• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Royal Warwickshire Regiment

illumina3

knowlegable brummie
I thought someone might like to see this photo, of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (or part of it at least), taken on the 28th March 1916. My great-uncle, Harold Francis Griffiths is in the second row (3rd from right). He joined up earlier that year, so assume they are all newish recruits and, like him, about to be sent to France.
 
Love the picture illumina3. Its possible my great uncle is amongst them. He joined in early 1916 but sadly lost his life later the same year. i
Chocks.
 
Interesting photo, My Grandad was in the Royal Warwk's and I posted about my Grandad's medals a while back and other posters ( Lyoyd & Terry Carter)) were kind enough to find the war records for my Grandad and where and when he won his medals . grandads medals, R Warwks
 
Last edited:
I thought someone might like to see this photo, of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (or part of it at least), taken on the 28th March 1916. My great-uncle, Harold Francis Griffiths is in the second row (3rd from right). He joined up earlier that year, so assume they are all newish recruits and, like him, about to be sent to France.
One of our best known WW11 leaders Monty served as a subaltern with the RWR
in the Great War, Bernard
 
I love this picture especially the lads looking and laughing out of the barrack room windows. sad to think so many of those smiling men and boys never returned,
paul
 
A very nice photo, illumina3. Was Harold from Beech Road, Bournville? If so his service record is available at Ancestry.

It shows that he was mobilised on 28 March 1916 and was posted to the Warwick depot that day in order to begin training. He was posted on to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on 30 March; it was stationed on the Isle of Wight and was a basic training unit.

(So - question for any former Warwicks reading this - could that be Budbrooke barracks on the photo?)

He went to France 9 December 1916 and served with the 11th (Service) Battalion. The battalion had just taken heavy casualties in the Battle of the Ancre and Harold's draft was arriving to replace them. It was part of 37th Division (potted history at https://www.1914-1918.net/37div.htm). But his stay was short for he reported sick on 31 January 1917 (trench fever) and was sent back to England for treatment. He returned to France in November 1917 and served with 1st Battalion (part of 4th Division: https://www.1914-1918.net/4div.htm).

Hope that helps.
 
Hi Chris, yes, Harold was from Beech Road, and I have his service record, but thanks for filling in some of the details!

According to family tales, he was gassed at some point, so I was hoping to see that in the records, but other than the trench fever and the injury to connective tissue he received later, it doesn't tell me about
what happened to him over there.

Oh, interestingly I have a little snippet that his father, William, sent to his sisters in Australia, about their nephew having joined up, and that says 'Harold has gone, 4th March 1916'. That's odd, cos it's neither the date he was mobilised, nor the date of his attestation. It also says '3rd Warwickshire regiment, the old die hards'.
 
Chris Baker, It is Bubrooke Barracks, my N/S Basic service was served there in 1947 in the wooden huts added in WW2 & made it very big camp, if you were charged & confined to barracks you had to be at the original brick built barracks to parade when reviele was played by the bugler no matter how far away your hut was or risk another charge. Len.
 
My grandfather served in the Royal Warwickshire regiment, I have his service record for WW1 but it would appear he was still in the army after the war. Recent information I have received states that in 1921 he was serving in India/Afghanistan. has anyone got any relevant information regarding this posting? Any information would be most gratefully received.
 
Astonite The Royal Warwicks were known as the India Regiment it seems that one of their Battalions used to serve regularly in India.
paul
 
One place to look is the regimental magazine 'The Antelope' which resumed publication in 1923. It has a lot about Warwicks in India. Copies - Fusiliers Museum, Warwick.
 
2nd Battalion left Italy in 1919 and went to garrison duties at Sind. It then remained in India until 1930 when it moved to the Sudan.
 
Pryse_Birm_Post.jpg
This cutting has been sent to me on another subject. I thought I would post it here as their are names listed below the photo. Sadly I don't know the year.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My great grandfather also served in this regiment and was killed in action in the Somme in July 1916. Amazing to know he could be in a picture out there somewhere. Alfred Joseph John Bragg Private 2863.
RIP
 
Hi there, It would be wonderful if you could repost the picture of the Royal WarwickshireRegiment as my grandfather John Keating was also in this regiment .Many thanks .Kim.
 
Back
Top