Military Chat

Hello
I am trying to find records for a James Waid who I believed served in the army in WW1?
Also can anyone advise how to find records for the merchant navy? I am looking for a John Thomas who served on HMS Walaroo? in WW1 and afterwards in the merchant navy.
Thank you

When and where was James born

There is this Medal Card on Ancestry but no idea if right person or not

Name: James Waid
Regiment or Corps: Royal Irish Rifles, Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Regimental Number: 13804, 28141


Not found any service or pension records or silver war badge using those numbers

Thank you
He was born in Belfast circa 1894.
Val

Could James Waid have joined the Navy before joining the Army? This is the only James Waid of the right age coming up on the 1911 census for Antrim:

Campbell John 66 Male Head of Family Church of Ireland
Campbell Margaret 70 Female Wife Church of Ireland
Campbell Margaret 31 Female Daughter Church of Ireland
Waid James 16 Male Grand Son Church of Ireland

and there is this record on Ancestry:

Name:James Waid
Gender:Male
Birth Date:24 Apr 1894
Birth Place:Doagh. Antrim
Service number:SS112199
First Service Date:14 May 1912
First Ship Served On:Pembroke II
Last Service Date:23 Aug 1917
Last Ship Served On:Pembroke II

Although it gives discharge as 1917, there is a comment:

"12th August 1912 £10 lodged for discharge by Mr J Campbell, 26 Edlenham St, Belfast".

And also "discharged by Purchase".

Perhaps somebody else could look at the discharge date on the image because I doubt if he would have been discharged in 1917 with war still going on.

When and where was John Thomas born?

I think the discharge date for James Waid was actually 23 Aug 1912.

At first glance it does look like 17 but looking closer there's a small loop at the bottom of the "7".

That's what I thought, MarieCeleste.

Thank you, this is interesting, I have ancestors named Campbell from Ireland, so this seems to link it quite well. I had no idea he had joined the navy, I think he joined the army very soon after the WW1 started and settled in Stockton after the war ended but no idea what took him to Stockton.

John Thomas was born in Stockton 21/03/1877, although it has been listed as 1879 as well.
I ma trying to piece together where he was in 1901 as I cant find him on the census and then trying to find what date he left the navy and returned to Stockton with his first wife Annie Rattray.
Thanks
Val
:-)

This one was supposedly born 21/03/1879.

I'll pm you the image of the card, as it has a photo.

First name(s) JOHN
Last name Thomas
Age -
Birth year 1879
Birth day 21
Birth month March
Birth place Stockton
Birth county Durham
Place STOCKTON
Discharge number -
Identity certificate number 446719
Card type CR10
Date range 1918-1921
Series BT350
Piece number -
Record set Merchant Navy Seamen
Category Education & work
Record collection Merchant navy & maritime
Collections from Great Britain

EDIT: Have now realised you probably have this already.

There is this record for him at the National Archives (it has the same RNR number of 2023T as the mechant seaman's card I posted above:

Name Thomas, John. Place of Birth: Stockton. Number: T 2023. Date of Birth: 21 March ...

Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Royal Naval Reserve Ratings' Records of Service (Microfiche Copies). Service Record Cards (microfiche copies). Described at item level. Name Thomas, John. Place of Birth: Stockton. Number: T 2023. Date of Birth: 21 March 1879.

Held by: The National Archives - Board of Trade and successors
Date: 1908 - 1955
Reference: BT 377/7/103871

Images can be downloaded for £3.30.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8562138

Click on 'show images' button to get the preview of the images

There seems to be two sheets of information in the preview.