Military Chat

Hello. Both my grandfathers served in the Army in WW1. I have a copy of their medal cards but that’s all. I live 250 miles from London. Does anyone offer a service whereby they can visit Kew for me and see if their SERVICE RECORDS are there? My mum is 88 in May and I’d love to get this for her birthday. Many thanks.

Have you looked for their records on Ancestry?
Many World War 1 records were lost, but you may be lucky.

If you'd like to give a few details, such as full name and birth year and birthplace and other information eg. area or wife's name, then members here will do their best to help.

Thanks Gwym. Yes I’ve looked on Ancestry (only when it’s been free) and only found their medal cards but nothing else.

I’m looking for the service records in WW1 of

William Holland Youd born 9 July 1897, Frodsham, Cheshire
Father William Youd, Mother Anne Acton
Was in Royal Engineers No 30231. The medal card says he was in France but we know he was in Baghdad too (photos).
Catalogue ref WO 372/22
Injured during war (his ambulance was blown up). Recovered and went back to war.
Unmarried during War.

Charles Ernest Vines born 26 Dec 1899, Shaftesbury Ave, Bristol.
Was living in Liverpool when went to war.
Father Ernest John Vines, Mother Annie Acton
Was in Machine Gun Corps. No 155210.
Catalogue ref WO 372/20
Unmarried during war.
Was also in WW2 number 103236. He was a Captain then and was based in Anglesey training people. He was involved in AMGOT post war but we’ve never found out anything about it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Addendum - Charles Vines’ mother was Fanny Newcombe.

If only their medal cards are online, it seems unlikely that the rest of their war records will have survived.

I'm sure you know that only 30% of WW1 records survive

There is only one page on Findmypast from the "burnt records":-

First name(s) W H
Last name Youd
Service number 30231
Regiment -
Unit / Battalion -
Originating Record WO 363. 22667 Wilfred Foster Jackson, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)
Series WO 363
Series description Wo 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'
Archive
The National Archives
Record set British Army Service Records
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory First World War
Collections from Great Britain, UK None

It is a page mentioning a lot of different people. What it says about W.H. Youd is:-

Farm Furlough Extension

30231 Cpl. W.H. Youd Farm Furlough extended from 30-7-17 to 26-8-17, 28 days.

There are obviously no other surviving service records for him.

Kath. x

The page above is headed -
Motor Cyclists Coy. Signal Depot, Dunstable.
Part 2 Orders
31st July 1917
A.F. O. 1810
No. 3
Regulars

Apart form WH Youd's Farm Furlough Leave (Item 17) it lists as item
14. Arrivals from Biggleswade and Bedford on 30.7.17,
15. Those on leave and
16. In hospital.
Also
18. Cancelation of an Allotment of 6d per month by a man to his Mother
19. Permission to marry and
20. Promotions both at Base unit and those men with the British Expeditionary Force

Although dated August 1919, I suspect that his Farm Furlough leave may have related to this item
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1919/aug/18/harvest-furlough

"All Commands at home have been notified that paragraph 59 of the King's Regulations may be observed, and that soldiers may be employed in harvest work provided their employment is in the locality in which they are stationed, and that their duties are not thereby interfered with. Further, all Commands at home have been notified that leave for a period of seven days may be granted by commanding officers to soldiers for the purpose of haymaking or collecting the harvest. This leave may be extended by commanding officers at their discretion. It is, however, regretted that this leave cannot be granted to soldiers on leave from the Army of the Rhine, or from France and Flanders."

??? the coincidence of Liverpool.

I can't see a Charles Ernest Harrison Vines in bmd records

British Army Service Records

First name(s) Applicant Charles Ernest Harrison
Last name Vines
Rank Officer
Regiment The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Year 1914-22
Archive
The National Archives
Archive reference WO 339/132987
Series WO 339
Series description Wo 339 - Officers' Services, First World War, Regular Army And Emergency Reserve Officers
Record set British Army Service Records
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory Regimental & Service Records
Collections from Great Britain, UK None
The National Archives

------------------------------------
This relates to the same person -

Record Transcription:
British Royal Air Force, Officers' Service Records 1912-1920

First name(s) Charles Ernest Harrison
Last name Vines
Birth year -
Birth date -
Country United Kingdom
Record set British Royal Air Force, Officers' Service Records 1912-1920
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory Regimental & Service Records
Collections from Great Britain, UK None

There is an image with this one. Has written on page -
Cadet 5th Kings Own Liverpool Regt.
Date sheet started 27.7.18
Joined 5th ® K Liverpool Reg. 28.11.17

It may be possible he moved from Army to RAF. My Grandfather was Army, then Army Flying Corps, then RAF

Just whilst hunting around - do you have this record? (Transcript only)

Somerset Baptism Index

First name(s) Charles Ernest
Last name Vines
Birth year 1899
Birth date 26 Dec 1899
Baptism year 1901
Baptism date 13 Sep 1901
Residence 42 Banner Road
Denomination Anglican
Church St Barnabas
Place Knowle
County Somerset
Country England
Father's first name(s) Ernest John
Father's last name Vines
Mother's first name(s) Fanny
Father's occupation Clothiers Cutter
Event type Baptisms
Archive
Somerset Archives
Document type Parish records
Page 31
Archive reference P/StB/R/1/d
Year range 1897-1907
Record set Somerset Baptism Index
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms

Service documents of anyone who served post 1920 are still with the MOD.

It might be possible that Charles Vines' WW1 documents were merged with those from WW2

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

They cost £30 and may take some time to arrive. I understand that later this year the process is going to be simplified, go online and become a whole lot quicker.

Gosh, thanks EVERYONE for your input. Snippets are better than nothing at all as I knew that only 30% had survived.

Greyghost - thank you. I’ve never heard of the name Harrison within Charles’ name. I wonder if it’s the same person. However it’s Interesting that it mentions he joined as a cadet as, being born in late 1899, my Charles must only have been 17 when he joined up. I will however apply for the service records via the link to ascertain so thank you. Can we add photos onto this thread? I have a pic of him aged 21.

You can add a photo to your "keepsafe" and then make it public. If you then click on the photo yourself and add the link for it that appears in the browser bar onto this thread other people can then view it.

Kath. x