His name - Fred Piggin - was inscribed on the album page that originally held this cabinet photograph. Unfortunately no
other information was written down which could have helped to determine to which regiment this very young looking
soldier belonged. He is fully outfitted for the field and one can assume the photo was taken prior to his departure for
South Africa during the Boer War. This photo was once part of a pair of almost identical images. Both by the same
photographer the other image showed a H. Piggin in the same outdoor location and in the same type of uniform. H.
Piggin looked to be of very similar age and one can only assume that the two young men were brothers.

Update: New information regarding Fred Piggin has recently been uncovered. Frederic(k) W. Piggin was born around
1877 in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, the son of Richard S. and Mary  A. Piggin. The elder Piggin was a butcher and farmer
of some 60 acres in and around Long Eaton. The above mentioned H. Piggin was his younger brother Henry A. Piggin
who was born about 1880 also in Long Eaton.

Both brothers served in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War. I have found a ship's manifest for the R.M.S.
Kildonan Castle that lists Mr. F.W. Piggin age 24 and Mr. H. Piggin age 21 returing to England from South Africa in
1902. Both men are listed as members of the "Col. Defce. Force". No specifics on the details of these two brothers
Boer War service has come to light as of yet. They both may have served as troopers in the 12th Company, 3rd
Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry.

Frederic William Piggin is mentioned in the as being a butcher by trade in the September 13, 1910 edition of the
London Gazette He is mentioned as having a business at 24 High Street in Long Eaton while living in Hall Croft,
Beeston, Nottingham.

The two Piggin brothers seem to show up again during World War I as members of Notts Yeomanry, T.F. (South Notts
Hussars). Henry Arthur Piggin is shown as a 2nd lieutenant of the Nott's Yeomanry, then a Lieutenant in the 1st North
Midland Field Ambulance and finally as a captain in the Army Remount Service. His theater of operations is shown as
France on his medal index card.

The above pictured Frederic William Piggin seems to have stayed in the 1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars
(Yeomanry) during his entire World War I service. Serving in Salonica, Egypt and Palestine he rose to the rank of
captain and was awarded the Military Cross for actions mentioned in the 5 July, 1918 edition of the London Gazette:

"Lt. [acting captain] Frederick William Piggin, Yeo. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was in
command of the leading squadron in an action, and led his men with great skill. He advanced rapidly over very
difficult country, driving back a superior force of the enemy. He cut the enemy's line of retreat, capturing two field
guns and some prisoners"

Frederic Piggin drowned while on active service possibly in Egypt (his unit was transferred there from Salonika in June
of 1917 and remained there as part of the Desert Mounted Corps until April 1918) on 27 May, 1918.

Additional information regarding Frederick Piggin and his death during World War I has been kindly provided by Mr.
Jean-Baptiste Piggin of Hamburg. F. Piggin was drowned  when the troop transport ship
Leasowe Castle was torpedoed
off Alexandria, Egypt on 27 May, 1918 with a loss of 83 men, officers and other ranks. His name is listed on the
Chatby Memeorial which is located in Chatby War Memorial Cemetery, Alexnadria. Based on this it is assumed that
Piggin's body was lost at sea during the sinking.  

A wealth of information on the extended Piggin familiy can be found at Mr. Mr. Jean-Baptiste
's website:
http://www.piggin.org/index.htm

Squadron-Sergeant-Major, South Nottinghamshire Hussars - 1914
Second Lieutenant - 27 November, 1914
Temporary Lieutenant - 12 November 1915
Temporary Captain - 1 August, 1916
Lieutenant & Temporary Captain - 24th July, 1917
Acting Captain (commanding Yeo. Squadron) - 15 December, 1917
Lieutenant - 4th February, 1918
Gazetted for the Military Cross - 4th February, 1918
Drowned - 27 May, 1918


Cabinet Photograph
Berl Storer - Photographer
Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England
c. 1900