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  #1  
Old 05-08-16, 10:05 PM
Foremastjack Foremastjack is offline
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Default North West Volunteer Rifles?

It would appear that my Grandfather was an instruction Sgt. for the North West Volunteer Rifles in Peshawar at some point between '14-18; does anyone have a link to their insignia?
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  #2  
Old 06-08-16, 11:47 AM
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Would that be the North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles ?
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  #3  
Old 06-08-16, 01:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gurkharifles View Post
Would that be the North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles ?
I think the full title was Bengal and North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles, but, like you, I can find no other one with the words "North Western" in it.

And it became 22nd Bengal and North Western Railway Battalion in the Indian Defence Force in 1917 (which falls within the time window given by the OP).
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Old 06-08-16, 04:00 PM
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So assuming that's your relatives Regiment then the badge in question is 2686A in white metal. When it was redesignated in 1917 as the North Western Railway volunteer rifles the badge would have been used was 2687 and was in bi metal. An interesting unit - "frequently in action on the North West Frontier manning the armoured trains employed by the regular army". Tim
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  #5  
Old 24-05-18, 07:03 PM
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Default Further fun with the NWRVR

Quote:
Originally Posted by gurkharifles View Post
So assuming that's your relatives Regiment then the badge in question is 2686A in white metal. When it was redesignated in 1917 as the North Western Railway volunteer rifles the badge would have been used was 2687 and was in bi metal. An interesting unit - "frequently in action on the North West Frontier manning the armoured trains employed by the regular army". Tim


Hello All,

After a series of unfortunate events I'm back again (and better, thanks) but run across a few more posers. In my quest to learn more about the NWRVR/24th North Western Railway Batallion and their badges, I've run across this, transcribed from http://durbaronline.co.uk/PDF/PDF6arms-svces.pdf:

North-Western Railway Volunteer Rifles (1892)
PBP 1901-1947 – crown over Maltese Cross, lions at arms of cross, bugle horn at centre, wreath around, scroll below NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY VOLUNTEER RIFLES KC sp
s/t 1892-1917 - curved NWRVR bm



24th North Western Railway Battalion (1917)
Cap 1917-1947 – crown over 7-pointed star (crown forms 8 th point),
Garter inscribed NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY REGT, shield in centre with diagonal train and wheat sheaves KC bi-m

Non-military
Cap c.1900 – crown over shield with diagonal train and wheat sheaves KC wm


but pre 1901 – crown over shield with diagonal train and wheat sheaves, circlet around inscribed NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY REGIMENT (J H Johnson & co Aligarh U.P.) - large KC b

but pre 1901- crown over shield with diagonal train and wheat sheaves, circlet around inscribed NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY REGIMENT (no mark) – KC b


So what is meant by "non-military"? Some sort of badge worn by off-duty? And is the first badge the same as 2686A? The 2687 badge appears to be post 1920, unless I'm misreading. Any help welcome.
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Old 25-05-18, 10:20 AM
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What I found until now about this unit is here:
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File Type: pdf NWR-B.pdf (83.7 KB, 18 views)
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Old 08-08-16, 06:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wmr-RHB View Post
I think the full title was Bengal and North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles, but, like you, I can find no other one with the words "North Western" in it.

And it became 22nd Bengal and North Western Railway Battalion in the Indian Defence Force in 1917 (which falls within the time window given by the OP).
Looking at this list, I see two: the Bengals, and then, further down the infantry list North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ian_Army_(1903)
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Old 08-08-16, 06:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Foremastjack View Post
Looking at this list, I see two: the Bengals, and then, further down the infantry list North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ian_Army_(1903)
Yes, nice find.

The thing is, I can not find anything that precedes them in the Vounteer Corps, nor in the IDF, nor something that follows them in the AF(I)

This is another interesting web site: http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php/Auxiliary_Regiments

It has only the Bengal and North Western in it's list. But scroll a bit down and surprise:
Quote:
However, a few units were formed comprising volunteers who wanted to fight the war. Indian Volunteers in the Great War East African Campaign gives details of The North-Western Railway Volunteers, the Calcutta Volunteer Battery and the Indian Volunteer Maxim Gun Company in East Africa, although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission classifies them as East African Protectorate units in its records. The North Western Railway Volunteers also served in Mesopotamia
So they seem to be a war raised unit without connections (apart from the fact that I assume that railway specialists from the Bengal and North Western and maybe other railway companies will have joined) to the already existing Volunteer/IDF units.

But for the OP here that is a possibility that also may fit his search.
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Old 08-08-16, 07:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wmr-RHB View Post
Yes, nice find.

The thing is, I can not find anything that precedes them in the Vounteer Corps, nor in the IDF, nor something that follows them in the AF(I)

This is another interesting web site: http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php/Auxiliary_Regiments

It has only the Bengal and North Western in it's list. But scroll a bit down and surprise:

So they seem to be a war raised unit without connections (apart from the fact that I assume that railway specialists from the Bengal and North Western and maybe other railway companies will have joined) to the already existing Volunteer/IDF units.

But for the OP here that is a possibility that also may fit his search.
Thanks- nice find! I looked at that page four times and missed it. I wonder if they fought along of the Leinsters in Mesopotamia- who were ostensibly the regiment my Grandfather in India was attached to (from the RIR!). It's a wonder I have this much information now- but still more questions. Ah, puzzles...
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Old 08-08-16, 02:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gurkharifles View Post
Would that be the North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles ?
To be honest, I don't know; these are the records I'm working from:
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File Type: jpg GBM-WO363-4-007397297-00083.jpg (44.3 KB, 31 views)
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