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Lest We Forget.


algy

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As I'm sure everyone knows tomorrow is Remembrance Sunday, 98 years since the start of that terrible war, World War One.

 

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Would anyone like to post any memories or photos of their family who fought or died in that conflict.

 

I will start the ball rolling.

My paternal great uncle Thomas Victor Johnson.

 

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Thomas Victor Johnson

Departed his home at 20 Bramhall Street, Off Liverpool Road, Bank Quay, Warrington.

Enlisted 7th September 1914 at Warrington Police Station giving his age as 19years and two months his true age was 17 years.

Posted 9th September 1914 to 11th Service Btn. The Rifle Brigade

 

Reported missing 18th Sept 1916 – Battle of the Somme, his body was never found.

Accepted as having died on or since 20th Sept 1916, aged 19 years.

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My grandad was 31 when he signed up for the 1st world war on 1st September 1914... He served in France and was demobbed in 1919. For some strange reason he was enlisted into the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment and saw action in France from 1916 until the end of the war

 

I was born on his 80th birthday in 1963 and he lived to the grand old age of 96...

 

My grandmas' maiden name was Woodey and she lost her brother George Henry on the 9th May 1915 during the battle of Aubers Ridge. George Henry was in the Rifle Brigade and he is remembered in the graveyard at Ploogsteert but his body was never found. He was a young lad of 21 from Catherine Street in Bewsey but for some reason, his name does not appear on the war memorial in town

 

I have no photos of George Henry but I do have his medals....

 

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Left to right is the 1914-1915 Star (or Mons Star) then the British War Medal and finally the British Victory Medal. There were many different forms of the Victory medal depending on which country issued them and all were engraved or stamped with the soldiers name, rank & number either on the back (for the star) or around the rim for the other two, with the exception of the victory medals issued to Indian and sub-continent soldiers which were un-stamped

 

The 3 medals were referred to as Pip Squeak & Wilfred

 

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1st world war medals for British Soldiers were stamped as above. The 2nd world war ones were not and as such are easier to replace!

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I have a 1914-1915 Star which my late wife was given by her father. The name on the back is Pte J.Hopkins L'pool Regiment. I presume it belonged to some relation but don't really know. I've tried searching on the internet but hit a brick wall.

 

Ask Dizzy to research it on your behalf. She is a whizz at it. :wink:

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I have a 1914-1915 Star which my late wife was given by her father. The name on the back is Pte J.Hopkins L'pool Regiment. I presume it belonged to some relation but don't really know. I've tried searching on the internet but hit a brick wall.

 

Asp,as Cleo suggests, Dizzy is the one that is most likely to find Pvte J Hopkins.

 

HERE IS SOME INFO YOU MAY FIND OF INTEREST.

There was no regiment before, during and after WWI named ‘the Liverpool Regiment’ the only regiment associated with Liverpool was The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), however recruitment in the city raised on the instigation of Lord Derby in August 1914 produced a huge response from the men of Liverpool and the surrounding area that by mid-October a total of four ‘Liverpool Pals’ battalions, and two reserve battalions were formed, they were officially known as the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Service Battalions of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, or sometimes as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th City Battalions of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, they were known as the ‘Liverpool Pals ‘ and uniquely and unusually had their own cap badge, much to the jealousy of the soldiers of other battalions of ‘The Kings Regiment’.

 

Cap Badge of the 'Liverpool Pals'

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Cap Badge of 'The Kings Liverpool Regiment.

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Liverpool Pals – badges

The White Horse vs. the Eagle and Child

As Service Regiments of the King's Liverpool Regiment, the Liverpool Pals would be expected to wear that regiment’s badge, the ‘White Horse of Hanover’. King George I had given this crest to the Regiment in 1716. However, it was suggested that Lord Derby’s family crest, an eagle perching above a baby in a cradle – ‘the Eagle and Child’ – should be worn by the Pals in recognition of Lord Derby’s role in their formation. This was approved by King George V himself on 14 October 1914.

 

Liverpool jewellers Elkington and Company were commissioned to make silver versions of the new badge, which were handed to each individual recruit by Lord Derby in a private ceremony at the end of 1914. However these silver badges were not designed to be worn by the soldiers, but rather to be kept as mementos, and so brass versions were also given to be worn with the soldiers’ uniforms.

The Eagle and Child badges of the Pals were not popular with other battalions in the Regiment. This was perhaps due to competition between battalions, or perhaps simply jealousy. One recruit remembers how a sergeant, on noticing his badge, screamed: "What’s that bloody bird doing in your hat? You’re in the King’s, so get an ‘orse up there where it should be!"

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What is the first name and service number on the back?

 

The 14-15 star was one of three stars issued in WW1. the 1914 star was only given if you saw active service between August and November 1914 and was awarded to about 330,000 men.

 

The 14-15 star was given if you had served in 1914-1915 (August 1914 - December 1915)

 

If you served in 1916 onwards you were only awarded the Service and Victory medals (or Mutt & Jeff) as they were affectionately known as when worn together

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An uncle of mine emigrated to America not long before the outbreak of war as it happened. Soon after, he left Boston & crossed the border to Canada where he signed up to a mounted regiment & fought the Great War as a Canadian soldier.He came home & lived well into his 70's.

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:unsure: Then why is it called eagle and child?

Well!, Florence I supose I could squirm and wriggle to get out of this one but somehow I don't think I will succeed, it was thought to be an eagle that was used on the seal when King John granted the then town a charter in 1207, but seemingly after 'Googling' I find that it is most likely a Cormorant.

 

Internet Quote:-

The modern popularity of the symbol largely dates to 1911, when the Liver Building was built. This prominent display of two liver birds rekindled the idea that the liver was a mythical bird that once haunted the local shoreline. According to popular legend, they are a male and female pair, the female looking out to sea, (watching for the seamen to return safely home) whilst the male looks towards the city (making sure the pubs are open). An alternative version says that the male bird is looking in to watch over and protect the families of the seamen. Local legend also holds that the birds face away from each other as, if were they were to mate and fly away, the city would cease to exist. In fact, they were indeed designed to watch the City (Our People) and the Sea (Our Prosperity). Another legend says that if an honest man and a virgin women were to fall in love in front of the liverbird that the couple of liverbirds that are in statue form would come to life, fly away and Liverpool would cease to exist.

 

Enough waffling, lets cut the crap, I GOT IT WRONG!!! :oops: :oops:

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What is the first name and service number on the back?

 

The 14-15 star was one of three stars issued in WW1. the 1914 star was only given if you saw active service between August and November 1914 and was awarded to about 330,000 men.

 

The 14-15 star was given if you had served in 1914-1915 (August 1914 - December 1915)

 

If you served in 1916 onwards you were only awarded the Service and Victory medals (or Mutt & Jeff) as they were affectionately known as when worn together

 

 

Here is a picture of the back:

 

1914-1914Medal.jpg

 

It has 1914-1915 on the front.I presumed the L'pool R. meant the Liverpool Regiment.

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I'll have a look and see if I can find anything about his service or who he was etc for you Asp (although don't hold your breath as I can't even fing my own maternal Grandads records and I have his regiment and service number and some of his pension papers)

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Another legend says that if an honest man and a virgin women were to fall in love in front of the liverbird that the couple of liverbirds that are in statue form would come to life, fly away and Liverpool would cease to exist.

 

 

One lives in hope but it's a tall order. :wink:

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For the information of anyone that is interested - I have downloaded the complete war diary of my great uncles regiment 11th Service Battalion Rifle Brigade 1915 to 1919 in its original format and content, 880 pages in 4x pdf files at a cost of £3.36p (bargain), I'm sure for those that would be interested they could search for information regarding relatives that served in WWI.

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