General Chat

Oh I don't know about that :-|

You guys just don't what me to delete it. ;-)

I was very lucky ............... I got my maternal grandfather's service records, and my uncle's (Dad's eldest brother), both survived.


Part of grandfather's record is missing though,although I can't work out how.


On 1 sheet of paper, it has his "basic training", then posted to the Machine Gun Corp 5th Battalion, then a gap of about 6 lines,


This is then followed by him embarking 10 months later on board a ship in Bombay, en route to Basra in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), followed by full details for the rest of the war.



It's as if that 10 months between being posted to MGC and Bombay was never recorded!




I'd love to know how and when he got to Bombay!!!!





I'm sure RMS will forgive us :-D

Sylvia'

I've just checked my downloaded documents, and guess what?

I can't find the documents for either of my great uncles.

I have George Coe's (deceased) transcription of his death from FMP, a copy of his War Medal Card, plus the information from the CWGC, and a photo of his grave from another site.

I must be having delusions of adequacy :-S :-S

However, at the time, these two great uncles were a side issue to my grandfather (they were both my grandmother's brothers)

I must apologise to RMS for taking over the thread somewhat :-0

no, i can't see him either ................ not even a any medal card

I'm back from dinner ........ we went out :-)



Allan .......... I have never yet found a service record for a deceased serviceman. I have found record of their death / grave / memorial


Others say they have found both the record of death and a service record




I'll go and have a look to see if I can see anyhting

Scozz,

Not seeing him on FMP at the moment. Sylvia may have more luck.

Remember only about 25-30% of WW1 records survived.

At least two of my great Uncles served in WW1. For one (who survived) I have found the complete set of documents from when he joined until his discharge. Even the Field Punishment he was given for recklessly discharging his rifle in a trench.

For my other Gt uncle ( who didn't survive) there is only one incomplete scrap of a form.

Thankyou!

Robert Gibson ADAM dob 18 March 1895 Cambuslang, Lanarkshire

I think (not sure) that by 1914 he was living in Netherburn (near Dalserf) in Lanarkshire, with his parents.

Parents: John Adam & Mary (Millar)

I know he was wounded & spent some time in a hospital in England.

and I can have a look on ancestry ......... to see if they have anything :-)

Scozz, if you post his name and date of Birth I'll see if I can find him on FMP

I'm assuming that he was in the British Army?

Many Canadian units took the names of Scottish units

Is there any hope for me...... finding my grandfather? I know he was in the Cameronians (Hamilton Rifles) but don't know his service number.

RMS

As John was a fitter and turner by trade, that could account for his varied postings :-)

I have posted this new stat on the War page

An archivist from Kew was on the Breakfast show last week, it was a short article about using all the archives around the country more.

And I was shocked when she stated that only 20-25% of the WW1 records survive
which is even worse!

No wonder so many of us are disappointed. I cannot even find my grandfathers war medals, so I know that even those records are incomplete.

A very sad day :-(

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. ;-)

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.

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

:-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

Hey, Allan, THATS HIM :-D

Cool thanks.

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

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.

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