Private Sedley James Collins, Machine Gun Corps, 102516

[David_Underdown]

I've been researching Private Sedley James Collins, Machine Gun Corps, 102516. I found his MIC no problem, but I can't find any trace of his service records, and having found the relevant medal rolls Image of British War Medal Roll and Image of SWB list I'm none the wiser as too which unit of the MGC he served with. Is there anywhere else to look, does his service number tell me anything? Also, can anyone confirm my suspiscion that the "W" (rather than an "S") that appears in one column of the SWB list would indicate that he was wounded, rather than being sick?

[David_Underdown]

As you were, I also had this guy down as a possible non-com (see http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...p;#entry1328347 and Chris Harley has succeded wehre I failed, and found his pension record - first name was transcribed as Sidley, not Sedley.

[27thBN]

Glad you found it .Quite often the old spelling is a problem and happens quite a bit on the London Gazette.Consequently it does make it rather hard to find a chap's information.

Good luck on finding the information on MGC Units.

MC

[Peridot]

I've been researching Private Sedley James Collins, Machine Gun Corps, 102516. I found his MIC no problem, but I can't find any trace of his service records, and having found the relevant medal rolls Image of British War Medal Roll and Image of SWB list I'm none the wiser as too which unit of the MGC he served with. Is there anywhere else to look, does his service number tell me anything? Also, can anyone confirm my suspiscion that the "W" (rather than an "S") that appears in one column of the SWB list would indicate that he was wounded, rather than being sick?

Hi David

If the Pension Records do not give unit info and the Service Records are not to be found then you could try seeing if the Absent Voters Lists for his 1918 address still exist as these often listed a unit and the information for insertion was compiled by the soldiers themselves.

Those that survive are usually in the hands of local reference libraries or record offices or the British Library. Unfortunately it is fairly random as to what has survived and regrettably there is not a complete set.

Peridot

[David_Underdown]

Thanks, fortunately the pension records do include a record of his postings - it transpires that he spent just three (or maybe four) days in the line with 195th Machine Gun Comapny before receiving the wound that led to his discharge. He was discharged on 17 December 1917, so assume he was home by the time the AVLs were drawn up (though I understand those for Wandsworth, which would be the relevant ones probably, survive in the London Metropolitan Archives). Unfortunately, he ended his days in a emtnal hospital, so he may not have been eligible to vote in any case - I haven't managed to discover precisely when he was admitted yet.