murmur2k Posted 27 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 27 April , 2004 Wow! Just found out that my other great grandad fought in WW1 and survived! No idea when or where .. but he was apparently wounded and sent home (rumours of gas). He subsequently died in 1935 aged 35 years! Charles Edward Hooker - let me know if he has ever turned up in peoples research! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 2 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Hey, Just thought I'd update - I received the wedding certificate of my great grandad yesterday which was extremely helpful, I now have the correct date of birth and death. Plus I have found him in the 1901 Census!! YEY! But where to go from here?!?! Cheers for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 9 May , 2004 Share Posted 9 May , 2004 Hi Will From his Medal Index Card at Kew 27385 Sjt Benjamin J White MGC entitled to British War & Victory Medals. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 9 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2004 Steve, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!! I really appreciate you taking the time! So is that number (27385) his unique identifier in the army? Can it be used to find further info? Thanks again! Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 9 May , 2004 Share Posted 9 May , 2004 Will Yes, the number is his Regimental Service Number for the Machine Gun Corps. It is not a unique number within the army but it is unique within the Machine Gun Corps. This means that you can now look up his details in the War & Victory Medal Rolls, he will be in WO 329/ 1740. This may give a few more details such as the date he was discharged from the Army. Also, with this Service Number there are a few experts out there who can give you a good idea of which MGC Coy he may have served with and it also will help when you look up to see if his service records have survived. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 9 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2004 Thanks for explaining it, was there only 1 Benjamin J White on the records then or did you use some of the other info I gave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 9 May , 2004 Share Posted 9 May , 2004 He was the only B J White that had served in the MGC and the fact that he was a Serjeant also helped. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 10 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 May , 2004 So, I am wondering, how were the ranks ordered, and what would it take for him to become a Sergeant - just merely surviving or being good at something? What would a Sergeant of the MGC be in charge of? Thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 13 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 13 May , 2004 Starting to get my first replies from my letter requests. Got one from the National Archives - just a pack about how to research, guess I have to go visit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JimP Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 27380 Pte Hands T enlisted 1/11/15 disch 21/6/19 27382 Pte Spiller FH 27383 Pte Ward FH enlisted 8/11/15 disch 9/8/19 27385 Sgt White BJ 37387 Pte Swift FE enlisted 3/11/15 disch 30/7/17 23791 Pte King AE enlisted 10/11/15 disch 031017 Probably ex-Ox & Buck LI, all posted in the MGC individually. This gives a clue to his enlistment date You require his and other sodldiers' entry in the MGC Medal Rolls to start off with, then we can start to search, Give me a call, Jim Parker MGC Research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 Jim As an expert on the MGC, you may be able to help me. My grandfather, Ernest Barrett, was a member of the MGC. He died in 1968 never having spoken to his sons about his experiences. Only after his death did my grandmother talk to my father about it. The story goes that when he first went into action, he froze and could not bring himself to pull the trigger. Fortunately he had a sympathetic Commanding Officer, did not have to face a Courts Marshal, and was sent home. The story seems rather simplistic, but it's all we know. I have found his Medal Card and it gives his regimental number as 170378 (what approximate date of joining would this suggest?)- it does not give a discharge date. He was born in 1899. These two pieces of information suggest that he joined the Corps very near the end of the War. Could it be that the war ending is what saved him from punishment? I am aware that the MGC HQ was destroyed by fire in the 1920s. Is there any chance of finding his service record at PRO? Thanking you in anticipation Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joanne Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 Hi there, Hope you don't mind me jumping in on this thread as well on the subject of the MGC. My grandad was also in the MGC. He was born in 1891, in Glasgow and joined up early on in the war (I think). He was a pte and he was in France then Egypt. Never said much about the war but said that France was a 'Battlefied'. He died in 1967. Any ideas? Oh and... Jim (Parker) I have contatced you off the site for possible research. Best of luck to everyone in their searches. Joanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 Hi there, Hope you don't mind me jumping in on this thread as well on the subject of the MGC. My grandad was also in the MGC. Joanne Hi Joanne Give us a clue, what was his name and/or number Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Will, Try the Medal Index Cards online. There are two for Charles E HOOKER. There are also a number of other C HOOKER's. http://www.pro.gov.uk/online/docsonline.htm Medal card of Hooker, Charles E Corps: Bedfordshire Regiment Regiment No: TR9/45606 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/10 View Details Medal card of Hooker, Charles E Corps: Royal Garrison Artillery Regiment No: 153901 Rank: Gunner 1914-1920 WO 372/10 View Regards TD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 21 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Hi Blackblue, Thanks for that - looks like Charles might be easier to track down since he has a fairly unusual name. Also I know that he was gased since he had problems medically when he returned home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joanne Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Hi there, Hope you don't mind me jumping in on this thread as well on the subject of the MGC. My grandad was also in the MGC. Joanne Hi Joanne Give us a clue, what was his name and/or number Steve Hi Steve, Errr....can't believe I didn't put his name...how embarrassing. It was John Cairns from Glasgow. I don't have his number. I've got a couple of pictures of him in uniform with the MGC insignia on his cap. I believe he was a Pte, and as I say probably joined up in Glasgow, fairly early on and was in France and Egypt. Would I have to look up the medal index card to get his number? I tried to do this on-line but got no hits for John Cairns, then I tried Hugh Cairns which I have actually got photocopies of the medal index card for...and nothing came up for him either ...so I'm not sure if it's me or some names are not yet online. Anyway, would very grateful for any info that takes me a wee bit further. And thanks for spotting the not-so-dilberate mistake. Best wishes Joanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murmur2k Posted 18 December , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 December , 2004 Hey everyone, its been a while since I was on here thinking about my Great Grandads part in WW1 - but after last nights BBC program on the trenches I was reinspired. And happily I have noticed that the Medal Rolls are online!! Found this but not entirely sure what I can gain from it.... Any help would once again be greatly appreciated. I would like to find out his activities etc. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JimP Posted 1 January , 2005 Share Posted 1 January , 2005 Machine Gun Corps soldier's Medal Index Cards. The ones you can get on the National Archieves site. All MGC (Infantry) soldier's Medal Index Cards have a referenec number which starts "MGC/101 b...". This is a reference number that is now obsolete, to obtain the soldier's entry on the Medal Roll (the purpose of the Medal Index Card) two things have to happen. One - someone has to GO to Kew. Two - they have to find the new reference number by which the Medal Roll may be obtained, from a book in the microfische room. By chance the MGC Medal Roll entries are in numerical order. Thus by obtaining the Medal Roll entry you will find the men who transferred into the MGC and received new numbers, at the same time. The Medal Roll also gives the soldier's date of demob. The "MGC/101" does not in any way refer to the soldier's unit! MGC soldiers in the Motors, Cavalry or Heavy Branch have a similar obsolete reference numberon their Medal Index Card. Finally, the way to obtain the WW1 Medal Roll via the Medal Index Cards of all regiments is th same. Not all regiments have their Medal Rolls in numerical order or complete the demob date. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 1 January , 2005 Share Posted 1 January , 2005 Two - they have to find the new reference number by which the Medal Roll may be obtained, from a book in the microfische room. Jim The Roll reference for Serjeant Benjamin J White is WO 329 / 1740 page 2083. This reference covers MGC Service Numbers 23905 to 27971, but does not include MGC men who had their medals issued under another Regimental roll. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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