General Chat

Is there a way of finding the WW1 service record of a man on Ancestry? I have his service number. :-)

there is .................... if it survived WW2


but only about 30% of the service mens' records did survive, and most of them are at the very least damaged.


Do you want to post his number and name, and I'll see what I can find.

30% - that's not very high is it.

Frederick Percival Davis - # 130158

Maybe it isn't his service number :-( The 'Medal Index card" says Regtl. No.

Hi


I'll have a look


and no, it isn't very high!


The records were moved from the building in London where they had been kept to another London building "for safe keeping" at the start of WW2

that building was bombed

and the remaining records were moved out to Kew for the rest of the war


I was once told that there had also been a fire that had destroyed more of the records, others tell me that I am wrong in that belief



certainly one is very lucky if a record of any kind is found :-(

well,



this is the first thing to show up for Frederick Percival Davis. Is it likely to be him???




Web: UK, Campaign Medals Awarded to WWI Merchant Seamen, 1914-1925

Name: Frederick Percival Davis
Birth Date: 1901
Birth Place: Swindon
Year Issued: 1914-1925
URL:



to find out any more you have to go to the site below .............. and it will cost £3.50 to download or view


http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8001744

perhaps not ..............


here's his Medal card from ancestry



UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 about Fred Percival Davis

Name: Fred Percival Davis
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Gunner
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Royal Garrison Artillery
Regimental Number: 130158
Previous Units: Base Dtls. R.G.A. 130158 Gnr
Other Records: Search for 'Fred Percival Davis' in other WWI collections

it doesn't appear that records have survived for him :-(

try here

http://www.1914-1918.net/

FMP has him as Fred Percy Singleton Davis service no 130158

Rank gunner
Badge no 441711

Discharge 21 August 1918

Silver war badge.
Age on discharge 36

Maurice.

Ancestry
UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920 about Fred Percival Singlicton Davis
Name: Fred Percival Singlicton Davis
Discharge Unit: Royal Garrison Artillery 81 Sge. By.
Regiment: Royal Garrison Artillery
Regimental Number: 130158<<<<<<<<<<<
Rank: Gunner
Badge Number: 441711
Piece: 2985
List Number: RGA 0401-0800
Record Group: WO
Record Class: 329

Well, I did learn one thing.... if he is Fred Percy Singleton then he isn't my Fred :-(

Hey I have an idea :-D if I gave you the names and numbers I have, you guys, who seem so good at finding them, can find them and tell me if they are mine.

Private Raymond Owen Davis - #21094 128601 (Regtl. No.)
Submariner John Reginald Davis - born Dec 1891

Ancestry


British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about Raymond O Davis
Name: Raymond O Davis
Regiment or Corps: Leicestershire Regiment, Royal Engineers
Regimental Number: 21094, 128601
Other Records: Search for 'Raymond O Davis' in other WWI collections

First name(s) Raymond O
Last name Davis
Service number 21094, 128601
Rank Pioneer
Corps Leicestershire Regiment, Royal Engineers
Service record Soldier Number: 21094, Corps: Leicestershire Regiment
Service record 2 Soldier Number: 128601, Rank: Pioneer, Corps: Royal Engineers
Archive reference WO372/5
Archive reference description Campaign Medal Index Cards and Silver War Badge Cards
Url http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D2125761
Country Great Britain
Record set World War One British Army medal index cards
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Record collection First World War
Collections from Great Britain

Perhaps this is John Reginald Davis,although you haven't said where he was born. You can download the record for £3.30

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7042117

This explains the destruction of WW1 Army service records in WW2

The 1940 fire at Arnside Street

It is widely known that the majority of British WW1 soldier's army service records went up in smoke when the War Office warehouse (the Army Records Centre) where they were stored was hit by a German incendiary bomb in an air raid in 1940.

From FMP Military Collection;


First name(s)
John Reginald

Last name
Davis

Service number
M5885

Birth year
1891

Birth date
22 Dec 1891

Birth place
Nailsworth

Birth county
Gloucestershire

Birth country
England

Archive reference
ADM 188/1029/5885

Record set
Royal Navy Seamen 1899-1919

Category
Military, armed forces & conflict

Record collection
Service Records

Collections from
Great Britain


National Archives

There is an image available which gives names of the ships he served on. If this is the right person, let me know and I'll download it and PM it to you

Hey, Allan, THATS HIM :-D

Cool thanks.

:-D :-D

Not sure whether you are in the USA or Canada, but as I've had plenty of help from the Canadians (EvieBeavie, JaneyCanuck, and more recently JoonieCloonie) I'm happy to give some back

Edit: Oh dear! I missed SylviainCanada, who has also been a constant companion on my quest for my grandfather. My sincere apologies, Sylvia

It appears that I have sent two pm's to you.

That's the Irish in me coming out.

To be sure, to be sure :-D :-D

Good thing I'm a Canadian then eh! :-D

Thank you again Allan!

Looks like he served on 10 ships in 6 years. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. But no matter, at least I know what he was doing.

I'm glad to be of (Senior) service,RMS :-D :-D

I'm also glad that you obviously received the pm, and the download, ok :-)

Do a Google Search on HMS Dolphin. Although not a submarine, a vessel of that name was involved with them. ;-)