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Our military expert Paul Nixon, pictured below, answers your queries.
From David Franks:
‘I hope you can help me. My mother’s birth certificate states that she was born on 30 December 1923 at 2 Crispin Court, North Hill, U.D. Colchester. My grandfather (Andrew Hughes), her father, claims that he was a driver in the 38th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery.
Her birth was registered in Colchester sub district Colchester North West on 1 January 1924 but my mother always said that she was born in India where he was stationed.
His marriage certificate shows that he married on 7 April 1923 and that his rank or profession was Private Royal Field Artillery No. 3703198, living at the Artillery Barracks, Colchester.
I think I have tried all avenues but I am unable to find out if they were in India at the time, if my mother was born in India and what campaign/war it was. I have spoken to someone at the Firepower Museum who says that 3703198 is not an RA issue number; it is from a batch issued to the King’s Own Royal Regiment and may have transferred to the RA until 1930.
I would like to see his service records but think I need a little more information. Can you offer any advice?’
Paul says:
‘The number 3703198 does indeed fall within the range of numbers issued to the King’s Own Royal Regiment (3701001 to 3757000). I can’t tell you exactly when that number would have been issued, but the number series was instigated in 1920.
Incidentally, the number range in use by the Royal Field Artillery was 721,001 to 1,842,000. Your best bet would be to contact the MOD with the details you have given here because his record should still be housed there and has certainly not yet been released for general consumption. As a relative, you should be able to obtain a copy of it, although you will need to pay a fee.’
If you’d like to send your question to our experts, please register or opt to receive newsletters in My Account. Unfortunately our experts only have time to answer a few queries each month. If yours wasn’t answered this time, you could be lucky next month!
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From David Franks:
‘I hope you can help me. My mother’s birth certificate states that she was born on 30 December 1923 at 2 Crispin Court, North Hill, U.D. Colchester. My grandfather (Andrew Hughes), her father, claims that he was a driver in the 38th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery.
Her birth was registered in Colchester sub district Colchester North West on 1 January 1924 but my mother always said that she was born in India where he was stationed.
His marriage certificate shows that he married on 7 April 1923 and that his rank or profession was Private Royal Field Artillery No. 3703198, living at the Artillery Barracks, Colchester.
I think I have tried all avenues but I am unable to find out if they were in India at the time, if my mother was born in India and what campaign/war it was. I have spoken to someone at the Firepower Museum who says that 3703198 is not an RA issue number; it is from a batch issued to the King’s Own Royal Regiment and may have transferred to the RA until 1930.
I would like to see his service records but think I need a little more information. Can you offer any advice?’
Paul says:
‘The number 3703198 does indeed fall within the range of numbers issued to the King’s Own Royal Regiment (3701001 to 3757000). I can’t tell you exactly when that number would have been issued, but the number series was instigated in 1920.
Incidentally, the number range in use by the Royal Field Artillery was 721,001 to 1,842,000. Your best bet would be to contact the MOD with the details you have given here because his record should still be housed there and has certainly not yet been released for general consumption. As a relative, you should be able to obtain a copy of it, although you will need to pay a fee.’
If you’d like to send your question to our experts, please register or opt to receive newsletters in My Account. Unfortunately our experts only have time to answer a few queries each month. If yours wasn’t answered this time, you could be lucky next month!
More...