Wigan Album
Army
7 Comments
Photo: Rev David Long
Item #: 33004
It appears to be a group of NCOs - with the RSM in the centre - and I am pretty sure they are artillerymen - by their lanyards on their left shoulders, and that the men with a single stripe are labelled 'Br.' (Bombardier - rather than Corporal).
Some of them are wearing medals - apart from the RSM's chestful, it's mostly a single medal. I would deduce from that that it's pre-WW1 - possibly they're medals from the Boer War - but there is no Artillery featured on the Boer War Memorial for the DLOY in the Centre.
Any ideas?
no typical Wigan surnames among these as far as I can see.
It's funny you should mention the names, John - I thought that most of them have uncommon names. There's a Green, a Smith, an Edwards and, of course, a Long - but the rest are more unusual. I looked up most of them on the Wigan & Leigh Archives site to see if any turned up as local casualties in WW1, but none did.
looks like the "old school tie" brigade.
I had a great uncle, Henry Long 1867-1916 born Wigan who served first in Boer War then enlisted age 40 yrs in 1st world war Died at Eastware Battery Portland Somerset and buried in family plot in Wigan Cemetery
My grandfather William Long also served first in Boer war (but had enlisted under a false name as
Spargo) and then served in 1st ww In Loyal North Lancs reg being injured and retuned to UK on 14/11/14
This photo was sold on ebay some years ago.
"Victorian/Edwardian Military Group Photograph of Named N.C.O's in Dress Uniforms
SOLD - 17 Dec 2018, 14:00 £4.99 3 Bids, £2.95 Shipping, eBay Money Back Guarantee
Seller: jharrie_0 (60) 100%, Location: Liphook, Ships to: GB, Item: 163419258581
Victorian/Edwardian Military Group Photograph of Named N.C.O's in Dress Uniforms. Official group photograph posed outside barrack entrance wearing dress uniforms. Centred on R. S. M. Lister, flanked by Corporals and surrounded by Bombardiers this appears to be the NCO's mess of perhaps an Artillery Regiment (RHA?). Most soldiers holding a busby with white plume. Each soldier is named below. Overall size is 31cms x 28cms and is mounted on stiff card which has a small crack."
I think the hats are shakos, rather than busbies - and the window boxes and ivy would suggest it's not a military building behind. Perhaps the house of the Regiment's Commanding Officer?
Going for one of the most unusual names in the group, a search on Findmypast has located two army-related documents for Charles Edward Tapenden, b 1883 or 1884.
1) British Army Service Records, 1901: location South Mersterham, Red Hill, Surrey
2) Royal Artillery Attestations, 1902.