WW1 Cap Badge

[Uncle Albert]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

Simon

I hope we can find out..... the 1st Boer War medal is a rare one..... so it would be very interesting to know if this chap is in fact a recipient

It would help if someone could give more info on the ribbon he is wearing in the picture really. I'm struggling to find any records of servicemen from the first Boer war...

We can certainly narrow it down now though..

he would of been 17/18 in about 1872 and from the records he was retired by the age of, if not before, 46 so that would be 1901.

That gives us a 28 -30 year period where he would of got that award whilst serving in the Royal Artillery..

I'll search all the medal rolls for that era tonight and see if comes up with anything..

Thank god for CTRL+F

[Uncle Albert]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

If he is 29 at Cencus time and a Bombadier.... then that makes the year 1884, the First Boer War was 1880-1 Have you still got his medal it might be the one below?

Griff, I solved the riddle...

I managed to get the Army service records for my ancestor..

The medal ribbon he is wearing is a long service and good conduct gratuity medal.. He served in the RA for 21 years.

He was injured to his eye at Shorncliffe RA Barracks in 1880 and never served abroad.. but reached the rank of corporal and retired on full life pension in 1892

Not so exciting but nice to find out... and it may help you identify similar bands in the future..

[GriffMJ]

Well done..... sounds like its a rap.

BTW "Frank" is wearing Y/RHA blues. I have a photo of a Leicestershire RHA Gunner in the same uniform with the same collars, ball buttons and chainmail

[Uncle Albert]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

Well done..... sounds like its a rap.

BTW "Frank" is wearing Y/RHA blues. I have a photo of a Leicestershire RHA Gunner in the same uniform with the same collars, ball buttons and chainmail

Funnily enough, I have my great grandads stuff from the First World War. In one of the letters written from France in late 1914/early 1915, he says
" I can't understand why Frank Kettley is still at Woolwich".. so at that point his brigade were still Barracked at the RHA Barracks...
It's not something I'm researching now but I might find more out about Frank at a later date..