Did Your Ancestors Serve in the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars?

[pwenlock]

The Oxfordshire Yeomanry Trust (Registered Charity 106827) have just launched their web site to promote the activities of the Trust and the Oxfordshire Yeomanry Association.

In addition the web site contains highlights from the history of the Oxfordshire Yeomanry (Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars) and details of its antecedent unit, 5 (QOOH) Signal Squadron.

In order to build on its archives, the Trust is keen to hear from anyone whose ancestors served in the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars (Oxfordshire Yeomanry), particularly the during the Boer War (40th & 59th Companies of the Imperial Yeomanry), The Great War and WW2.

We would also be keen to hear from anyone wishing to donate artefacts or photographs to the Trust to form part of their mobile museum exhibition.

Please contact the Trust via the email address on their web site or my account on this forum.

[Hubert]

would like to hear from any one that would share info
Hubert H Flowers served 1914-1919

[Masha]

My Grandfather served in QOOH in Great War. I have a photo of him on horse back taking part in exercises in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. His name was Frank Huckin, born in Enstone, Oxfordshire 1895.
Did you know that members of the Hussars were known as Queer Objects On Horseback! (Q O O H)
My brother has Frank's medals from the Great War. He very proudly went to the annual dinner each year and received a Christmas present each year from his commanding officer, I believe his name was Villiers. After my Grandfather died my Grandmother still received gifts, one year it was a blanket, which she gave to me as a wedding present.

Masha|wave|

[Oxykeith]

Hi Masha,

I've just found this website. My grandfather, too, served in the QOOH in the Great War. He was Harry Brain, born in Calthorpe Street Banbury in 1885. He was wounded at St Quentin 23 Mar 1918.
I started to research his service records some years ago but didn't get far. Discovered he started service in Egypt 20 Apr 1918 (QOOH - never went to Egypt!!) and finished when wounded with QOOH 1918. Just re-started my research.

Was your grandfather the Sergeant Huckin mentioned on page 291 of "The Oxfordshire Hussars in the Great War2 by Keith-Falconer? Have you been able to trace his service records?

Regards,

Keith

[Masha]

Hello Keith
I know that my Grandfather was attached to a regular army unit and that he served in France. i have found a record of his medal record through the Ancestry site. I have a copy of an article about the QOOH that was published in the Oxford Mail, let me know if you would like a copy and I'll photocopy it and send it to you. I wasn't aware of the book you mention. I don't think my Grandfather was ever a Sargent, but there were a lot of Huckins around in Oxfordshire so doubt he is a relation!

Regards
Masha:)

[Oxykeith]

Hi Masha,

Yes, I would be interested to see the article The book that I mentioned is very, very good. It is a very detailed history of QOOH in the Great War. My grandfather is listed in the appendix of the wounded.(By the way he served from April 1915 not 1918 as I said!) If you were interested you can get a reprint of the book from naval-military-press.com. I think it's about £24 from memory. Have you traced the Medal Index card for your grandfather?

Regards,

Keith

[Oxykeith]

Hi Hubert,

I note that you are in the USA. How are you getting on with your research?

Regards,

Keith

[benny1982]

Hi Oxykieth

I have Brain ancestors in Oxon as well. Bletchingdon areas. George Brain & Sarah Gray, and their son Thomas Brain born in Bletchingdon in 1816 and his daughter Sarah born in 1842 in Bletchingdon. Sarah moved to London then onto Essex.

Ben

[Hangland]

My grandfather Reginal Jame Webb born 5/5/1896 lost the lower left leg in 1918/1919 was discharge disabled 25th October 1919. his reg no. 285490.
Would like to find out where he was wounded. If anyone can point in the right direction for any records it would be great.

[benny1982]

Hi Hangland

Did you get the discharge date off Ancestry? If not, they have WW1 pension records and service records but the service ones only go up to surnames beginning with H at present. The pensiosn records should say whether he was wounded and probably what injuries he suffered.

If not, the National Archives at Kew should have them.

Ben

[Masha]

Hi Hangland

Did you get the discharge date off Ancestry? If not, they have WW1 pension records and service records but the service ones only go up to surnames beginning with H at present. The pensiosn records should say whether he was wounded and probably what injuries he suffered.

If not, the National Archives at Kew should have them.

Ben
It may not be possible to get all the information you would like, my understanding is that records for QOOH were lost in the Blitz. An Uncle of mine tried toget some service records and was told that they had gone up in flames! Not sure who told him this, has anyone else been given the same information?

Masha

[hms886]

Hi Hangland,

I have just discovered this website. My Grandfather was a blacksmith in the QOOH in WW1 - Claude Herbert Young. I have the book mentioned by the other members by A Keith-Falconer, and it has a list of wounded. I have found the following entry:

285491 Private R Webb 24/10/18 Battle of the Selle

Hope this helps

Helen

[Oxykeith]

Hi Hangland,

Adding to what Helen has just said It is not uncommon to get incorret data about a soldier in WW1 e.g. the regiment no. in your case. I'm not sure if you know about medal index cards but one exists for Reginald Webb. He has TWO regiment nos. (like my own grandfather) they are 2354 & 285490 (not 285491!). It also shows that he started his service on 24-May-1915 in France.

Regards,

Keith

[oxonian]

1. Pte Webb wounded Oct 24th 1918, Battle of the Selle.
2. Pte Frank Huckin served alongside my great-uncle(another Enstone man) and they were transferred together to the RE in 1917.
3. The book mentioned by Keith is presently half-price !

Soldiers of Oxfordshire welcome enquiries at our new centre near Bicester; photographs(including copies) of QOOH men would be very welcome. Any internet search will quickly find our site and details of phone and email contact details.

Mike C.

[pwenlock]

Here are the details for SOFO

Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust
DE&S Caversfield
Skimmingdish Lane
Bicester
OX27 8TS
Tel: 01869 874352
Fax: 01869 874349

[Caroline Gath]

My grandfather (born 1898) was in the QOOH and I have a photo of him in cavalry uniform. There has never been any suggestion that he served anywhere else other than in Ireland but I can find no references to the QOOH serving in Ireland at all. Can anybody throw any light on this for me please?

[oxonian]

Many QOOH men certainly spent time in Ireland; what was grandfather's name please?

MC

[Caroline Gath]

His name was Benjamin Ravenscroft, born 27.7.1898 in Birmingham.

[oxonian]

The only Benjamin Ravenscroft that I can see with Great War service was with the Royal Warwickshire and later the Worcestershire Regiment. Given his location it may well be your grandfather; examination of his medals would confirm this. This would not preclude prior service with the QOOH, and of course it may not be him. There are unfortunately no records to confirm the names of men who served in the QOOH; Soldiers of Oxfordshire would I am sure be pleased to receive a copy of your Grandfather's photo. See details above or visit:-

http://www.sofo.org.uk/

[Caroline Gath]

Many thanks. Yes, I have seen that entry in the medal rolls for Benjamin Ravenscroft and the info on those records re the Royal Warks/Worcester regiments would fit in much better with the rest of what I know about my grandfather's life (he lived in Birmingham for all his life and had family & ancestors in Worcestershire - indeed his brother served in the Worcs regiment & died in France).

However the following factors make me think that the medal rolls man is not 'mine' - first of all I have a photo of my grandfather dressed in QOOH cavalry/yeomanry uniform so that must mean he was in the QOOH (not Royal Warks/Worcs?), secondly this information was passed to me by his wife and nobody in the family has ever suggested that he ever served in Europe during WWI, all the information is that he only ever served in Ireland.

On the other hand everyone says what a mess things were during the war so the only scenario that incorporates all these things is - he joined QOOH as a territorial soldier, that he went with them to Ireland, that at some stage he found his way into the Royal Warks, then the Worcs - both as a territorial and in both cases not being sent to France - before being discharged at the end of the war. How likely do you think that would be?

We have no medals of his and nobody has ever seen any. If memory serves me correctly the Ben. R. in the medal rolls list only has 2 of the 3 WWI medals & I'm not sure what significance this has. Again any opinion or advice would be gratefully received. Onwards & upwards !

[oxonian]

A great many QOOH men were drafted into other regiments after training; as the war progressed there was no real need for cavalry beyond those already in the field. A photograph in QOOH uniform does not mean that a man did not go on to serve in another regiment. (My Granddad's surviving service record refers to five different regiments). Alternatively he may have been discharged for medical reasons before he could be sent to France, which would support your family's thought that he did not serve overseas. The previously mentioned (other) Benjamin Ravenscroft did serve overseas, arriving in a theatre of war after the end of 1915.