Manchester City Battalions online

Find My Past has just added the Manchester City Battalions to its fast-growing military database.  Originally published in 1916, the Manchester Roll of Honour comprises a roll call of the men who served with the Manchester Pals battalions - the 16th to 23rd Battalions - giving details of platoons and companies served in.  Group photos are also included although these do not identify individuals by name.

The second part of the Manchester Roll of Honour is a listing of over 63,000 men and their employers. The detail provided in each of the rolls varies considerably. A small number of men are identified by last name only and many more only by last name and initials. There are also entries, however, in which the ranks, service numbers and regiments of each man are identified. A number of men are identified as killed or missing in action and a small number are recorded as having been rejected as unfit for service.

54 Years with the 1st Devon Militia

My thanks to one of my correspondents, Black Sapper, who has provided extracts from the above publication which was written by William Shepherd in 1907 and subsequently transcribed by Helen Barlow (date unknown).  Helen Barlow's full transcription can be viewed online here as a PDF file on the Open University website.

1853 – Exeter Castle noted as HQ

18.12.1854 – Regiment was Embodied for Permanent Duty on account of the Crimean War; At that time the Regiment had 10 Companies (Grenadier Coy, 8 others & a Light Coy)

26.02.1855 – Left half of Regiment moved to Newport, Monmouthshire.

27.02.1855 – Right half, HQ & Band moved to Newport via Bristol.

Regiment stayed at the Barracks on the Hill, Newport; They recruited hard for the Crimean War;
Regiment stayed at Newport until middle of December 1855.

December 1855 - Regiment moved to Limerick in Ireland via Birkenhead, Liverpool, Mersey &amp Kingston, Ireland; Then train to Dublin & eventually stationed at Boherbuoy Barracks, Limerick.

05.06.1856 Regiment left Limerick for Cork, stationed at the Barracks on the Hill for 7/8 days before being ordered to England.

After an eventful journey by sea they arrived in Portland & Weymouth Barracks probably on 17.07.1856.

New colours issued on 22.07.1856.

The Regiment marched for home on 25.07.1856 via Dorchester, then Bridport, Axminster, Honiton on 30.07.1856 a final march into Exeter.

1858 – Training at Topsham Barracks. The Regimental strength was 778, there were 261 Absentees; battalion billeted at various Inns in Exeter.

1859 – Regimental strength was 512, there were 275 Absentees; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.

Regiment stayed throughout the 60’s at Topsham Barracks.

1860 – Regimental strength was 590; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.

1861 – Regimental strength was 629; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1861 – Death of their late Colonel Hugh Earl Fortescue on 14.09.1861.

1862 – Regimental strength was 715; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1863 – Regimental strength was 754; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1864 – Regimental strength was 759; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1865 – Regimental strength was 658; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1866 – Regimental strength was 663; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1867 – Regimental strength was 693; battalion billeted at Topsham Barracks.


1868 – In consequence of the Fenian Scare full guard was mounted day &amp night over the Ward in St Thomas.

1869 – Regimental strength was 828 & Billeted at Topsham Barracks.

1869 – Regiment were in Plymouth for a Brigade Field Day at Devonport, returning the same day by train.

1870 – Billets were in St Thomas at Public, but with a strength of 802, part were in Cavalry Barracks the remainder in the billets.

1871 – Regimental strength was 803, Billeted in Inns & Private Lodgings; The Crown took Command of Militia Units from the County Authorities.

From this year it is noted that Topsham Barracks were denuded of regular troops for many years.

1872 – Regiment under canvas for the first time since 1812, at Exmouth & their strength was 882.

31.03.1873 – Recruits were assembled at the Ward & proceeded to Raglan Barracks at Devonport, returning on 11.05.1873 before being dismissed.

14.07.1873 – 428 men were called up to forma Battalion for Maneuvers on Dartmoor for up to 6 weeks – 2 weeks at Egg Buckland & 1 month with the Flying Column; They returned to Exeter on 22.08.1873 & were dismissed.

1874 – Regiment was 765 strong & encamped for Training at Dawlish.

1875 – (& for a few years after) Regiment was Billeted in St Thomas at Public.

In 1881 when the Regiment was 628 strong the 1st & 2nd Devons & the 1st & 2nd Devon Militia were formed into the Devonshire Regiment

1888 – Regiment moved from St Thomas to the Higher Barracks & then the Camp Field behind Topsham Barracks; New colours were issued about this time.

1890 – Training in the Camp at Barnstaple.

1891 to 1898 – Training was carried out in the Old Camp Field, Topsham.

1899 – Training was at Honiton in a camp on the Exeter Road.

11.05.1900 – Regiment was up for Permanent Duty on account of the South African War & went to Salisbury Plain, via Queen Street Station &amp Porton Station until arrival at Bulford Camp; They stayed here for 3 months before moving to another Camp at Parkhouse some 2 to 3 miles away; Camp Parkhouse was mostly Volunteers.

16.10.1900 Regiment left Camp Parkhouse for Jersey, Channel Islands via Grately Station, Andover, Southampton; They arrived in Jersey on 17.10.1900 & marched to St Peter’s Barracks.

At this time the 3rd Devon Regiment was embarking for Plymouth & the 1/4th were billeted at Fort Regent, St Hellier.

14.07.1901 the Regiment left Jersey for home but the Band remained in Jersey until at least 30.09.1901 when they returned to England via Weymouth & Exeter.

1902 – there was no Regimental Training.

1903 – Regiment training at Honiton.

1904 – Training at Honiton.

1905 – Training at Honiton.

1906 – Training in "a big field" at Honiton with 3rd Somersets.

12th Hampshire Regiment - officers and sergeants

Officers of the 12th Hampshire Regiment

I've just posted on numbering in the 1st & 2nd Hampshire Regiment over on the Army Service Numbers blog and whilst searching for an image to use in my Hampshire Regiment folder, came across these two photos of the 12th Hampshire Regiment published in the Illustrated War News on the 30th June 1915.

The Illustrated War News can be a great source for photos such as these, often showing not just the photos, but publishing a list of the subjects as well. 

According to The Long, Long Trail website, the 12th (Service) Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment was formed at Winchester in October 1914 and attached to the 79th Brigade in the 26th Division. It moved to Codford but by November 1914 was in billets in Basingstoke. In March 1915 it move to Bath and then on to Sutton Veny in May. The photos published here were probably taken around this time.

The battalion landed in France in September 1915 but was sent to Salonika shortly afterwards, arriving on the 25th November 1915.

Sergeants of the 12th Hampshire Regiment

New look CWGC website

Somewhat belatedly (because I've only just noticed) I see that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has revamped its website, including the search functionality.

Not before time, visitors can now search by rank, service number, regiment, secondary regiment and honours and awards.  Furthermore, it is now possible to search solely on a term without having to key in other information. So for instance, one can see that there are 377 casualties who hold the Victoria Cross, 3658 holders of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (3346 of these holders dying during the First World War), and 2057 men with the rank of lieutenant colonel (which I must say, surprised me that there were quite so many).  Incredibly, there's also one casualty, Major General Charles Edward Dutton Budworth CB, CMG, MVO who was ten times Mentioned in Dispatches.  He is commemorated on the Kirkee War Memorial at Pune in India.

When results are returned it is possible, as it was before, to organise each column in ascending or descending order and now also possible to export data as a CSV file (although exports do not include the additional information field).  The ability to search by keyword, and thus pick up information in the Additional Information section would have been the icing on the cake, but I see that work is under way to include this. Even so, the new-look CWGC site is a vast improvement on the older site and can only assist family and military historians alike.

Disrespectful and addicted to drink

The man pictured above is Richard Jackson, born in Burslem around 1843 and admitted to Aylesbury Gaol on the 30th October 1873 to serve a sentence of 21 days for stealing beans.  Richard was 30 years old and gave his trade as a boot closer.  Five years prior service in the 104th Regiment of Foot is also noted.

Richard's record from Aylesbury Gaol can be viewed here, in the Victorian Prisoners dataset maintained by Buckinghamshire County Council; another great (free) online resource.

I checked to see if Richard had a pension record in the WO 97 series published on findmypast.co.uk and he does.  He was discharged on the 14th October 1869 being found unfit for further service.  His conduct was recorded as "... bad, he is not in possession of any good conduct badges.  Has been guilty of disrespect to his superiors and has been addicted to drink."  Richard's name appeared six times in the regimental defaulters' book and he was imprisoned for seven days on two separate occasions.  Pthisis Pulmonalis (consumption, or TB) was the cause of Richard's discharge from the army and he certainly looks older than his 30 years in the photo.  Further notes on his 1869 discharge record, "Greatly emaciated and suffering from cough and the usual symptoms of phthisis. Disease has probably been aggravated by intemperance." A sad story and I have been unable to find him on the 1881 census.

Company organisation in the VF and TF

Referring to the entry on the 1871 census which recorded my great great grandfather as a sergeant instructor of Volunteers, I recently wrote, "This was possibly the 1st or 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry as he was by then living in St Austell."  Actually, I should have known better.

There is enough published material to hazard a pretty good guess as to likely Volunteer Force (VF) or Territorial Force (TF) service for relatives whose home locations are known. 

Using my great great grandfather as an example, in 1871 what would become the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, was the 2nd Admin Battalion of Cornwall Rifle Volunteers. The battalion had been formed in 1859 and would retain its Rifle Volunteer title until 1880.  From 1908, with the creation of the Territorial Force, the battalion became the 5th Battalion, DCLI.

In Ray Westlake's, Tracing The Rifle Volunteers, he gives the 1880 location of companies in the 2nd VF battalion as follows:

A Company: Liskeard
B Company: Callington
C Company: Launceston
D Company: St Austell
E Company: Bodmin
F Company: Wadebridge
G Company: St Columb
H Company: Camelford
I Company: Saltash

Writing in 1909, Walter Richards, in His Majesty's Territorial Army, gives the company organsiation of the newly created 5th Battalion (by now, reduced to eight companies instead of nine) as:

A Company: Liskeard
B Company: Callington
C Company: Launceston
D Company: St Austell
E Company: Bodmin
F Company: Wadebridge
G Company: Newquay
H Company: Bude

Five year's later, on the eve of the First World War, the battalion (headquartered at Bodmin) breakdown had changed again:

A Company: Liskeard
B Company: Saltash, with a drill station at Callington
C Company: Launceston
D Company: St Austell, with a drill station at St Stephen
E Company: Bodmin, with a drill station at Lostwithiel
F Company: Camelford, with drill stations at Wadebridge and Delabole
G Company: St Columb, with a drill station at Nequay
H Company: Bude, with drill stations at Stratton, Kilkhampton and Morwenstow

From this brief snapshot it can be seen that whilst some company locations changed, the locations of A, C and D companies remained the same, at least from 1880 until 1914.  As far as my relative, a St Austell man, was concerned, it looks a good bet that he served with D Company.

My recommended reading for all those interested in the VF and TF would be:

Tracing The Rifle Volunteers; Ray Westlake
His Majesty's Territorial Army (four volumes); Walter Richards
The Territorial Year Book 1909
The Territorial Year Book 1910
The Territorial Battalions, A Pictorial History 1859-1985; Ray Westlake
The Territorial Force 1914, Ray Westlake

Also have a look at the excellent Drill Hall Project.

Royal Cyphers on attestation papers

There is some great artwork on early attestation and discharge papers and here's an example from the discharge papers of 131 Private William Nelson of the 74th Regiment of Foot who left His Majesty's Army on the 31st July 1836 after 24 years and 129 days' service which included "7 years and 5 months in North America [and] one year and 8 months in the West Indies". He was discharged at his own request (and in apparently robust health) signing that:

"I perfectly understand , that in receiving my discharge at my own request, I entirely relinquish all Claim to Pension, and that, even if I should re-enlist, my past Services prior to the date of my present Discharge cannot be allowed to reckoned for the purpose of obtaining any benefit from Chelsea Hospital".

Little wonder that the army often struggled to recruit and was consistently below establishment (despite the relaxing of standards in height, weight and chest expansion) throughout the nineteenth century.  Still, the Royal cypher is excellent.

July 1915 attestation in WO 97

Here's an anomaly: a 1915 attestation within a pension series (WO 97) which supposedly ends in 1913.  David Marshall was 60 years old when he attested with the Rifle Brigade at Hereford on the 14th July 1915.  He had previously seen service with the Rifle Brigade and the 2nd Dorsetshire Regiment and gave his trade as General Labourer.  He was discharged after seven days.

Is this the latest attestation in WO 97?

Samuel William Franklin - a mystery solved

My grandfather gave me the two photos I'm publishing on this post.  Both were, he said, of his mother's father, Samuel William Franklin.  Also passed over to me at the same time was a document citing 175 Colour Sergeant Franklin when he was serving with the 2/2nd Regiment of Foot.  Dated 14th November 1861 when he was stationed on the Greek island of Corfu, Col Sgt Franklin had sought "the indulgence" of getting married.  The request had been recommended by his Commanding Officer and counter-signed by Lt Colonel Bruce who commanded the 2/2nd Regiment of Foot. The marriage between Samuel Franklin and Sarah Nelson duly took place later that year.

The photo above was obviously taken many years later when Samuel had swapped his British Army uniform for a Salvation Army one.  The Franklin family were devoted Salvationists and Samuel's daughter Margaret, and in turn her daughter Queenie would follow in Samuel's footsteps, journeying to India and mixing with (and in Queenie's case marrying) other Salvation Army members.  But what of the photo showing a young Samuel Franklin in army uniform?

A few years ago I posted a query on a forum stating that Samuel had been born in 1833 and suggesting that the photo, taken in a studio in Colchester, Essex probably dated to the late 1850s.  I quickly received two responses stating that the uniform was wrong for the 1850s and that besides, the bursting grenades on the collar indicated the Royal Artillery or Royal Engineers and not the 2/2nd Foot, later the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment.  The 1890s was suggested as a possible date rather than the 1850s.

Last night. picking up threads again via findmypast, I found Samuel William Franklin (still in Corfu) on the 1861 Worldwide Army Index.  There appears to be no service record for him in The Chelsea Pensioners' series in WO 97 and I know that by 1871 he was back in England and is listed on the census as a sergeant instructor of Volunteers.  This was possibly the 1st or 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry as he was by then living in St Austell.  I did however, check on his children and was pleasantly surprised to see that his son, Samuel Franklin, born in 1863 in Gibraltar, followed his father into the army and joined the Royal Artillery at Colchester on the 7th January 1886. He attained the rank of Company Sergeant Major until he fell foul of the authorities in 1900 and was reduced to the rank of sergeant.  He was discharged from the army (by now serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery) on the 6th January 1907 having served exactly 21 years.  His trial in 1900 robbed him of a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and neither did he qualify for any campaign medals, spending over 18 years in the United Kingdom and the remaining two and a bit years in Malta.  He died in 1910.

But for me, the mystery of the two photos is now solved.  They do indeed both show Samuel Franklin, albeit one is the father and the other the son.

Wellington's Men on Find My Past

Find My Past has added 130,000+ records of men who served - or who could have served, under the Iron Duke.  The new Napoleonic War Records series (1775-1817) is comprised of the following three datasets:

1. Army of Reserve 1803
26,000+ records from WO 12 (muster books and pay lists) and E 182 (deserter bounty certificates) at The National Archives.

2. Regimental Indexes 1806
97,000+ regimental records from the 1st-50th Regiments of Foot and the Cavalry, Foot Guards and Royal Waggon Train.

3. Foot Guards Attestations 1775-1817
9,000+ records from the 1st Foot Guards