Military Chat

hi i am trying to find out what regiment / unit my husbsnds grandfather was in in ww1 he was private william davison i have found his medal card but it doesnt have lots of info on it i believe he was in the asc mechanical transport and the numbers on the back of his medal are M2 -052281 does anyone know if these give a clue to his regiment / unit any advice will be appreciated
kathleen

So we can look at it ourselves - as transcribed on Ancestry


British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about William Davison
Name: William Davison
Regiment or Corps: Army Service Corps
Regimental Number: M2/052281

Details about the Army Service Corps
http://www.1914-1918.net/asc.htm

Further links within the page to Mechanical Transport Companies (amongst others)

His medals are assigned the Roll numbers beginning RASC - Royal Artillery Service Corps?
British, Victory and 15 Star with first entry into the field of war in France on 11.3.15. Transfered to AR (Army Reserve?) class Z on 29.6.17

How to interpret medal cards
http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/interpretmic.html

thanks very much for your interest and tips

(Corrected to) Sep 1917 seems rather a strange date to be transfered to the Reserves.

Although I can't, may be someone can find Pension or other records for him? Upto 70% of the full service records were destroyed during WW2 bombing. The Pension records (if he was given one) seem to have had a better survival rate

Can't see a pension record relating to that service number either.

RASC = Royal Army Service Corps

Class Z Reserve was authorised by an Army Order of 3 December 1918. There were fears that Germany would not accept the terms of any peace treaty, and therefore the British Government decided it would be wise to be able to quickly recall trained men in the eventuality of the resumption of hostilities. Soldiers who were being demobilised, particularly those who had agreed to serve "for the duration", were at first posted to Class Z. They returned to civilian life but with an obligation to return if called upon. The Z Reserve was abolished on 31 March 1920.

This explains the Class Z Reserve....

It's very odd though that the medal card says he was transferred to class "Z" in June 1917, as DET says. Unless it's an error on the card?

Maybe it was un-offical in 1917 and made official in 1918.......there was,

Reservist, Reserve,Special Reserve,,,,,,,they had odd ways form filling and I dont supose it was easy keeping 100% on track,,,,,,

WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 (Ancestry)

W Davison Private Army Service Corps M2/052281 1914-15 Star

(top of page on above, Royal Army Service Corps. Regiment of Corps. when Decoration was earned.)

(29/6/19 for him)

Chris :)

(would above mean anything folks, apologies if muddling!)

Chris, that confirms that the date on the medal index card is clearly a clerical error.

On the 14/15 Star roll it states W Davison was transferred to class Z on 29/06/1919 and not 1917.