Genealogy Chat

judy thanks for the websites, i'll have a look at them, unfortunatly due to harold walking out on the family around 1957 and not being re-discovered until solicitors letter informed my uncle of his death in 1992, also because he walked out on a wife and 12 children, nobody in the family ever spoke about him, there are no photos of him, nothing, we really don't know much about him apart from the medal card for 1036777 army number and a copy of his death certificate. thank you everyone for all your help and advice

Just had one of thous sudden thoughts. Have you tryed the Home guards. A lot of old WW1 Vets joind them in WW2 and would of given there Name, rank and NUMBER on inlisting.???

thanks peter no i haven't even heard of the home guards to be honest (wish i had done history at school instead of misbehaving and dropping out of the subject!) i'll see if i can find something thanks again

Mandy, I traced my grandfathers brother on the 1914-1918 website, the message board is full of really knowledgeable people. FYI, my ancestors number was K....... it apparently meant that they were a Kitchener recruit & that although he died in France he was assigned to the Navy. It taught me never to assume anything!! Good hunting. Di

diane thank you for the info, but what does a kitchener recruit mean exactly?

Mandy, I'm trying to remember what the guys on the 1914-1918 website told me (I'm at work at the moment) I think it was something to do with Kitchener transferring recruits from one service to another. I will look it up when I get home & let you have the full story, unless someone else beats me to it. Di

thank diane mail me direct if you like, my history is terrible but i have had a look and found kitchener was some sort of leader look forward to hearing back from you mandy x

Mandy, Lord Kitchener was the general in charge of the British Army from the outset of WW1 until he was killed/drowned in 1916. Thereafter it was Earl Haig. Kitchener had the foresite to realise that the relatively small professional British Army needed to increase its size to match the vast continental armies it was facing. Lord Kitchener launched an appeal for volunteers (the famous poster with his face and pointing finger, saying 'Your Country needs you'). This was met by a large number of volunteers, making up the first 100,000 (K1) and the second 100,000 (K2). But I am not sure that is what your relative's army number meant. Finally, after losses and falling recruiting, conscription was brought in, from 1916 and until the war's end. If you have found him under one army number, then you will not find reference to him under his former number. The records only show his medal entitlement corresponding to when he would have qualified for the particular medals he received. Ian

ian what a star you are! thank you so much for all your info mandy

Hi Mandy How old was he? I know some people enlisted under age with a false name, if found out they found themselves back in the U.K. and had to re-enlist when old enough under there own name. Keith

keith he was born 15th jan 1901, so you may have a good point, is there any way of finding out if he did this?

Hi Mandy Looking at this age I think he would have been to young to have served (officially). You had to be 19 for the Regular Army, 18 for the T.A. Have you checked this site www(.)1914-1918(.)net there is lots of information plus a Forum re-medal card questions, hope they can help. Keith