My Great-Grandfather: Sgt Norris H. Crossley, West Riding Regt.

[talltom]

hi everyone

i need some help im trying to replicate my great grandfathers uniform he was a serving sergeant with the west riding regiment
the question is what things will i have to find and what would he have worn (preferably with pictures)


thanks

tom

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Tom, a nice project but not a cheap one if you intend to have all original items. It is now possible to buy repro though.

You will need a Service Dress tunic, Service dress cap and cap badge and a 1908 pattern webbing belt.

This site will help:

British Infantry Uniforms 1914-1915


Cheers, Ade.

[talltom]

thats a brilliant website ade thanks (even repros arn't cheap unfortunatly)

tom

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Tom, if you did go down the repro route I highly recommend my old friend Steve. He makes the best repro uniforms and webbing out there:

Pegasus Militaria: Our Products

The site is a bit basic at present due to a re-vamp.

Cheers, Ade.

[big ned]

Maybe these chaps of the West Riding Regt. will help you out a bit.

[talltom]

i will check out that site ade thanks
ned brilliant phots
this is my great grandfather Sgt Norris C

i know he died at the second battle of arras but thats about it im trying to find a bit more but he was one of the many thats records burned (supposedly)

thanks
tom

[big ned]

Glad to help, here's one last one.

[Battery Command Post]

I just wanted to add my thoughts on this project I suggest a bit more research to get this right. We can certainly say he would have worn:

Service Dress Cap
Service Dress Jacket
Service Dress Trousers
Puttees
Boots

His equipment could have been 1908 Pattern Web Equipment, but could also easily have been 1914 Pattern Infantry Equipment (or even 1903 Bandolier if he was in the transport section). Actually one of the photos big ned posted shows an 1888 Pattern Waistbelt

Insignia is the next thing. He would have worn metal shoulder titles on his jacket, but these do vary depending on which battalion he was with. He might also have worn cloth patches (often called Battle Insignia), but, again, we would need to know which Bn of the Dukes we are talking about.

I have one concern too. You mention he was killed, so I looked up Serjeant C Norris in the Commonwealth War Graves Commision, and there seems to be no listing of any such person in the Duke of Wellington's Regt having died. Is there some other information? Because if we can pin him down on this listing, we can get his service number and possibly work out his Bn. The only Norris i can find from the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt) is 204735 Private Harry Norris, who was killed on 27th Nov 1917.

I have always liked the Dukes. I lived and ran a small collecting shop in the Piece Hall in Halifax, W Yorks in the mid 1990s. Used to get soldiers coming in looking for brass cap badges, because they were shinier, and once sold some dress blues to an officer, as he was going to a wedding and didn't want to have to buy a brand new set. Fun days. Regiment has been amalgamated to death now

Rob

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Tom, I have access to some records care of Ancestry. Let me know what info you have, either here or via PM, and I will see what I can find.

The burned records, care of the Luftwaffe, are a real bummer! My Grandad's records are gone too.

Cheers, Ade.

PS: nice info and images Guys.

[talltom]

okay here we go lads this is what i managed to find Its sergeant Norris H Crossley of the 2ns/7th bn duke of wellingtons dies on 3rd may 1917 no. 305856 and is located at the arras memorial (unfortunatly his body was never found) any help with other information would be brilliant this is all i got from my grandad and dad who tried serching awhile ago.

thanks
tom