Help with Deciphering Service Papers Please

[muffin]

Hi All

I'm really excited, as today I received 9 pages from my Gt. Gt. Uncle Walter's Service Record!!

He was serving in the Militia when he joined up on 18th May 1900 and he served for 15 years and 233 days until he was killed in action on 5th January 1916.

There is a page, 'Description on Enlistment' and under the column 'Distinctive marks, etc..' the word SPECIAL is written in big letters. Obviously, I think he's special but I do realise this can't be what it means!! Could anyone shed any light please?

Also, the writing is quite faded in parts so hard to read but he went to South Africa from 1900-1902 and got a medal of some kind, I think it says

'........ clasp for......aal, 1902' or maybe I've totally got it wrong!

Would really appreciate any help

Thanks very much

Kathryn

[N.S.Regt.]

Hi

The medal you are referring to is most possibly the Queens South Africa Medal with the bars Transvaal and the 1902 date bar.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Hi

The medal you are referring to is most possibly the Queens South Africa Medal with the bars Transvaal and the 1902 date bar.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

Or more probably the "Transvaal" Bar Qualified for in 1902

Special probably refers to his status on enlistment "Special Service" a short term engagement I believe.

[SPotter]

Kathryn,

I would suggest that the record does indeed refer to the award of the two clasps "Transvaal" and "South Africa 1902", as this combination was commonly awarded to men who arrived in South Africa for the later stages of the war.

Regards

Steve

[muffin]

Thank you all very much for your help!

How fab that he had other medals - wonder where they are!!

Walter served for 2 years in the 1st Battalion and then a further 2 years in the 2nd Battalion and then it says 'extended army service to serve 8 years with the colours'. In 1908, he was transferred (right word?) to 'B' army reserve' and then re-engaged in 1912. Would this mean he was at home for those years but the time was still counted towards his service?

Another thing on his papers is 'Passed classes of Instruction', I think it says 1st class signaller Devonport 13.03.15. Would that make sense? He was a qualified signaller!!

I'm working my way through the info bit by bit

Thanks again

Kathryn xx

[Jonathan Saunders]

Kathryn,

Between 1900 and 1908 your G/G Uncle Walter was in the regular army. As part of a short service attestation he would have committed himself for the balance to 12 years (ie. a further 4 years) in the Reserve. I am no expert on the goings on of the Reserve but roughly I think this meant he would have been working in civilian employment but had to attend parades and exercises at given periods. It would also appear he was a Signaller. We are fortunate that another signaller - Frank Richards wrote two excellent accounts of his army life ... OLD SOLDIER SAHIB and OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE - the first about his service in India and the second about his service in F&F during WW1. Apart from being great reads they may be of specific interest to you in relation to signalling. Both these books are available from N&M press in sb form although an iillustrated and updated version of OSND in hb form is available from David Langley - he intends to reprint a hb copy of OSS next year.

All the best.

[PhilB]

I know nothing about these Service Records. Could someone please advise:-

1/ What`s in them?

2/ Where are they?

3/ How do I access if they`re dahn saaf?

4/ What does it cost?

5/ What proportion of WW1 men are covered?

Thank you, Phil B

[muffin]

signals

Thanks very much for that, I will be putting those books on my list for the next read. I am currently reading Gallipoli by Alan Moorehead to get a feel for the theatre that Walter served in.

m13pqb

A soldiers service record covers all the stuff about a soldier's career in the army. They are kept in the National Archive in Kew and only about 30/40% of records survived the WW2 bombings - the rest of them burnt!!

I couldn't get to Kew so I found a researcher (who was mentioned by someone on this forum) and was lucky enough that Walter's papers were there. Cost Varies.

I also had my great grandfather researched but he is proving to be elusive. He survived the War and died in 1979, only telling the family that he fibbed about his age and went to France and he used to speak a bit of French! He is recorded on Walters Army Form W5080 dated 1919, as being a full blood brother, Ernest William - aged 20 - Soldier in France. So he must be there somewhere!!

Thanks again

Kathryn