Most Likely Regiment

[muffin]

Hi All

I've been chatting to my Grampa about his father and have a question.

Could anyone hazard a guess on which would be the most likely Regiment he joined from the little bit of information I have?

He was born in 1896 in Abersychan and was a butcher by trade. He would have enlisted in that area but I don't know if he was conscripted or joined up himself. He fought in the Somme and joined as a private but was promoted because there was no-one else to take the post. His name was Jonathan (aka John or Jack) Hodder and he did survive but was never the same person after.

I am really quite chuffed (and lucky) to find out that both of my great grandfather's that fought, came home!!

Thanks for any thoughts about this (if possible - probably too vague!)

Kathryn

[bmac]

The two most popular regiments for men from Abersychan who died in the war are the South Wales Borderers and and Monmouthshire Regt. A few others joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the Welsh Regiment.

42 men born/resided in Abersychan died. Of these:

15 were with or originally signed up with the SWB; and

14 were with or originally signed up with the Monmouthshire Regt

Seven men enlisted in Abersychan but Pontypool and then Newport appear to be the favoured places to go to enlist.

[kingsman64]

Hi Kathryn

Medal index cards online show a John G Hodder serving as private 47525 South Wales Borderers.

Could this be your great grandad.

Did he have a middle initial G?

Regards

[muffin]

Thankyou bmac and kingsman64

I didn't think to check the medal index card's for him!

I'm not sure about him having a middle name so i'll ring Grampa later on and ask, I don't see him that often as he lives in Leamington Spa.

I wasn't sure if he would have joined a Welsh Regiment because sometimes, Monmouth was part of England - the boundaries here changed quite a few times!

Also, Gramp has now told me that his medals should still be in the family and he will ask his brother and sister's about thier whereabouts. I hope they know, it would be fab to see those - I have never seen any real medals!

Thanks again

Kathryn