WW1 records

[DgJay]

There seem to be quite a few online sites where I can find (if they are still available) the records for men who enlisted for service in the first world war, but is there anywhare available for the WW1 records and/or service for those men who were already in the army before the war started and obvioiusly still continued to serve during the war ?


DGJay

[Vonny North West]

Find My Past do have a list previous to WW1. These are just a few. Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, Napoleonic War Records 1775-1817, Peninsular Medal Roll 1793-1814,
Waterloo Medal Roll 1815, and so on. Other than that the National Archives might be the place to look http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Vonny

[annswabey]

The records are on FindMyPast. You need to look at British Army Service Records 1760-1915, although if they went on to serve in WW1 their pre-war records may have been amalgamated with WW1 service records and will be found - if they have survived - on Ancestry

[SmallTownGirl]

... although if they went on to serve in WW1 their pre-war records may have been amalgamated with WW1 service records and will be found - if they have survived - on Ancestry

Operative word here is may have been amalgamated. My grandfather's WWI records are on Ancestry, but his pre-WWI service are only on FMP.

[Janet]

I have the opposite in that the records of a Great Uncle, who served from 1892 through to 1919, is only to be found on Ancestry. His name might be mentioned on FMP in the Boer War list, but as there are several of the same name, I am not sure which is his, but in any case this is only an index of names, no records of service for the Boer War.

Janet

[DgJay]

Had a quick look at Findmypast British Army Service Records 1760-1915, looks like this is going to be another needle in the haystack.
Unfortunately his name is Harry Charles Smith (born 1888 and was in the Royal Field Artillery in 1911 census) and there are about 500 H or Harry Smiths. With always the thought he may not be there.

What fun we do have !!!

[Elaine ..Spain]

Had a quick look at Findmypast British Army Service Records 1760-1915, looks like this is going to be another needle in the haystack.
Unfortunately his name is Harry Charles Smith (born 1888 and was in the Royal Field Artillery in 1911 census) and there are about 500 H or Harry Smiths. With always the thought he may not be there.

What fun we do have !!!

If I've got the right one, he was born Battersea?

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&rank=0&gsfn=harry+charles&gsln=smith&sx=&f2=&f3=&f8=&rg_81004011__date=1888&rs_81004011__date=2&f17=&f18=&f23=&f20=&f21=&_8000C002=&_80008002=&_80018002=&f15=&f9=&f22=&gskw=&prox=1&db=1911england&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&pcat=35&fh=3&h=39400799&recoff=&ml_rpos=4

I'm using FMP worldwide (www.findmypast.com) - refining the search by just selecting military records. When searching there is an option to enter a keyword. Putting Battersea in the keyword box does reduce the number of records returned.
Do you know the names of his parents?

[DgJay]

Elaine, you are a treasure.
Yes he was born in Batttersea, his parents were Harry James and mother Mary Ann Emma.
Do you think the records for .com and .co.uk would be the same, as I only have access to .co.uk

forgot to add .co.uk doesn't have a keyword box

[Elaine ..Spain]

The records for .com and .co.uk will be the same - it's just a different way of searching, and generally the .co.uk site is the better! I'm only using .com because I got a cheap subscription to it!

[Elaine ..Spain]

Just out of interest, do you know who Harry Charles Smith married, and if so when. It's just that sometimes you find next of kin in the service records so might help find the right one.

[DgJay]

He didn't get married until 1920.
I have found one on FMP born Battersea serial no 53974 where most info fits but the age is 21y 4mths and his would have been 20y 11mths, as they were putting in months I assume they were being quite accurate with the entries


Have just noticed mothers name was Henrietta, so not him

[Elaine ..Spain]

He didn't get married until 1920.
I have found one on FMP born Battersea serial no 53974 where most info fits but the age is 21y 4mths and his would have been 20y 11mths, as they were putting in months I assume they were being quite accurate with the entries

I don't think that is him. On that record father is shown as Harry Smith, mother Henrietta - with a Croydon connection.
I think it might be this family ..

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=uki1901%2c&rank=0&gsfn=harry&gsln=smith&sx=&gsco=&s0RealGL=UKICen&f1=&f2=&f5=&f18=&rg_81004011__date=&rs_81004011__date=0&f14=&f15=&_8000C002=&_80008002=&_80018002=henrietta&f7=&f8=&f9=&gskw=&prox=1&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&pcat=UKICEN&fh=0&h=4854517&recoff=&ml_rpos=1

Can you follow Harry Smith senior through to the 1911 census to make sure he didn't marry a second time?

[DgJay]

By Harry Smith senior, do you mean Harry James Smith or, who I'm looking for Harry Charles Smith.
If Harry Charles, yes I can follow him through up to the 1911 Census.

Ps sorry but I can't check your references to Ancestry as I'm not with them at the moment.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I meant Harry James Smith - so that you can be sure the 1911 census in Croydon, which shows a Harry Smith with wife Henrietta is not relevant. I think it is possibly this family which matches the army record you found (post 11)

I'm not coming up with much else at the moment. Going out soon, but will take another look later tonight.

[DgJay]

The plot thickens and gets complicated.
Harry Charles was living with his mother, sister and brother and stepfather in Shoeburyness in 1901, his father Harry James had died and his mother remarried

All possibly the reasons for enrollment in the army

[Elaine ..Spain]

Not having any luck I am afraid.

Do you know if Harry continued to serve in the Army after the end of WW1 - do you have the 1920 marriage certificate, if so what is his occupation then.

[DgJay]

Sorry for the response delay, went into town yesterday to the library and used Ancestry.
Post 7 ... yes that is the one
Post 12 ... No that is not the family
In 1891 his census is at http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/65...nSearchResults
In 1901 his census is at http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/78...nSearchResults
Havn't got his marriage cert, but know he was married in Westham, hoping to have more info on his marriage at the end of the month.

PS should have added I also found that Harry James didn't die, his wife possibly went off with G Shrubb (they got married in 1932) and Harry James is living with another son in Northfleet in the 1911 census both as boarders