Hi looking for some help My great great grandads left these medals and patches. I’ve looked around and found some info but looking for more... I believe he was serving from 1928 onwards as there are platoon sports medals for football and hockey some are dated some are engraved fusilier Appleby I think he was first in the lancs fusiliers then went to Africa training locals. Any info would be greatly received.
Welcome to the forum firstly apply for his service records a long wait at the moment but worth it date of birth death cert and £30 is all you required to apply here Get a copy of military service records
That spider badge is the insignia of 81st West African Division. 81st (West Africa) Division - Wikipedia GCR RWAFF badge = Gold Coast Regiment. Royal West African Frontier Force - Wikipedia
Paul, Welcome aboard. It would help the sleuths here if you reveal what you know now. even if the service record should tell you more. So, what was his full name, date of birth, even a service number / army number? What elsewhere have you found? This can stop duplication. PM with more tips in a moment.
In case you haven't identified the medals this link will give you the qualifications: Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility Ribbons show: War medal 1939/45 Defence medal 1939/45 Star Burma Star
The formation patch on the left of your photo is the British 14th Army in which the 81st (West Africa) Division fought in Burma. Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia His service number should be on his ID discs & can be compared in this thread to see which regiment or corps issued it. From 1920 onwards soldiers usually retained the same number throughout their service. Army Number Block Allocations
Some more info I’ve found. George Herbert Appleby dob 18-09-1906 The Lancashire Fusiliers no. 3441616 Certificate of service serial no. 2LF/980 Enlisted 05/03/25 Home 05/03/1925-07/10/1926 India 08/10/1926 - 06/01/1933 Final assessment of conduct and character on leaving colours 20/01/1933 Military conduct - exemplary Home 07/01/1933 - 21/01/1933 ????? 22/01/1933 - 11/11/1945 Finished as Company quartermaster sergeant Thank you for all the replies so far on this thread. Things are coming together and I will be applying for his service records ASAP
For his time in India, the FIBIS Fibiwiki page 20th Regiment of Foot https://wiki.fibis.org/w/20th_Regiment_of_Foot has some links to photographs of the 2nd Battalion taken when your ancestor was in India. Also during WW2 , from above he appears to have been with the Gold Coast Regiment. There is a History "West African Way" The Story of the Burma Campaigns 1943-1945, 5th Bn. Gold Coast Regt., 81 West African Division by Lt. Col. C. G. Bowen originally published 1946, is available in a reprint edition, (“WEST AFRICAN WAY” The Story Of The Burma Campaigns 1943-1945, 5th Bn. Gold Coast Regt., 81 West African Division - Naval & Military Press ) which in turn is available online on the Ancestry owned pay website fold3 with title The Story of the Burma Campaigns (located in /Military Books (locate by the Search)/West Africa). Maureen
22/01/1933 - 11/11/1945 Possible?? Gold Coast Regiment / Royal West African Frontier Force / 81st (West African Division) / 14th Army Formation. ive been told told stories of George being in Ghana(or possibly Nigeria) training locals and having to take rifles from them and give them sticks to train, Burma after the campaign fell ill and had to stay in hospital before returning home and possibly Egypt
Inter services sports touring teams All India 11 v Local services 11 11th March 1945 George played in this match losing 5-2
**NEW** 22/01/1933 -16/12/1939 Army reserve 17/12/1939 - 11/11/1945 ?? 2nd battalion lancs fusiliers / 81st west african / Gold Coast Regiment. release/leave regiments - No.3 (other arms) TRG BN - WA TRG & RFT Camp - Lancs Fusiliers Service trade - ORCS