Royal Horse Artillery Battery, Nottingham,

[MrsPoppy]

I am looking at the attestation papers of a relative who attested with the Notts Royal Horse Battery in 1908, in his list of postings it says

Hindlow?? Pindlow?? 1910

Mermaide Camp? 1910/12

Despite extensive googling I cannot clarify these names or where they might be.

Any help appreciated

Mrs P

[helachau]

I can see reference in 1910 newspapers to the Northern and Midland Division training at "Hindlow Camp, near Buxton"

[helachau]

https://derbyshireterritorials.wordp...8-1913/1910-2/

Includes a map of camp location

[MrsPoppy]

Thank heavens, thank you for that. The link is great, that has got to be spot on.

Confession - a neighbour dropped in for a coffee and I asked her to look at the image and she said it is not mermaide camp it is ABERMAIDE camp.....duhhhh

So I am going to check out your link properly and check out Abermaide camp.

Mrs P

[helachau]

Re. "Mermaid", I was about to post if it was possible for you to provide details so that it would be possible to check the attestation record - available on FMP possibly?. There's nothing better than seeing the "real thing".

[helachau]

"Abermaide Camp, Aberystwyth"

[MrsPoppy]

Absolutely - thank you I had not got as far as checking where Abermaide was. That other link has fantastic photographs and one in particular where all the units are assembled in 1910 at Hindlow is interesting because my relative would have been in that mass of men somewhere.

Thank you truly

Mrs P

[MrsPoppy]

If you are interested in checking for yourself, his name is Christopher Thomas Bunton, born 1880 in Tatenhill, Burton on Trent. Living in Nottingham at the time of his first attestation in 1908, he served four years, then re-enlisted in 1913 when he was living in Leicester but was released to work at Ruston & Proctor in Lincoln. He moved his family to Lincoln where he died.

I was trying to get to grips with his movements and the units he served in and write a timeline of his service. He had also served in a reservist unit for two years prior to attesting in 1908.

They seem to be summer camps he went on looking at the dates and that site confirms that.

Mrs P

[helachau]

The Midland Division was there August 1912.
There's mention of the Derbyshire Terriers being flooded out and the Nottingham Evening Post reported
"... and the only mud that remained was on the main avenue that has rendered the Abermaide historical for its discomforts"

[MrsPoppy]

Ha.. I bet it was like Glastonbury but nowhere near as much fun. I shall check out the newspaper reports. Thank you.

What I have found interesting is his occupation in the 1911 census was fitter at a Lace Machine Building Works but the census does not mention the fact that he was actually a reservist? or in the army however it is put. I never realised that before. If his records were not available I would not have known he had served as even the family didn't mention that although it was known he worked for many many years at Ruston Procter/Hornsby etc.