PHOTO PAGE 26

 

Photo JWM 1 Please contact Violet Matthews at :- aberdeen@sympatico.ca This WW1 era photograph depicts five Leicestershire Regiment Sergeants. JOHN WILLIAM MATTHEWS (born 8 January 1884 ) John first enlisted to the Leicester's on 27 August 1901 He was then Private J.W. Matthews of the 3 rd. Battalion. He volunteered to the 35th Imperial Yeomanry and was involved in the Boer War. There is a Parchment Certificate of discharge for him from 1903, the place given as Aldershot. He was injured on his left side and carried a very noticeable scar on his face. The injury may have been caused whilst he was instructing in the use of hand grenades. John Matthews can be seen in this photograh, (standing second right) In WW1 John William Matthews again served with the 3rd. Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment he was by then Sgt. J.W. Matthews Reg. number 11903 of the 3rd. Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment. He fought in France, he arrived there on the 29 July 1915. Sgt. Williams survived WW1 and emigrated to Canada in 1920. Violet has no other information for Sgt. Matthews, nor can she identify his fellow Sergeants seen in this photograph. Violet has been informed by the M.O.D. in England that Sgt. J.W. Matthews military records will not be available until 2001. Can any help with any further details about the Sergeant, or his comrades ? At least three of the sergeants seen in this photograph are wearing stripes on their right sleeves only, and no puttees, are these fatigues they are wearing ? or perhaps the infamous "hospital blues" ? Iain Kerr discoverd that the origins of the 34th. & 35th. companies in the 11th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, were found from The Middlesex Yeomanry Cavalry. And yet John Matthews was recruited in Leicester. (as I understand it , The Leicestershire Yeomanry were the 7th.)

News 23 March 2000 It is very possible that the Sergeant seen standing centre rear is Sergeant SMITH THOMAS PALMER, of the 8th battalion the Leicestershire Regiment (Smith was his Christian name,
but he was known as Tom). This identification was made by Matthew Richardson, and was sent in by Violet Matthews.
To view a larger version of this photograph please click here > JWM 1

 

 

Photo AHEP 1 Please contact Alan Hepburn at > ahepbur1@npiec.on.ca

This image and the one directly below were sent in by Alan on behalf of his wife June Hepburn (nee White), who has only the name only of this soldier seen in this portrait. This is ARTHUR WHITE.

Alan and June have no other details at all.

Can you help with an approximation of the year of the photograph, the soldiers Regiment, or any details or information what so ever please ?

 

 NEWS: It has been suggested that Arthur was a private of Rifle Volunteers, part time citizen soldier; and the location of the photographer suggest he was a member of a NOTTINGHAMSHIRE INFANTRY RIFLE VOLUNTEERS unit, c'1890 .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo AHEP 2

This is the second photograph sent in by Alan Hepburn , his e-mail; address is :- ahepbur1@npiec.on.ca

Again, little is known about the soldier pictured here. The soldiers name is WILLIAM HOLMES the year, Regiment and place are unknown. Can you help Peter & June please ?

 NEWS: Shown here as a Regular infantry soldier, c. 1860s. I have talked to a military historian here in Canada and he identified #2 Wm. White, as in the uniform of the British 62nd Regiment of Foot or the Wiltshire Regiment. His uniform belt and cap show he was a private soldier or enlisted man. He said the style of uniform dates from the 1860's. The number on his hat badge appears to be 62. The 62nd was in Canada at Ft. Henry, Kingston Ontario, in 1862; and in Quebec in March, 1864, and left Canada in 1864. He would probably have been too young to be in Canada then. We have a Bible that he gave to his sister when he returned from India in 1880 with the date and his name on the inside page.

 

 

 

 

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