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Frederick Goss military record

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Jo Jo

Jo Jo Report 14 May 2014 22:05

After a few years break I have started to look at my family tree again. I am trying to find the military records for 3 members of my family. The only one I have had any luck with is Frederick Goss. But it still leaves me with questions.
Frederick Goss born 21 July 1865 Leicester, died 6 December 1919 Leicester.
On 21 April 1884 he joined up to the 3rd Leicestershire Regiment. He was 18 yrs 10 months old
On the form when asked if ‘do you now belong to or have you ever served’ he answered ‘yes ‘ 3rd Leicestershire Regiment. Does this mean he served prior to enlisting on 21 April 1884?
I cannot find any record for this.
Also we have a family photo of him in uniform. No idea when it was taken but on using a magnifying glass you can read ESSEX on the badge. He was in Warley barracks on the 1891 census form but all the paperwork on Find my Past has him in 3rd Leicester Regiment. He was discharged from the army on 27 April 1891 before he reenlisted for the 1st world war according to family members. Again I cannot find any record for this.
I have looked on Ancestry and Find my Past.
I hope someone can answer

Was he in the army before 1884

Why would he be in an Essex uniform and in a barracks with Essex infantry when he was in a Leicestershire regiment.

Did he serve in the 1st world war.

Thank you for any help
Jo

+++DetEcTive+++

+++DetEcTive+++ Report 14 May 2014 23:51

He could have been taken on as a cadet/drummer/bugler boy type of thing before 1884 then enlisted properly when he became a certain age?

Remember that Regiments were posted all over the place, not just within their own county, but the Essex on his uniform does seem odd.

In 1914, he'd have been 49 which seems a little long in the tooth for Privates or anyone below the rank of say Sergeant to have been called up from the Reserves. Unfortunately over 60% of WW1 records were destroyed in WW2 bombing. Consequently it will be rather difficult to confirm or disprove the family stories.
The second Boer War was 1899–1902. Might he have re-enlisted for that?

Researching:
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Jo Jo

Jo Jo Report 15 May 2014 00:12

Thank you for your reply
On the 1901 census he was listed as a braid hand in Leicester.
On the records he was enlisted to the Leicestershire Regiment, I have found he was awarded the Indian medal with the Burma clasp for service between 1888-1889. I have his medical record and it shows that he was hospitalised for 103 days from Dec 1890 to March 1891 followed by 2 more hospitalisations in April prior to his discharge, and as he was in Warley barracks in Essex in the 1891 census, I assume that this was where he was hospitalised,