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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2005-03 > 1111470224


From: Forrest Anderson <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] TA in Walthamstow, Essex
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 05:43:44 +0000
References: <423F062E.9020607@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To: <423F062E.9020607@comcast.net>


On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 10:36:46 -0700, Martin Willcocks
<> wrote:

>Many thanks for your detailed and highly informative response to my
>previous posting on this list. You should have received the high
>resolution scan of the photo off-list.

Yes thanks, I got it. The collar badge worn by all four men appears to be
the standard flat-topped shield and scroll of the Essex Regiment.
Sometimes you see photographs where the officer has a small "T"
underneath his collar badge, indicating he was a Territorial. In this
case, at least three of them have the letter "V", indicating Volunteer.

The cap badge worn by the other three officers appears to be similar to
that of the Essex Regiment. In July 1918, most VF battalions were allowed
to wear their parent regiment's cap badge, minus any battle honours. As a
result, many post-Jul 1918 VF cap badges had the same general shape as
their parent regiment's, but with variations.

I can't make out the cap badge worn by Lt Willcocks, or even whether he
is wearing one at all.

>I had tried to search the London Gazette but came up with no references
>to E. W. Willcocks or Edmund William Willcocks, nor Willcocks, Edmund.
>Evidently their search engine is not very user-friendly as you have
>found references quoted below to Edmund William Willcocks.

The search engine quite often has problems finding people! However, if
you try a search for...

William Willcocks*

...then you'll find both occurrences.

>Probably
>what you have provided summed up his career in the TF. I have to assume
>that the photo was taken after the VTC changed to the VF in 1916, when
>he would have been 35-36 (born Oct. 1880).

As the officers are wearing the Essex Regiment cap badge (or a variation
thereof), I'd say that it was taken after July 1918.

>It appears that two of the
>references you cited show the same event, i.e. promotion to Lieutenant
>on 4 Oct 1917, from 2nd Lieut. which he had been since Feb. 13, 1917.

They are actually for two different events, viz:

The 5th April one says:

Edmund William Willcocks to be temp. 2nd Lt... 13th Feb. 1917.

The 1 Nov one says:

Temp. 2nd Lt. Edmund William Willcocks to be temp. Lt. 4th Oct. 1917.

So the first one commissions him as a Temporary Second Lieutenant, whilst
the second one promotes him to Temporary Lieutenant.

>Would this have been the likely cause for the photo to be taken? Or
>could it be earlier, if so what rank would he have been prior to 2nd Lieut.?

Unfortunately there don't seem to be any clues as to what he did
militarily before being commissioned in 1917.

>Is there any evidence, apart from my father's recollection, of Lewis
>guns being positioned on the roof od Whipps Cross Hospital, Walthamstow,
>during WW I?

I don't think I've got anything in my collection that answers that one.
Local archives might have newspaper articles or photos, and sometimes
hospitals have published histories. However if you're interested in
airship raids on the UK, you might want to find the following book:

================
http://www.naval-military-press.com/books/titles/5462.htm

GERMAN AIR RAIDS ON GREAT BRITAIN 1914-1918

The record of then fifty-one German airship and fifty-two aircraft
bombing raids on England during the Great War in which 280 tons of bombs
were dropped. Casualties amounted to 1,413 killed, and 3,408 wounded.
This account is the first complete record of the raids, which also
explains the origins and development of the German air bombing campaign
over Britain, and how it was countered. Contemporary photos supplement
the text in which German, as well as British, experiences are described.
The author had access to official records, in particular a series of Air
Raid reports prepared as they occurred by the War Office. An extremely
unusual and valuable book.

Author:
by Joseph Morris.

Format:
Reprint 2002 (Original c1925). SB. xii + 306pp. 5 maps and 16 pages b/w
illustrations.

ISBN:
1843421496
===============

>Also, as a volunteer in the VF, would he have been able to
>perform a daytime job at his pharmacy at 142 High Street, Walthamstow?

A Chemist, hmm? My goodness, there's a whole family of them! Here are the
Willcocks entries from my 1925 edition of the Register of Pharmaceutical
Chemists and Druggists:

Date of Registration1882, June 22
NameWillcocks, Arthur Squire
ResidenceHigh St, Datchet, Bucks
No of Examination Cert5076
QualificationsChemist and Druggist

Date of Registration1908, Oct 8
NameWillcocks, Edmund William
Residence142 High Street, Walthamstow, London, NE
No of Examination Cert17349
QualificationsChemist and Druggist

Date of Registration1919, Oct 8
NameWillcocks, John Squire
ResidenceThe Pharmacy, Datchet, Bucks
No of Examination Cert21317
QualificationsChemist and Druggist

Date of Registration1919, Jul 9
NameWillcocks, Percy Squire
Residence142 High Street, Walthamstow, London, NE
No of Examination Cert21145
QualificationsChemist and Druggist

As I understand it, the officers and men were part-time volunteers, who
gathered together periodically for training. The 1916 regulations for the
formation of the Volunteer Force specified a lower age limit of 17,
stated that there was no medical exam(!), and that the Volunteers were
issued travel warrants and paid a ration allowance. They could be called
out "only if and when it becomes necessary for the purpose of repelling
an enemy in the event of an invasion being imminent".

Forrest


--
Forrest Anderson - British Military Genealogical Researcher.
E-mail:
Website: www.military-researcher.com

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