2/7 KINGS 1917 aldershot

[BOBHAMO]

the photo shows the bootle division
Maj Burnie and other named officers
bobhamo

[Blind Lemon]

nice

[42aitch]

Good one Bob, see that you managed to split the original top photo into two so as the names could be read of the officers.

I had seen that photo somewhere before, nice to see it clearer.

Eileen

[BOBHAMO]

pity i cant get it bigger
Eileen have all our ww1 heros been found ????
from the local area
bobhamo

[42aitch]

Bob, I wish they had, still ploughing through the Bootle memorials. Have another three memorials to be added to the site, Welsh Presbyterian, Hawthorne Road Council School and Bootle Secondary School. Hopefully these will be added before the end of the year. We still have a lot of men that we can't positively identify on the memorials we have already researched and have about another ten memorials still to finish off. So it is still a big job before I even contemplate doing Seaforth and Crosby and the outer regions like Maghull and Lydiate.

However I am still enjoying doing it and it keeps me out of mischief and keeps the grey cells active.

Eileen

[BOBHAMO]

Thanks Eileen my 2 grandads survived though i only met one
i wish i could have listened to his life.
my dad ww2 never spoke about what happened to him
must have been to harrowing
bobhamo

[spud4210]

Hi all,

My Grandfather served with the 2/7th and I've done a little research on the men and officers who served.
I went through the war diaries and collated all the names who served and put it into an Excel spreadsheet am more than happy to share if anyone is interested.
I also have panoramic photos of "A" Company "C" Company Sergeants Mess and a couple of individuals.
I would dearly like to get "B" Company and "D" Company and the Officers to complete the set

Cheers

Paul

[BOBHAMO]

HI Paul a few photos of the kings
glad you have researched your grandad
http://archive.org/stream/rollofhonourb ... 9/mode/2up

bobhamo

[spud4210]

Thanks for the photos Bob they are great..... got any more??

[Allen Jones]

Thanks for the memories Bob. Having read a number of historical books on WW1 the one thing that stood out were the volume of photos showing the Kings regiment at the front. Now can you assist me in finding out which Kings battallion was in residence at Formby and later Seaforth in WW2. My late father was a sergeant in the regiment and trained commandos in unarmed combat at Formby. Would love to find out about his time in the unit. Keep up the good work and all the very best for the new year to all Bootle Bucks from the far north of New Zealand. Allen.

[BOBHAMO]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHCSLspY4l0
Hi Allen this is a nice video of the kings training

bobhamo


Formby Civic Society's Dr. Reg Yorke was one of the thousands of soldiers who passed through Harington Barracks, yet very few people are aware these days of its presence. "I spent my first six weeks of Army life there from February 1947, before moving on to the 17th Training Regiment, Royal Artillery on the Salisbury Plain." He is particularly anxious to have Formby's role in the life of the King's Regiment, which underwent amalgamation recently, acknowledged.

The King's Liverpool Regiment depot and Regimental Infantry Training Centre was in Formby, at Harington Barracks, throughout World War Two. Prior to the outbreak of war the King's Depot was based at Seaforth, but in view of the need for much more accommodation and an expanded military training area, a new barracks was rapidly constructed as a 'hutted camp' in 1940 on open farm land, some farmed by John Brooks of Larkhill Farm, between Formby village and the coast (in the area where Harington Road is today).

This became the King's Regiment Infantry Training Centre and continued in the early part of the war to receive 200 recruits every fortnight. The War Office originally planned to take over Formby Golf Club which was in fact used as officer's accommodation for a period, but in the end the new purpose-built barracks was built with vehicular access from Victoria Road and pedestrian access via Blundell Path. This path, which still survives today was the shortest route to the nearest rail station.

The barracks was named after the former Colonel in Chief, General Sir Charles Harington, GCB, GYIE, DSO who died in 1940. From 1941 to 1945 the Commanding Officer was Lieutenant-Colonel Burke Gaffney MC, who soon established a good relationship with the local residents. He later wrote the official history of the modern regiment, 'The Story of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1948'.

Training took place in large gyms, on a large parade ground and on the surrounding open fields. There were football pitches and an athletic ground on the west side of Larkhill Lane (where the National Trust heath reserve is today). Rifle training began using .22 Rifles in a covered range situated near where St. Jerome's Church is today. Following this, further practice took place on the open range at the seaward end of Albert Road; followed by practice at the Altcar Rifle Range, then reached by a track across Marsh Farm from Range Lane.

A short black and white sound film exists produced by the Army Kinema Corporation, this is of the Queen Mother's visit to the barracks in 1954 to review and present the new colours to the 1st Battalion of the Manchester Regiment who were by then in residence. The Formby Civic Society also have a number of photographs of this visit.

[BOBHAMO]

the barracks in the centre above formby
bobhamo

[Allen Jones]

That is brilliant Bob. My mother (Catherine) was working at the ROF at Hereford about 1943/44. During her absences I was farmed out to what I think was St Josephs (run by nuns) not far from the Formby barracks. I remember watching soldiers training, in particular using what appeared to be telephone wires to crawl across many feet above the ground. On Formby beach there were mock up vehicles and tanks that were expected to draw the bombs from the Luftwaffe to help reduce the numbers dropping on Bootle docks and the wider Liverpool area. This place was heaven for bored little children and I spent many happy hours with friends playing in the dummies. Even, I might add when the air raid siren went. The nuns would come galloping down and literally drag us to the nearest shelter. My father, Cyril Jones, was well known in the regiment being the regimental boxing champion in his weight. He was also at one time inter-services champion. Any photos showing the boxing team in the late 30s to 40s will show Cyril. I have a slightly blurred one that I could e-mail to you for inclusion if needed. Incidently, when my mother worked at Hereford I am sure she wasn't the only Bootle girl there. The reason I mention this is there is memorial at Hereford recording the names of those employed in the factory and particularly the ones who lost their lives in an accidental explosion. The memorial is I think at Lower Bullingham, Rotherwas, Hereford. There is a website as I remember that gives details of the history of the place and though not Bootle related I am sure there is a tenuous link through the likes of my mam.

[BOBHAMO]

A great story Allen
born after the war 1947 the only real adventure was the fort at hightown formby cant remember which station
but it was a day out to search the camp and imagine how mersey side was defended
as usual nobody thought of keeping it as a tourist attraction and now its just rubble
they where clever putting dummy targets further out of liverpool
would be great to find some more history of the camp
will keep looking
thanks again allen
http://www.formbycivicsociety.org.uk/20 ... rtime.html
bobhamo

[spud4210]

HI Paul a few photos of the kings
glad you have researched your grandad
http://archive.org/stream/rollofhonourb ... 9/mode/2up

bobhamo

Hi Bob, hope you don't mind if I copy the photos?? Is there any info on any of the pictures? I have a couple of individual photos of some of the Officers and ranks. The collection continues....

Paul

[IanLiggettRiley]

Regarding the original post with the 2/7th King's photo at Aldershot. Is this the image that was organised by the late Paul Gardiner using the rather battered mounted photo that I found in the effects of another friend when we were sorting out his collection of militaria? The original (from which the scan/photo was taken) is now in the Museum of Liverpool as part of the King's Regiment collection. If I remember, Paul and/or a friend used some quite clever technique to avoid distorting the photos (or may have scanned it in sections and then stitched the results). Paul was absolutely thrilled with it. I would be interested to know if it came from another copy as we have never seen a second copy. Either way, there is a full size copy from Paul's scan on my staircase.

Quite a few of the King's (Liverpool Regiment) second line Territorial Force battalions had photos taken in on form or another in January 1917, just prior to going to France with the 57th (Second West Lancashire) Division

Ian

[BossHogg]

I served with A Coy 5/8 Kings (V) in Norris Green before joining the Royal Military Police in 1986. My first posting on finishing basic training was in Aldershot.

[henry]

http://www.litherland-digital.co.uk/alb ... _camp.html
THESE ARE FROM RONNIE ON HIS LITHERLAND SITE

[Allen Jones]

The thread continues. I recently bought and read the "Story of the Kings Regiment" written by Lt Colonel Burke-Gaffney. The book covers the period 1914-1948. Wonderful stuff for all our fellow townies. However it does tend to dwell mainly on the officer class and tells us very little about the wider range of troops serving at that time. Illustrated with lots of hand drawn maps of battlefields in which the various battalions took part. Whilst this is a must read for those interested in military history(especially Liverpudlians) there is a need for a more comprehensive history possibly covering the main regular battalions and their various characters especially the amazing boxing teams produced from within the regiment. What really moved me when reading Burke-Gaffneys book was the list of names of all those lost in the two world wars in the end piece. Allen.

[spud4210]

Regarding the original post with the 2/7th King's photo at Aldershot. Is this the image that was organised by the late Paul Gardiner using the rather battered mounted photo that I found in the effects of another friend when we were sorting out his collection of militaria? The original (from which the scan/photo was taken) is now in the Museum of Liverpool as part of the King's Regiment collection. If I remember, Paul and/or a friend used some quite clever technique to avoid distorting the photos (or may have scanned it in sections and then stitched the results). Paul was absolutely thrilled with it. I would be interested to know if it came from another copy as we have never seen a second copy. Either way, there is a full size copy from Paul's scan on my staircase.

Quite a few of the King's (Liverpool Regiment) second line Territorial Force battalions had photos taken in on form or another in January 1917, just prior to going to France with the 57th (Second West Lancashire) Division

Ian

Hi Ian,

My name Paul Murphy, I live Australia and have been doing some research on the 2/7th as my Grandfather served with them. I received a digital copy of the Aldershot pic from Paul last year had it printed and framed. I also have an original "C" company and digital "A" company photo also framed. Do you know if B & D companies are around as my GF was in B and would love to see him!!

regards

Paul

[nicolas]

Regiment not known, Altcar camp kitchen, early 1900's

[ALAMO2008]

Hi all,

My Grandfather served with the 2/7th and I've done a little research on the men and officers who served.
I went through the war diaries and collated all the names who served and put it into an Excel spreadsheet am more than happy to share if anyone is interested.
I also have panoramic photos of "A" Company "C" Company Sergeants Mess and a couple of individuals.
I would dearly like to get "B" Company and "D" Company and the Officers to complete the set

Cheers

Paul

My Granddad Samuel Chapman was in the 7th Btn not sure what Company.






He appears in the London Gazette in Jan 1918 as Corporal from Orrell he was living at 25 Wiilard street at the start of the War then moved to 47 Elizabeth Rd around 1916
Here is a photo taken in October 1916 according to Studio stamp as Brussels yet this was in German Hands on 20/10/1916 ?
Photo also appears to show him as Sergeant yet in 1917/1918 the Gazette lists him as a Corporal ?

[spud4210]

"A" company January 1917 before they left for France on 15th Feb 1917
I was lucky to be sent this by a member who's father served.
He was captured by the Germans on 07/05/1917 after they raided the trenches
Blue x top right row 5 men in

[spud4210]

"C" Company 2/7th
same day I presume
Sorry about the quality and size. looks to have lost a little on the right side
Bougth this off a collector of Kings history. Was in bad condition and has been "fixed" with photo shop!!

[Allen Jones]

Hi. That top photo shows him as a Staff Sergeant. Note the Crown above the stripes.On a slightly differing note I was in Busan, South Korea 10 days ago. and visited the UN War Cemetery. It was quite moving looking over the graves of Kingsmen who died during that conflict. The cemetery is beautifully looked after and the South Koreans treat the grounds as Hallowed turf. Well worth a visit to any one visiting that neck of the woods. Allow at least 3 hours. There is so much to see and learn. Allen.