TOPIC:

My guess is some sort of abbreviation for Welch Regiment [old spelling of Welsh Regiment and sometimes misspelt “Welsch”]. This would make sense in terms of his birth county (Pembrokeshire). In other words, he first served in the 3rd [Militia] Bn. Welsh Regiment and then in the Grenadier Guards (or vice versa).

That is an interesting technique, Dave. I have not heard of that before and am a little saddened it did not work!

I too am struggling with this.

Is this saying he served in two different units and was discharged by purchase from both?

The 3rd battalion Grenadier Guards were in South Africa but it definitely says Regt after the mystery word.

I cannot find a regimental name that would fit those 5 letters though.

I thought it may say Resd but the d in Grenadier is quite different.

Mmm …

I posted this on the Great War Forum and my colleagues there are having a look at this. You need to register and have a few posts there to see this but there are some great minds there and some of the info might be useful.

www.greatwarforum.org/topic/305730-help-...try/#comment-3224052

Mike

Gentlemen – thank you for considering the matter.

His service records with the GG indicate he was a member of the 2nd Battalion during his 78 day stay with them. So “3rd ????? Regt” would not appear to be a qualification of his service with the GG.

If it is a second unit he served with it would have been after his 1891/2 term with the GG and it could not have been the usual 7 active + 5 reserve years short service commitment as he would have served in the ABW either as a regular or reservist with the regiment in question. There was a Thomas Davies born in Pembrokeshire and working as a “collier” in Glamorgan when he signed the dotted line in June 1893 and served in the 3rd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers but he was in India when the ABW started and remained there for another 8 years and was not discharged until November 1912. Thomas Davies, as already stated, was (and still is) a rather common name in Wales and, as you can see, I am currently working through the other 87 hits that a military search on FMP gives me for a Thomas Davies born in Pembrokeshire.

Another of the 19 who attested on 17th February 1900 came from Glamorgan. He was a member of the 3rd Glamorgan Rifle Volunteers, a militia unit, and it is often abbreviated to “GRV” but I cannot turn “?????” into “GRV” and anyway it should have been the answer to question 10 rather than 11.

If I have any success I will report back.

Can anyone help me with one unclear word from Baden Powell's Staff Diary please?



Despatches: Sent to CSO – South Africa a resume of the situation. Our food will last to 10 June. Enemy 2,000, 4 guns. Plumer 700 men 3 guns 40 miles NW with base and railhead Crocodile Pools. Have told him secure [safely?] Crocodile Pools till arrival Carrington’s column there.

Thank you
David

David
Well, "safely" is what it looks like to me - but curious phraseology. Surely, the safety of the railhead was obvious. Just writing "Have told him secure Crocodile Pools till arrival Carrington's column there" would have been enough?
Regards
IL.