Research A Soldier

Ponster

bjp1967 wrote: »

Hi,

How do i get info about my grandfather...

A blood sacrifice is pretty much the only way...While you're getting it ready I can show you what is usually the easiest doc to find, his medal card.

Do you know where he was from ?

johnny_doyle

the Medal Index Card shows he landed in France in December 1915. This tallies with the 8th Battalion landing at Le Havre in December 1915.


18823 James Berry enlisted 2/2/1915
18930 Frederick Tanner enlisted 12/2/1915

18945 would therefore have enlisted shortly after 12/2/1915

bjp1967

Do you know where he was from ?

We was from Thomastown/Dungarvan area, Co Kilkenny

Born in 1891

Found him on 1901 and 1911 Census

Ponster

bjp1967 wrote: »

Do you know where he was from ?

We was from Thomastown/Dungarvan area, Co Kilkenny

Born in 1891

Found him on 1901 and 1911 Census

Thanks. I can't see any other records on Ancestry besides the medal list. You may have to go to whoever keeps the regiment records for more info. The soldiers records would have details such as his description, next of kin and perhaps accounts of when he went on leave. They don't often give a detailed list of where he was and what exactly he was doing.

bjp1967

Ponster wrote: »

Thanks. I can't see any other records on Ancestry besides the medal list. You may have to go to whoever keeps the regiment records for more info. The soldiers records would have details such as his description, next of kin and perhaps accounts of when he went on leave. They don't often give a detailed list of where he was and what exactly he was doing.

Thanks

jos28

I'm trying to find my Grandfather's brother who joined the Royal Engineers in Tralee in 1913 (AFAIK).
I found my Grandad's medal card, he was Bartholomew Glover RE Sapper, Reg no 25418. His older brother was William and apparently they signed up together.
I've had a look on the NA site and found 12 William Glovers in the RE.
Is there any chance both brothers would have similar regiment numbers if they joined together. It might help me pick the right William.
Cheers

johnny_doyle

On Ancestry he is indexed as Bertholomew but the card clearly shows Bartholomew.

There is a second card where the card itself shows R Glover, no 25418. Enlisted 13th Oct 1913; discharged 7th Aug 1917 as a result of sickness. Listed as G Company which was a Depot unit at Chatham, Kent. Repeated on a Silver War Badge roll entry.

If William joined at the same time into the RE he should have a similar number but there doesn't appear to be anything similar.

There is a pension record for a Peter Glover from Tralee joining the Leicestershire Regt in 1920.

jos28

Thanks Johnny,
That's my Grandad alright. He was discharged without visible signs of injury in 1917. He was a chronic asthmatic and ended up being mustard gassed. He never really recovered and suffered with respiratory problems all his life. He died of bronchial pneumonia when he was only 48. The Peter you found was a cousin of theirs.
I suspected William should have a similar number alright. I know very little about him. My late Dad remembers meeting him. Apparently he didn't come back to Tralee after the war, the story goes that he settled in Dagenham and worked in the Ford factory. I'd love to find out more about him. I've attached a photo and I think that he might be wearing a RE badge ??

Edit: Bartholomew or Bertholomew, there's not much difference between the 2. He was actually listed on the 1911 census in Tralee as Horse Glover . I'm not kidding !!

johnny_doyle

the badge looks like a Silver War Badge rather than an RE badge.

johnny_doyle

if he was RE and with a Silver War Badge, the only William Glover that fits near is 22054 William Glover; enlisted 26/9/11; discharged 30/3/1918 as a result of sickness; no overseas service; age 26 on discharge so out by 2 years (but not unusual for this to be wrong). 448th Field Company, RE. No other documents I'm afraid.

jos28

Thanks a million Johnny, that could be him alright. My Grandad enlisted in 1913 and I always thought they signed up together but perhaps they didn't. I found what I think might be his death record (Dagenham 1931). I might get a copy of the death cert and take it backwards from there.
Would no overseas service be unusual ?

Nothreesister

enfeild wrote: »

I cover the war dead for Tipperary, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford, Laoise and Offaly. Lookups are free. I can search by location, name etc.
Who's first?
Regards.
Tom

Hi my grandfather fought in ww1 don't have a service no or regiment name and I don't know where to look for them his name was
Thomas Power
Ballyshunnock
Kilmacthomas
Co Waterford
He was married to or later married Annie Baggie
Hope you can help thanks in advance

enfield

If you type in Thomas Power in the Waterford 1911 Census you get 230 hits. There was one Power from Ballyshunnock, Newtown, Kilmacthomas who died in the war. He was John Power, of the Irish Guards. I don't have information on lads who survived, sorry. If you contact https://www.facebook.com/waterfordcountymuseum
perhaps they can help you?.
Cheers.
Tom.

Nothreesister

Thank you Tom I'll try there. It's a place to start that I diid'nt have before thanks again

OU812

I'm trying to track down some information on my great grandfather James Grans who served on the British Army in WWI. He ended up suffering a mustard gas episode, and died in 1931. He's buried in Glasnevin. Unfortunately I know very little about hime as he died when my grandfather was 9/10 & I don't recall him being discussed when I was growing up. He was survived by my grandfather Gerry (age 10). Molly age (age 12) & wife Mary (age 43)

I also have a transfer form for my wife's great Grandfather, Michael Fogarty (S/N AA835 or 638200). He was transferred to the reserves on 02/04/1919 age 36 (b. 1883). He's buried in Deansgrange



Thanks in advance

kabakuyu

Is the full name of your GG/f James Grans? Is it James Grane?

There is a Michael Fogarty firstly in the Liverpool regiment with the service number 308968 and then transferred to the Labour Corps and had the service number 683299, can you post a scan of the transfer document?

There is a James Grane in the 1st Royal Dublin fusiliers numbered 21826, he later transferred to the Royal Irish Regiment numbered 12296 and appears to have served in Gallipoli and France/Flanders.

OU812

Its James Grant.

Here's the transfer document

kabakuyu

OU812 wrote: »

Its James Grant.

Here's the transfer document

Ok, I think there is a mistake on the character/discharge cert with regard to the service number, the cert was issued in 1925 stating that M.Fogarty was transferred to the Army reserve in April 1919 having served 3 years and 100 days with the colours.I think they may have mistranscribed the service number in 19125.
I can find only one M.Fogarty that served with the labour corps and served overseas in WW1.To serve in the Liverpool regiment would not have been unusual for an Irishman.I have attached his Medal index card.

Do you have any other clues on James Grant? did he live in Dublin? It is a more common name and will be harder to research.

OU812

James Grant lived in the Raheny/Killester/Artane area. We believe he originally came fromWexford & lived with an aunt & uncle here before marrying Mary O'Leary in 1918. Born circa 1881 & Died 10 June 1931.

Thanks for the medal record card. What does that mean & what can I do with it ?

Cailleachdubh

Hi

I just came across this thread and wondered if you could help me... I've been doing some research into my great-grandfather Edward Kennedy (born 1879) from Rathmines, Dublin. I already got a lot of his military records from Ancestry.co.uk (on one of those free weekends - I'm poor!). However, they are quite hard to decipher so I'm doing very gradually.

I thought his medal index cards could help, but there are a few entries on the nationalarchives.co.uk website and I don't want to spend money getting the wrong one...

Not sure of his Reg number as it's not clear on the docs I have, but he was in the Royal Irish/Dublin Fusiliers from 1900 to his retirement in 1919. He was a private, though possibly promoted at the end as his dismissal record says 'Battery Quarter Master Sergent - Royal Regiment of Artillary.

Thanks.

johnny_doyle

I think the papers you've got from Ancestry are for 2 different Edward Kennedy's from Dublin.

1 enlisted 1900 and later transferred to the RAMC; Gun Shot Wound right thigh on the 20/6/1916. Lived at Smith Cottages, Marlborough Road. Served in Boer War and awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with a number of claps e.g. Cape Colony. Awarded the 1914 Star. Medal Index Card is probably 2574, 15 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Rank - Private. Father John.


1 enlisted Royal Artillery in 1896; awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Ended war as Battery Quarter Master Sgt. Address in London. Discharged 4/3/1918 and entitled to a Silver War Badge.

Cailleachdubh

Ohhh... That's really interesting. I did wonder why some of the dates and details weren't matching up but that's the nature of genealogy so didn't think much of it.

I got all the documents filed altogether from Ancestry, so didn't consider a mix-up.

The first Edward (address Marlborough) is my grandfather. But if the man with the London address is a different person, I'm missing the proper 'proceedings of discharge' doc for my guy. Problem is, he retired around the same time as the London EK (though possibly slightly later...) and was a few years younger too.

I know he was injured (family rumour: gas inhalation) and spent some time in Leopardstown hospital, but some of his children were born in the 1920s too. Don't have a date of death for him yet.

Are there any records of military patients of Leopardstown Hosp do you know?

Thanks for your help.

johnny_doyle

there is a picture of staff at Leopardstown Hospital on the Great War Forum. This is the only time I've come across any reference to the hospital there.


The second EK has the discharge document as he was discharged before the end of the war. Haven't seen this document in the records of those discharged after the armistice (there is often a "Protection Certificate" though and that's not in the record for your man).


You're lucky to have found as much as you have. Most records were destroyed during WW2 and many of those that survived suffered water and fire damage.

Cailleachdubh

johnny_doyle wrote: »

there is a picture of staff at Leopardstown Hospital on the Great War Forum.

You're lucky to have found as much as you have. Most records were destroyed during WW2 and many of those that survived suffered water and fire damage.

Wow - didn't realise so many records were destroyed. I'm delighted with what I have and will count myself extra lucky now!

Thanks

Fr Tod Umptious

Just wondering if anyone can help me here

My grandfather served in the US Army in WWI

I have his military record from the US Archives and I'm trying to understand what is in it.

It's very short actually, in the section "Organizations Served in, with dates of assignments and transfers" it reads
"Sup Co 306 Inf to May 26/18; 3 Co Hq Bn Army Serv C to disch"

From that I think he was involved in the 306th Infantry until 26th May 1918, and he then did something else until his discharge, which was in August 1919, but what that was I cannot figure

Also what would be the best source to find out what the 306th Infantry were doing until May 1918, so I could be an idea of where he was located

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

johnny_doyle

the book you probably want would be :

The History of the 306th Infantry by Major Adler, Colonel Vidmer etc but looks a tad expensive. There's a free transcript at :

http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/history/upton/adler/adler.htm

and I would look under Supply Company and Headquarters Company in the first instance for your man first (always a good idea to post the name when submitting a query re a soldier)

Fr Tod Umptious

johnny_doyle wrote: »

the book you probably want would be :

The History of the 306th Infantry by Major Adler, Colonel Vidmer etc but looks a tad expensive. There's a free transcript at :

http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/history/upton/adler/adler.htm

and I would look under Supply Company and Headquarters Company in the first instance for your man first (always a good idea to post the name when submitting a query re a soldier)

Hi
Thanks for that

I had a quick in Adler's The History of the 306th Infantry online but I could not find his name in the list of any of the companies or elsewhere in it.

His name was Patrick Ryan by the way,he enlisted on 6th Dec '17 and was overseas from March '18

I'll keep searching.

Thanks again

johnny_doyle

Did you get the material you have from the Fold3.com website?

Fr Tod Umptious

johnny_doyle wrote: »

Did you get the material you have from the Fold3.com website?

I got the details from ancestry.com.
The “"Organizations Served in, with dates of assignments and transfers" details I have in the post above are direct quotes from the military service record doc I found there.
On the document the ‘Served Overseas from’ date is “Mch 5/18”.
From what I read in Alder’s book online it seem like the group he was talking about did not depart the US until April 1918.

I see that Fold3.com is brought to us by ancestry.com
Does it contain more info than ancestry.com for military ?

johnny_doyle

I use Ancestry.co.uk which has more limited info re US military records. I was able to use Fold3 (following a lead on FamilySearch.org) to find the US pension file for a Gt Grandfather's service with the US Navy during the US Civil War - the data didn't show up on Ancestry.com as far as I can remember.

Have you found a US WW1 Draft Registration card for Patrick? Did he go back to Ireland or stay in the US? If he stayed in the US, there may also be a WW2 Draft Registration card and possibly a Veteran's grave.

The 306th/77th Division left the US at the end of March 1918. Possible that Supply Companies went ahead of the main body

http://distantcousin.com/Military/WWI/Units/USA/77thDivision/Pages.asp?Page=138

My passing interest in the 306th stems from Tom's (Enfield's) work re Edmond Brunick/Brunnock, a Tipperary man killed while serving with K Co, 306th Infantry.