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Still nothing on the NA Naval Records.

Purchase one of the children’s birth certificates. Personally I’d suggest Edna’s 1918. Others might suggest the earlier BC. A downloadable PDF version is cheaper than a paper copy.

At least 70% of WW1 army service records were destroyed as a result of WW2 bombing. The record cards survived. Findmypast has over 30 entries for a James Duffin, more for J Duffin.

His marriage cert will include details of his occupation

I'm dreadfully sorry. He was born in 1883. I have edited the original submission.

The only full army service record, for someone with that name, which survived has the James Duffin born in Kensington, London.
There are a number of medal cards but, unfortunately, none have identifying information. ( Findmypast)

A quick search on the National Archives, Naval Records doesn’t bring up a James Duffin with a 1873 year of birth or Oldham/ Lancashire birth place.

Although all services were desperate for men as the war progressed, he’d have been 43 in 1916 & may have been considered too old.

Well one of the birth certs will give his occupation

Few ww1 forces records have survived


Edit. There are medal cards for the name but no identification for each man

Could someone please have a look at the WW1 records of the above. James Duffin was born in 1883 in Oldham, the son of Daniel Duffin and Betty Whittaker.

In the 1911 census he was living with his widowed mother and elder sister, Mary, in Oldham and working as a newsagent.

In December 1913 he married Gertrude Shepherd in Oldham but his two children, James Kenneth Duffin (1916) and Edna Gertrude Duffin (1918) were both born in the Weymouth District. In 1939 the family were living in Oldham again.

In view of his move to the South Coast, I wonder if he served in the Navy.

Thanks in anticipation

Richard