Devon men in India Christmas 1917

DEVON MEN IN INDIA - CHRISTMAS 1917

"The Fighting Lads of Devon" - Christmas 1917

This photograph appeared in the Western Times on December 18th 1917 and shows Devon men somewhere in India at the end of 1917. They are probably the residue of the 1/5th (Prince of Wales's) Battalion who set sail for India in 1914 from Plymouth, landing at Karachi on 11 November 1914 and subsequently transferred to the 232nd Brigade and sent, via Egypt and Marseilles, to the Western Front in June 1917. Most of the men in this photograph would have been transferred the following year to the 185th Brigade, arriving at the front in June 1918.

BACK ROW: (left to right)

Private J. Collings (Ermington); Private A. Napper (Mutley); Private F. Hendy (Plymouth); Private F. Coombes (Plymouth); Private S. Phillips (Stonehouse).

MIDDLE ROW: (left to right)

Lance Corporal J. Adams (Drewsteignton); Lance Corporal F. Green (Plymouth); Private C. Bunt (Plymouth); Private J. Bunclarke (Chudleigh Knighton); Private G. Newham (Plymouth); Private J. Soper (Plymouth); Private G. Perring (Plymouth); Lance Corporal W. Brock (Devonport); Lance Corporal S. Fleman (Mutley).

FRONT ROW: (left to right)

Lance Corporal S. Donney (Plymouth); Private A. Worledge (Plymouth); Private E, Short (Barnstaple); Corporal H. Hole (Tibach, Wales); Sergeant C. W. Johns (Tavistock); Sergeant A. W. Peters (Torquay); Sergeant G. Horswell (Totnes); Private R. Brown (Plymouth); Private C. T. Luscombe (Laira); Lance Corporal E. Michelmore (Plymouth).