tracing Army records

Si · Post by Si » Thu 08 Oct, 2009 6:32 pm

stutterdog wrote: cnosni wrote: Si wrote: That's fantastic, Chris! Thankyou very much!They weren't very imaginative when naming the kids, were they? Their daughter Lily was my grandma (my dad's mum.)I haven't seen the attestation you have. Mine is dated 23/4/190illegible, but gives his age as 20, and all the "Her Majesty's" have been changed to "His Majesty's" by hand. The date looks like 1902, Victoria dying in January of 1901.At the top is his number, 7054, name (just William Shires) and Corps - "Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry." Where it asks if he already belongs to the forces, it says "Yes, 3rd Bn Yk and Lanc Regiment." For "what corps are you willing to be enlisted?" it says "Yorkshire I. of the Line." I have, what I'm told, is his cap badge - looks just like the one above (The Dukes) but a bit more battered. My dad likes to think it stopped a bullet! It's only made of monkey-metal, so I doubt it - most likely got sat on!I'm a bit confused, but it must be him? The 1911 Census entry is definately him. The attestation has him serving 3 years with the colours, and 9 years in reserve. If 1902 is correct, that has him finishing in 1914, just in time for the War! He must have signed up for a third time - or was just very unlucky? I guess his years of previous army experience saved him from the carnage, as he survived, dying in 1937.When, and with who did he serve in Limerick? I have a fairly large tree on Genesreunited, and I was on Ancestry, but have had to let my subscriptions lapse, being unemployed. Food and roof-over-head come first!!!Thanks again Chris. Thats defo Dukes cap badge.Im on ancestry,so ill lok at it for you,download the document (one page is blurred) and somehow get it to you.I think theres a medal record as well,for a William in the west Riding,i think it said something about 1915.The Dukes archive may be able to give you his embarkation date and company number.they found out lots of stuff for me,cost £20 but worth itDrop me a message on Genesreunited by searching for a marmaduke pickard born woodhouse leeds,and i can forward you my email,though chameleon,Brandy and Digger have mine if you have theirs. Hello Cnosni.Sounds like Bill Shires served in the same mob as my Grandad .This is the man who's service record you looked up for me a few weeks ago!3rd batt. York and Lancs.Served in S Africa.Boer war.Then went into the reserves and 1914 joined West yorks. His W.Yoks batt. did not serve overseas though. Hi Stutterdog,If my great grandad was in the same battalion at the same time as your grandad, I'm assuming he was in South Africa too? Small world, isn't it?

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Thu 08 Oct, 2009 8:58 pm

Si wrote: stutterdog wrote: cnosni wrote: Si wrote: That's fantastic, Chris! Thankyou very much!They weren't very imaginative when naming the kids, were they? Their daughter Lily was my grandma (my dad's mum.)I haven't seen the attestation you have. Mine is dated 23/4/190illegible, but gives his age as 20, and all the "Her Majesty's" have been changed to "His Majesty's" by hand. The date looks like 1902, Victoria dying in January of 1901.At the top is his number, 7054, name (just William Shires) and Corps - "Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry." Where it asks if he already belongs to the forces, it says "Yes, 3rd Bn Yk and Lanc Regiment." For "what corps are you willing to be enlisted?" it says "Yorkshire I. of the Line." I have, what I'm told, is his cap badge - looks just like the one above (The Dukes) but a bit more battered. My dad likes to think it stopped a bullet! It's only made of monkey-metal, so I doubt it - most likely got sat on!I'm a bit confused, but it must be him? The 1911 Census entry is definately him. The attestation has him serving 3 years with the colours, and 9 years in reserve. If 1902 is correct, that has him finishing in 1914, just in time for the War! He must have signed up for a third time - or was just very unlucky? I guess his years of previous army experience saved him from the carnage, as he survived, dying in 1937.When, and with who did he serve in Limerick? I have a fairly large tree on Genesreunited, and I was on Ancestry, but have had to let my subscriptions lapse, being unemployed. Food and roof-over-head come first!!!Thanks again Chris. Thats defo Dukes cap badge.Im on ancestry,so ill lok at it for you,download the document (one page is blurred) and somehow get it to you.I think theres a medal record as well,for a William in the west Riding,i think it said something about 1915.The Dukes archive may be able to give you his embarkation date and company number.they found out lots of stuff for me,cost £20 but worth itDrop me a message on Genesreunited by searching for a marmaduke pickard born woodhouse leeds,and i can forward you my email,though chameleon,Brandy and Digger have mine if you have theirs. Hello Cnosni.Sounds like Bill Shires served in the same mob as my Grandad .This is the man who's service record you looked up for me a few weeks ago!3rd batt. York and Lancs.Served in S Africa.Boer war.Then went into the reserves and 1914 joined West yorks. His W.Yoks batt. did not serve overseas though. Hi Stutterdog,If my great grandad was in the same battalion at the same time as your grandad, I'm assuming he was in South Africa too? Small world, isn't it? Hi Si.Yes it is a small world.They may have even known each other.Now theres a thought!

Si · Post by Si » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 11:57 am

There's a good chance. I'm guessing, but if a battalion is made up of four companies, and a company is made up of four platoons, each of thirty men, then there were about 480 men in the battalion. Someone may know better!

Post by **cnosni** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 1:26 am

Si wrote: Si wrote: Will do. Errr...it won't let me send a message (subscription out of date.)Try sending a message to me. Search for Bethel Glendenning. You should find me (hopefully!) and I'll e-mail you the Attestation I've got.PS I'll be on my wife's e-mail address when I reply. Any luck, Chris? Just in from work mate,check Genes messages now

Si · Post by Si » Sun 11 Oct, 2009 9:18 pm

Cheers Chris. Will e-mail you tomorrow.

Post by **cnosni** » Mon 12 Oct, 2009 8:39 pm

Si wrote: Cheers Chris. Will e-mail you tomorrow. Sent you some links Si,not sure if you had all the pages so i sent them all just in case

Si · Post by Si » Tue 13 Oct, 2009 12:35 pm

cnosni wrote: Si wrote: Cheers Chris. Will e-mail you tomorrow. Sent you some links Si,not sure if you had all the pages so i sent them all just in case Got them, thanks Chris. I'd already got the Attestation but not the other records. They make fascinating reading. Apparently, he demoted himself from lance corporal to private "at his own request." Must find out more!

Post by **cnosni** » Tue 02 Feb, 2010 8:13 pm

SiAm going to Somme in April,to Serre/Colincamps area where 2nd Batt Dukes were on 01/07/1916.Also visiting Hill 60 where the Battn sufferd 350 casualties in one morning foillowing the 2nd gas attack of the war (May 1915.My Great uncle was in that and suffered from effects of gas,in hospital for 2 weeks.Poor so and so had only landed in France about 3 weeks before.Then he bought it on 01/07/1916 just south of Serre.Did you manage to contact the Dukes archive about William Shires?

Si · Post by Si » Wed 03 Feb, 2010 1:54 pm

No, Chris. I can't afford to at the moment. Enjoy your trip, though enjoy is probably the wrong word in context with war.Incidentally, amongst my great Auntie May's belongings, I've recently discovered an old photo of a group of Great War soldiers in camp. At first, I assumed one of them must be my great grandad, but on closer examination, the cap badge shows them to be the West Yorkshire Regiment, not The Dukes. May never married, her "beau" was killed in action, so I'm guessing that one of the group is him. We'll never know.

Hats Off · Post by **Hats Off** » Wed 03 Feb, 2010 4:08 pm

Si wrote: At the top is his number, 7054, name (just William Shires) and Corps - "Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry." Where it asks if he already belongs to the forces, it says "Yes, 3rd Bn Yk and Lanc Regiment." For "what corps are you willing to be enlisted?" it says "Yorkshire I. of the Line." I have, what I'm told, is his cap badge - looks just like the one above (The Dukes) but a bit more battered. My dad likes to think it stopped a bullet! It's only made of monkey-metal, so I doubt it - most likely got sat on! That badge is indeed the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regt, but I'm confused because you make no mention of him being in that regiment ! From what I can make out he was in the K.O.Y.L.I and their badge is a small French horn with a Yorkshire rose in its middle, link here :http://military-genealogy.forcesreunite ... nfantryYou also mention the York & Lancaster Regt, their badge was a tiger with a Yorkshire rose above it, link here :http://www.armymuseums.org.uk/museums/0 ... htmRegards.