The Snapper was the monthly journal of the East Yorkshire Regiment (originally the journal for the 2nd Battalion). I have collected a few bound volumes for arious years and I'm always interested in buying any that I don't have. If anyone has any Snapper journals for sale please contact me.
In this part of the blog I'll add snippets of Snapper entries for any of the Carney brothers and also other random ones that are of interest
Throughout the years, several mentions are made of the Carney family's service in the East Yorkshire Regiment. Other families with a similar history are also mentioned. At some part of the blog I'll post the snippets for those families that I've come across. The following was from the Snapper, December 1912
The Snapper December 1912
Snapper 1906
Looks as if one brother was playing in each side of this football final
Snapper 1906
Interesting statistics recording the average length of service
Snapper 1906 Introduction of the Short Magazine rifle Lee Enfield Mark 1 and the rules of the regimental rifle club.
The Lee Enfield rifle was the British Army's main infantry weapon after it was introduced in 1906. It was estimated that the British Expeditionary Force that arrived in France in September 1914, were able to fire 15 rounds per minute.
In the photo below Frederick Carney is holding a No1 MkI A scarce early version of the SMLE
Rifle
The Snapper 1912
Musketry Classification....
G Company classified 1 April 1912 574 Lce-Cpl Carney....
G Company classified 15th April 1912
Marksmen 5083 Lce-Cpl Carney....6971 Private CarneyThe Snapper August 1912
...I would like to thank the 70th Company R.G.A. for their kindness in putting up our team in Fort William; and also the officers of the Black Watch for all the help and kindness they gave to us.
The members of the team (football) were as follows: Corpls. Saxby and Steward, Lce-Cpl Carney, Ptes. Whitby, Dunhill, Grimshaw, Clucas, Mason, Pratt, Swanell, Holley, Brownhill and 2nd-Lieut Eccles...
Manouvres in Wales: A Special artist
The Snapper 1912
From an article in the Snapper May 1919
"On 4th May Major
Riall presented the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal respectively
to: Company Sergt. Major Woodruffe and Pte Hollows after church parade. Another
presentation was made after church parade on 11th May to Sergt. Major F
Stringer. In presenting him with the Meritorious Service Medal Major Riall in a
brief speech stated how glad he was to have the honour of presenting this medal
to Sgt Major Stringer, whose family had been associated with the regiment for so
many years and that he (Major Riall) had served with his father and two
brothers. He further remarked that he always considered that one of the great
things about the Yorkshire Regiment was the number of families who had fathers
and sons serving in the regiment, and he especially mentioned the Stringers,
Carneys, McKennas and Kilpatricks as some who came to mind at the
moment...On 30th May Major Riall presented Company Sergt. Major T Carney
M.C., D.C.M with the bar to the Distinguished Conduct medal and the medal
for Long Service and good conduct. He remarked that Sergeant Major Carney belonged to one of the "Regimental families" to which he referred to when presenting Sergt. Major Stringer with the Meritorious Service Medal that month but he had no idea when he mentioned his name on that occasion that he was to have the honour of presenting him with two decorations which he now did with very great pleasure, having known Sergeant Major Carney as a boy when he joined the 2nd Battalion in Ireland over twenty years ago"
From the Snapper July 1926
Trench Philosophy. Don't Worry
When one is a soldier, it is one of two things. Either one is behind or in front. If one is behind there is no need to worry. If one is in front, there are two alternatives; one is either in a dangerous place or in a "cushy" place. If it is a cushy place there is no need to worry.
If one is in a dangerous place, it is one of two things; one is either wounded or one is not. If one is not, there is no need to worry. If one is wounded, it is one of two things. One is either seriously wounded or lightly wounded. If one is lightly wounded, there is no need to worry. If one is seriously wounded, it is one of two things. One either recovers, or one dies. If one recovers there is no need to worry. If one dies, one cannot worry
Under these circumstances, the real "Tommy" never worries
Originally printed in the RAOC Gazette
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have just stumbled over your really interesting Blog.
I'm researching the history of Hursley Park during the Great War and I wondered whether any of your articles in the Snapper (or any of the other material you have collected) cover the East Yorks time in Hursley, or Winchester, during the mobilisation of the 28th Division?
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Dave
Thank you Dave. I'll have a look through and will get back to you. Might take me some time though
ReplyDeleteDear Caryl,
DeleteThank you, anything you manage to find would be great. In particular if it relates to the Regiment's time in Hursley Camp or Winchester after the camps were evacuated. The key period is end of Dec 1914 to mid January 1915.
Thanks again
Dave
Hi all, I found it very interesting viewing this site and looking at your comments. I've been to the museum in York and looked at the records and the issues of the Snapper. I should explain that my much missed Grandfather joined the East Yorks in 1911, he was cheesed orf with being a butchers boy in the seaside resort of Clacton -on-Sea and working up to 10pm at at night delivering meat on horseback to keep the holiday makers well feed in their hotels. So he walked the 16 miles to Harwich and signed on into the 2nd Bat. EY. After his basic training in Hampshire he was soon on his way to Kamptee India I think with Captain Oats (Scott) as his group Officer on passage. He loved India and the army life. However with his crossed guns on his sleeve and hat flaps over his ears he was soon mowing down Germans on the Western Front (what a terrible waste). In the first gas attack he was one of the few remaining Yorks who joined up with Canadians to hold of the attack. The story I've been told is that Grandad injured his leg in Salonica and that the ambulance tipped over into a ravene futher causing him injury. He had a medical discharge in 1919. I have postcards he purchased of Ypres - 1 photo of him in France with 2 other EY soldiers and a set of the fire of Salonica. Also some poor quality photos of the EY in India up in the hills. He was awarded Pip-Squeak and Wlfred and for services in Salonica awarded the MSM. He was always dissapointed not to have been awarded the MM - however strange to think that the MSM medal is worth more than the MM due to the award ratio. Of course I shall never part with them.
ReplyDeleteSergeant Albert William Beales 2nd Battallion East Yorkshire Regiment
Kind regards Geoff Beales............