Guest Lee G Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Looking for some help on the Welsh Regiment and whether this solidiers date of enrolment can be determined via his service number! I have discussed the history of this soldier in previous MGC threads below: Initial shout for help Some further mysteries I employed a researcher to look at the Roll of individuals, his MIC and his service record at the PRO. Unfortunately his service record is no more (bloody luftwaffe!). From the Roll, and a discussion with Jim Parker (MGC fame), it seems that Fred Major transferred to the MGC from the Welsh Regiment around July-August 1918 and went on to serve in North Russia with the MGC. He was demobbed in August 1919. The MYSTERY is that I have a picture of him taken circa 1916 showing him as a Sergeant Assistant Instructor in/of Signalling in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. On the back of this picture he tells us in his own hand that he 'Joined July 15th 1915...' IS THE PICTURE OF SOMEONE ELSE OR DID HE DRESS UP AFTER THE WAR? If I can establish which Welsh Regiment btn. he was with and when he enlisted that would help. Could he have been with the RWF first, got stripped of his rank (this ties in with our family story), transferred to the WR as a private then onto the MGC? Would a demotion incident be mentioned in a War Diary do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Lee, Unfortuantely you have hit a stumbling block, which often happens when you take up the challenge of researching a soldier of the Great War - facts arise, which cannot be easily explained without a service record. I myself am in a similar situation; whilst the record for my grandfather exists, those of my three great-uncles do not. I have been able to fill in the gaps with information from other sources, but I only have a snapshot of their service at specific points in time ie when they enlisted, units they were with at the time the Absent Voters Lists were put together and from leteers and diaries. There is no reason to suspect that your gt-grandfather faked a photograph - what you do know is that he served with a top infantry regiment, the Welsh, then transferred to the Suicide Squad, aka the MGC. Any man with that pedigree has my everlasting respect. I know it must be frustrating but you never know, all it takes is one piece of information - maybe from someone elses service record and the whole thing will fall into place. All the best - Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Have you considered the possibilty that he was in fact in one of the second/third line territorial battalions. These were in the main Home Service units? The Welsh Regiment had a number of these units. Good Luck... WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee G Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 It has been suggested that he could have been a Home Service man with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. If by finding out his WR btn. and an approximate date he joined them reveals that there was a gap between him enlisting on July 15th 1915, it will get me closer to establishing a definite RWF connection I think. What do you think the chances are of finding the date he joined the WR or his btn. via his service number? Thanks, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 1 May , 2004 Share Posted 1 May , 2004 This sounds like a job for David Langley - the Guru of all things Welsh including coal mining and growing leeks Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee G Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Ian, I'll try and engage David in this thread then. Many Thanks, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Lee While you are engaging David in this thread I am just about to send some information to another Pal re: a soldier from the Welsh Reg. 56989. He enlisted on 19th July 1915. However I also know of a couple of soldiers also in the Welsh who were numbered 31574 and 37572. The first is said to have enlisted on 7th June 1915 and the second in 1914. Not straightforward although it may give an approximate idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee G Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Thanks Myrtle, I was hoping that things would be a little more straight forward but, as I've found, things never are with WW1... here's hoping Many thanks, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee G Posted 10 May , 2004 Share Posted 10 May , 2004 It has been suggested that he could have been a Home Service man with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. If by finding out his WR btn. and an approximate date he joined them reveals that there was a gap between him enlisting on July 15th 1915, it will get me closer to establishing a definite RWF connection I think. What do you think the chances are of finding the date he joined the WR or his btn. via his service number? Thanks, Lee Hello, Would anyone know from the service number which battalion he may have belonged to? Thanks, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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