Military Chat

Would anyone with subs to FMP.co.uk be willing to see if they can find the service records for a Gnr. John Manning L489 Royal Garrison Artillary. Born c.1880 in Ballinasloe, Co Galway. He enlisted 13th May 1915 in Lytham. I have subs to Ancestry, and found them on there, but they are really poor quality it's very hard to read them, especially the Medical history sheet. And they are not on FMP.com.
Thanking you in advance for any help.

Christine.

WW1 service records are only on Ancestry so the ones you have are all you'll get! If he served before WW1, there might be service records on FMP but they won't include WW1 service.

Thanks annielaurie, I suspected that may be the case.

Christine.

There is an earlier record on Ancestry for a John Manning b1880 in Ballinasloe. This shows that he joined the ~RGA in 1902 and married a Catherine Devine under the name of John Mannion in 1910(she is shown as Catherine Devan on freebmd).

On the record you have looked at, he is noted as not having any next of kin, so doesn't look like the same man but possibly related.

Thanks Potty for your reply. Have been off the boards for a few days.
The record for the date 1902 is indeed my grandad, which I know for sure as Catherine Devine/Devan was my grandma, and the details from the marriage cert are correct. On the other record dated 1915, it seemed a possible match for my grandad as the age was about right, the height was exactly the right height, and girth measurments about what they would have been given the increase in his age, and place of birth is the same. And from what I can make out from the 1915 record, the signature looks to be a match. Given that he " did a bunk" and left my grannie between 1912 and 1914 when my dad was born, I thought that could be why no Next of kin was listed. Also, it appears both deserted! I realise that John in 1915 had tattoos, but these could have been aquired at any time after 1902.
I wonder if the originals at TNA may be clearer and easier to read?

Christine.

Possibly, Christine, but you would have to visit in person to view them

Yes Potty, I agree.