Devon Regiment photos

[Rob Miller]

Just recently I picked up a few photo's alleged to be of the Devon Regiment, here is the first one, it was very faded so I had a play with it on "paint shop".





I'm wondering if this could be a cyclist section of a Volunteer Battalion?

[Rob Miller]

A couple of close ups showing uniform detail.

[Rob Miller]

Photo 2, on the back "a group aboard the Galeka".

[David Tremain]

I'm surprised that sergeant didn't put the guy on a charge - the one wearing his side cap askew!

[grumpy]

first shot is post 1902 pre 1908 VF. The C/Sgt might be a regular attached.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Rob Miller

A couple of close ups showing uniform detail.

The Austrian knot on the sleeves of the cyclists in the first photo indicate a Volunteer Battalion. The SNCO is a Colour Sergeant, one of 8 in each battalion (one per company) who performed the combined function of what later (in 1915) became a company sergeant major and pay sergeant, with responsibility also for the company's allocation of stores when on campaign. He is wearing the Service Dress accepted for issue in 1902 and it is of the third pattern with fixed shoulder straps. He has red worsted titles on his shoulders which dates the photo as before 1908 when brass titles were adopted as cheaper. On his right shoulder underneath the title would be a number (also on scarlet worsted) indicating his battalion, but unfortunately we cannot see this. Notice how large the crown above the chevrons was at that time, as it was used for all OR ranks requiring a crown as part of their badge of rank. He seems to be wearing the Queen's and King's South Africa Medals.

The men are wearing the cartridge bandolier issued for mounted infantry in the 2nd Boer war that was manufactured by the Mills Woven Cartridge Belt Company and made of web cotton. They are not yet wearing the 1903 bandolier equipment. The Field Service Caps were replaced by the Brodrick Cap in 1903, so with all those factors in mind I would date this photo 1903-04, at the very latest.

[Alan O]

The first photo is super. I presume the medal ribbons are Boer War. I would hazard a guess of about 1905ish. The uniforms do seem to be Volunteer Bn style.

Black buttons might suggest the 1st VB (later 4th TF) Bn.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Alan O

The first photo is super. I presume the medal ribbons are Boer War. I would hazard a guess of about 1905ish. The uniforms do seem to be Volunteer Bn style.

Black buttons might suggest the 1st VB (later 4th TF) Bn.

Yes the black buttons was a good spot Alan and I think you could well be right as to their battalion. It's interesting too that some of the men have dark tunics with 'chest pockets' whereas the man at rear (with Austrian lace) does not.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Rob Miller

Photo 2, on the back "a group aboard the Galeka".

SS Galeka was a steam ship originally built for the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, but requisitioned for use as a British troop ship (TS) and then a hospital ship (HS) during the First World War. On 28 October 1916 she hit a mine laid by the German U-boat UC-26.

She was the last vessel to enter service before the merger between the Union and Castle shipping lines. She served on the South Africa route until the First World War when she was used by the UK as a troop transport, carrying troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps to the Gallipoli Campaign. Galeka was then refitted as a hospital ship with accommodation for 366 wounded passengers.

As a commercial steam ship (SS) she had ferried troops to and from South Africa for the 2nd Boer War.

HS Galeka visited Malta with wounded from Gallipoli & Salonika, as during WW1 Malta was used as a place to evacuate wounded. From Gallipoli 2500 officers & 55,400 troops were taken to Malta.

Initially a troopship that landed 7th Battalion AIF at North Beach on 25 Apr 1915 she was the following month taken into service as a converted Hospital Ship with accommodation for 366 casualties and staffed by QAIMNS.

In the enclosed image she is the smaller ship alongside the sister ship of the Titanic, HS Brittanic, which was later sunk by enemy action.

On 28 October 1916, while entering Le Havre, HMHS Galeka struck a mine. She was not carrying patients at the time, but 19 Royal Army Medical Corps personnel died in the sinking. She was beached at Cap la Hogue, but was a total loss, Union-Castle's first war casualty.

[Rob Miller]

Thanks very much for the replies.

I love the first picture, it's Devonshire Regiment. it has bicycles and there is a good chance it was taken within 30 miles of where I live, I just wish there was some clue in it to work out exactly where it was taken

The third picture below which came in the same lot is a bit of an anticlimax, it's too fuzzy to be sure but these don't look like Devon badges to me.Rob.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Rob Miller

Thanks very much for the replies.

I love the first picture, it's Devonshire Regiment. it has bicycles and there is a good chance it was taken within 30 miles of where I live, I just wish there was some clue in it to work out exactly where it was taken

The third picture below which came in the same lot is a bit of an anticlimax, it's too fuzzy to be sure but these don't look like Devon badges to me.Rob.

The men have Long Lee Enfields as opposed to SMLEs and the badges do seem to be too large to be Devons. Rather oddly the Corporal with the bicycle at far left appears to have a goatee beard. This seems almost certain to be a TF cyclist battalion. It might have been taken at a concentration of cyclist units at annual camp.

[Rob Miller]

Two more Devon photos from a bootsale today.







Are they P14 rifles?

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Rob Miller

Two more Devon photos from a bootsale today.

Are they P14 rifles?

Yes you can see they are P14s from the Mauser style angled bolts and the pronounced rear leaf sight protector.

13th (Works) Bn Devonshire Regt. Formed at Saltash in Jun 1916 and moved to Plymouth. Remained in the UK Jun 1916 - Apr 1917. Transferred to the Labour Corps as the 3rd Labour Bn.

The Labour Corps

Formed in January 1917, the Corps grew to some 389,900 men (more than 10% of the total size of the Army) by the Armistice. Of this total, around 175,000 were working in the United Kingdom and the rest in the theatres of war. The Corps was manned by officers and other ranks who had been medically rated below the "A1" condition needed for front line service. Many were returned wounded. Labour Corps units were often deployed for work within range of the enemy guns, sometimes for lengthy periods. In April 1917, a number of infantry battalions were transferred to the Corps. The Labour Corps absorbed the 28 ASC Labour Companies between February and June 1917. Labour Corps Area Employment Companies were formed in 1917 for salvage work, absorbing the Divisional Salvage Companies. In the crises of March and April 1918 on the Western Front, Labour Corps units were used as emergency infantry. The Corps always suffered from its treatment as something of a second class organisation: for example, the men who died are commemorated under their original regiment, with Labour Corps being secondary. Researching men of the Corps is made extra difficult by this, as is the fact that few records remain of the daily activities and locations of Corps units.

[Rob Miller]

A new Devonshire Regiment (I hope) photo which I bought today at a carboot sale. There appears to be a pub sign in front of the building so there is a chance of finding this location.

And the flags which include one from the USA may indicate the occasion was the end of WW1?

Rob.

[Graham Stewart]

Lovely photo's and thanks for sharing. With refernce to the Cyclst Section in the first photo, the Clr/Sgt may actually be a 'regular' Clr on secondment. In photos were the Clr Sgt's are in evidence, those that are on secondment seem to wear their 'regular' isignia, whereas those who are Volunteer/TF Clr's tend to wear the insignia of their battalion.

Those regular Clr Sgt's on secondment kept their regular regimental numbers too and in reality the posting of a Clr to either a Militia/Special Reserve or Volunteer/TF battalion was their swansong before retirement. Those that did return to their regular units often returned to take up the appointment of Sgt Major.