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Old 22-01-16, 12:09 PM
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Default Welch Regiment officers universal FS Cap.

A named example of the officers version of the universal Field service cap.

It is named to Dudley E Thornton who was almost certainly Dudley Edwin Thornton.

This one came from France and has the original owners name on a tag sewn inside it and also on a slip of paper tucked inside the foldup side. It also came with a collar attached shirt collar dated 1944 inside the cap which the seller never mentioned either of these so perhaps he never noticed them? Interestingly the date and makers stamp on the shirt collar is printed in reverse - I have flipped it in ms paint so it can be read correctly.

This cap is named to Dudley Edwin Thornton, who was originally with 2/5th Welch serving at home until he was transferred as a Colonel to Africa. He was a big collector of Welsh medals and the below is from when they were being auctioned after hs death

Colonel Dudley Edwin Thornton, CBE, ERD

The collection of medals to the 41st and 69th Regiments of Foot (The Welch Regiment) formed by the late colonel Dudley Thornton, CBE
Dudley Thornton died on 22 April 2009, just a week before his 90th birthday. Born in Surrey on 1 May 1919, he was brought up and educated in Bristol before embarking on a military career. He joined the Supplementary Reserve and was commissioned into the Welch Regiment as a Second Lieutenant just before the outbreak of World War II.

After serving in the anti-invasion forces on the south coast, he was sent to East Africa in 1943 to join the 18th (Nyasaland) battalion of the King's African Rifles, and from there took part in the Burma campaign until the end of the War. Coming from a musical family helped his language skills and he learnt Chinyanja - and he played the flute which he always carried in his kitbag.

After the War he served with the Welch overseas, in Hong Kong, Singapore, Cyprus and Libya, before becoming the last Commanding Officer of the regimental depot in Cardiff and then Deputy Commander of the Welsh Brigade at Cwrt-y-Gollen, near Crickhowell.

He was awarded the CBE for his special contribution to the army of Malawi. He greatly enjoyed being back with soldiers he had fought with 20 years earlier, and commanded the army between 1965 and 1967. Colonial rule had just ended, Dr Hastings Banda was the country's first president and it was a time of change and instability. He was absorbed in this challenge. His interest in military history was also put to good use in designing many of the emblems for the new republic.

He went on to other overseas postings in Europe and the Far East before retiring in 1974 to live in Burton Lazars, Leicestershire, with his wife Joan. Throughout his life he had a strong interest in military history and assembled a small collection of medals, badges and other militaria. He never really parted company with his regiment as almost immediately on retiring from the regular army he became a trustee and chairman of the Welch Regiment Museum in Cardiff Castle and remained deeply involved with it right up to the time of his death.

London Gazette entries for D E Thornton
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 27 FEBRUARY, 1945
The undermentioned 2nd Lts. (War Subs. Lts.), from Supp. Res. of Offrs. to be Lts., 28th Feb. J 945. with seniority as stated: — Welch R. Dudley Edwin THORNTON (72799), ist Nov. 1941.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 2 JULY, 1946
INFANTRY. The undermentioned Lts to be Capts. 1st July, 1946.— (War Subs Maj.)' D: E. THORNTON (72799).
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 23 AUGUST, 1946
Welch R. Lt. (War Subs. Capt.) D. E. THORNTON (72799) to be Capt., ist July 1946. (Substituted for the notifn. in Gazette ((Supplement) dated 2nd July 1946.)
SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette OF FRIDAY, 22nd MAY, 1953
Welch. Capt. D. E. THORNTON (72799) to be Maj., 1st May 1953.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 1 DECEMBER, 1953
The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to confer the award of the Army Emergency Reserve Decoration upon the following officers:— Welch. Capt. D. E. THORNTON (72799) (now Maj., Reg. Commn.).
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 14TH DECEMBER 1962
WELSH BRIGADE, WELCH REGIMENT, REGULAR ARMY Maj D. E. THORNTON, ERD (72799) to be Lt-Col 15th Sept 1962.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 14TH SEPTEMBER 1965
WELSH BRIGADE Welch Regiment REGULAR ARMY Lt-CoL D. E. THORNTON (72799) to be Supernumerary to Establishment, 15th Sept 1965.
FRIDAY, 3RD DECEMBER 1965
The undermentioned Lt.-Cols. to be Cols, on the dates shown: D. E. THORNTON, E.R.D. (72799), from Welch, 15th Sept. 1965.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, STH NOVEMBER 1974
Col. D. E. THORNTON, C.B.E., E.R.D. (72799) late INF. retires on retired pay, 25th Jul. 1974.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 10th JUNE ,1967
C.B.E. To be, Ordinary Commanders of the Military Division of the said Most Excellent Order:
Colonel Dudley Edwin THORNTON, E.R.D. •(72799), late Infantry, Commander, Malawi Army.


I have included a photo of him with his CBE.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Welch Officers FS Cap montage small version.jpg (59.1 KB, 45 views)
File Type: jpg Welch Officers FS Cap 4 small.jpg (46.4 KB, 45 views)
File Type: jpg colonel d e thornton.jpg (36.7 KB, 33 views)
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Old 22-01-16, 01:43 PM
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Fantastic, what a great find Jerry
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Old 22-01-16, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigerlily View Post
Fantastic, what a great find Jerry
Thanks Ali, I was very pleased to get it as the Welch were my home town regiment. Having such a researchable original owner really makes a difference on such as this.
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Old 22-01-16, 04:50 PM
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I never get so lucky with named caps, ever I live in hope. But you really bagged a good one there, quite the career he had.
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Old 22-01-16, 04:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigerlily View Post
I never get so lucky with named caps, ever I live in hope. But you really bagged a good one there, quite the career he had.
Ali,

I have a few that I was lucky with naming and being able to research the owners, also a few uniforms as well.
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Old 22-01-16, 05:35 PM
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Would have been nice if that RA cap I posted the other day had a name as it's probably my oldest cap, I have a lot more that are named but they are too recent to be able to research.
I have a named Coldstream Guards tunic that I have just repaired and carefully cleaned, it stank and had quite a few blood stains in the back, again a more modern one. Some wag pointed out I could have extracted DNA from the blood stains and cloned my own Coldstream Guard, yet another missed opportunity
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Old 22-01-16, 05:54 PM
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Lol on the cloning your own tin soldier!

Indeed, the newer stuff is perversely harder to research.

I have a lovely named tunic dating to about 1909 to another officer of the Welsh Regiment and I was able to find out quite a history for him even including mention of him visiting the races as well as a number of newspaper reports of his wedding which listed all the guest as well as described what was worn! Also accounts of him being shot in the head during the great war and his subsequent career.

I even at a later date managed to find an Xmas card from 1927 sent by him as the commanding officer of 2/Welch on behalf of him and his officers.

I have named and researched caps from a colonel of the RWF, also a Baron who served with the Welsh guards in WWI and then disgraced himself in WWII, a SD cap to an officer of the Welch who served in WWII with them and the RA, though not found out quite as much ion him so far.

I also have other named and researched tunics, one from 1911 to an officer in the Hampshires who was MID, three named tunics to the RWF from circa WWII including one to a Brigadier who was later MID, and awarded the CBE for his service fighting the Mau Mau in Kenya in the 1950's. He originally served with the Frontier force cavalry in India, then in the desert in WWII before transferring to the RWF in 48 after the India partition.

That said most of my collection of headgear and uniforms is unnamed and unresearched, which is why I also collect WWI (and some earlier) medals which are named and the research potential is often very good.
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Old 22-01-16, 06:16 PM
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We could do with a uniform sub section! would love to see some of your tunics if there are pics?
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Old 22-01-16, 06:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigerlily View Post
We could do with a uniform sub section! would love to see some of your tunics if there are pics?
Here is the thread on the Welsh officers red coat!

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ighlight=Welch
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Old 22-01-16, 06:58 PM
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JERRY! your study is fab! I would have so much fun messing around with your headgear

The tunic is great and you even have a really detailed MIC for him including address, I can't remember the last time I researched an MIC with half as much detail. Some people have all the bloody luck!
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Old 25-01-16, 03:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigerlily View Post
JERRY! your study is fab! I would have so much fun messing around with your headgear

The tunic is great and you even have a really detailed MIC for him including address, I can't remember the last time I researched an MIC with half as much detail. Some people have all the bloody luck!
Thanks Ali.

My study has evolved somewhat since those pictures were taken, with a lot of moving around of the furniture etc... and quite a few additions and subtractions.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg collection 1.jpg (63.6 KB, 17 views)
File Type: jpg collection 2.jpg (81.3 KB, 19 views)
File Type: jpg collection 6.jpg (64.7 KB, 18 views)
File Type: jpg collection 8.jpg (52.0 KB, 16 views)
File Type: jpg welch display 3 sv.jpg (68.6 KB, 15 views)
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