to other units, for example the MGG and GMGR.

A total of 199 officers served with the regiment during the War.

Bill

[grenadierguardsman]

That is very interesting Bill, thank you.
Andy

[Bill]

Glad it's useful