janeryan99 Posted 19 November , 2011 Share Posted 19 November , 2011 I am researching my Great Grandfather Sydney Smith. He enlisted in 1914 23rd Royal Fusiliers. He was promoted from the ranks to a commission in the 24th Batt Royal Fusiliers. He was invalided in August 1918 in France. Any help greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammyLad1 Posted 19 November , 2011 Share Posted 19 November , 2011 Hi again Wendell Medal card index shows him as service number 330, 23rd btn Royal Fusiliers, entered theatre of war , 16/ 11/ 15. Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janeryan99 Posted 19 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 19 November , 2011 Hi again Duncan , does the MIC state he died of wounds ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammyLad1 Posted 19 November , 2011 Share Posted 19 November , 2011 No, looks like he was discharged. Says ( to my eyes) Dis-BQ2 V1 29/8/16. This sounds like one of the Kings regulations. One of the more learned members of the forum will be able to tell you what that means. Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janeryan99 Posted 19 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 19 November , 2011 Hi again Duncan , not sure if that is the right Sydney Smith. I have found a MIC with a service number of R11754 . I could have the incorrect one. This one states DOW which I know is correct. He died in 1924 . Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree. I also know he was transferred to 18th Bat KRRC in 1916 ..................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bardess Posted 19 November , 2011 Share Posted 19 November , 2011 Hi Wendell If he DoW in 1924 then it wouldn't be noted on his MIC. I think you're possibly looking at the wrong one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 19 November , 2011 Share Posted 19 November , 2011 Hi, There's always a difficulty when searching for a Smith. If you can give us some family information, tell us where he was born, where he lived, and where he died, and give us some dates such as when he was born, then maybe, with a bit of luck thrown in, we can track him down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 19 November , 2011 Share Posted 19 November , 2011 His service record will not be among those you can find online. Officers records are only available to see as original documents at the National Archives in Kew. There are three Sydney Smiths, commissioned into the Territorial Force as your man was. Their records are numbered WO374/63764, 63765 and 63767. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janeryan99 Posted 19 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 19 November , 2011 Hello , thanks for the posts. Sydney Smith was born in 1874 , Birkenhead Cheshire. he died in March 1924 resulting from wounds he sustained in France in August 1918. His funeral notices states .........Captain Sydney Smith , late of the Hampshire regiment died...... Thanks for the assistance , what other info would help ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janeryan99 Posted 21 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 21 November , 2011 Hi Chris, thanks for your advice . This lead me to my original question about checking on these records. Geography doesn't allow me to get there. Is the the only way of viewing these records and can I ask you how you worked out the details you gave me. Kind regards Wendell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 22 November , 2011 Share Posted 22 November , 2011 Wendell Based on what you've stated in earlier posts this London Gazette entry would appear to be for your Great Grandfather's transfer from 24th Royal Fusiliers to 18th King's Royal Rifle Corps.... London Gazette #29265, 16th August 1915, Page 8142. Link is Here The King's Royal Rifle Corps. 18th Battalion (Arts and Crafts) Temporary Second Lieutenant Sydney Smith, from 24th Battalion (2nd Sportsman's), The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), to be temporary Second Lieutenant. Dated 24th July, 1915. With all due respect to Chris, I don't see that your man was commissioned into the Territorial Force. Checking the WO338 Index to Officer's Long Number Service Papers shows an entry for a Sydney Smith 2nd Lieutenant 18/60 (otherwise 18th Battalion/60th Regiment of Foot or King's Royal Rifle Corps as they became). The reference number in the Index is 4938 but in this instance I can't see that this translates into a reference for the relevant Officer's Personnel file at NA, Kew. The only place to view these files is at NA, Kew but it could be that his file is no longer extant. The other piece of bad news is that I can't see a suitable Medal Index Card for him either which may mean that he never claimed his medal entitlement. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janeryan99 Posted 22 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 22 November , 2011 Many thanks for the prompt response Steve. I do know that Sydney Smith received a head injury " ... and commanded the ammunition magazines in the Northern area , during this period they were blown up by aerial bombardment , he was invalided in August 1918 [ subsequently dying of head wounds in England in 1924 ] . I thought I had an index card for him however now I'm not sure at all. I was told he lied about his age as he was over 40 when he enlisted. Maybe it's all pie in the sky stuff ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 5 April , 2020 Share Posted 5 April , 2020 I can confirm Sydney SMITH's career as follows ... enlisted as Private into the 24th Bn., Royal Fusiliers (Second Sportsman's), commissioned as temp 2/Lt in same battalion transferred as temp. 2/Lt to 18/KRRC promoted temp Capt, 18/KRRC [24 Jul 1915] transferred to 23rd (Local Reserve) Bn., KRRC [08 Feb 1916] (23/KRRC was formed from details of 18/KRRC to act as its UK-based draft finding and training unit. It was at Banbury, Oxon in Feb 1916) transferred to 1st (Garrison) Bn., HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT [some time in 1916] (1st Garr Bn., Hants was formed at PORTLAND in April 1916 and landed in France on 21 May 1916. It was based at ST OMER) died from "illnesss contracted during the war" on 17 Mar 1924 (there's an obit in The Times for him 18 Mar 1924, p.11, which includes the quotation in the post higher up. It is certainly plausible that an officer in a Garrison Battalion could be severely wounded during an air raid on an ammunition dump in the Lines of Communication area behind the Front. This appears to be his MIC ... Officers did not have Service Numbers during the war, but I think the 696857 Service Number shown here may be related to the introduction of "Army Numbers" in 1920. These were seven digits for rank and file, but I have no info on what was applied for officers. You'll see Smith was also marked as eligible for a Silver War Badge - more on that below. Reverse of the MIC ... His correspondence address is given as Latchmere House, Ham. Latchmere House was in use as a treatment facility for officers suffering shell shock and other mental health issues. Its full name was Latchmere House Military Hospital for Army Officer Mental Patients. It looks like whatever happened to him had both mental and physical consequences. The Silver War Badge ref on his MIC above leads to this document ... He was certainly approved as eligible for a Silver War Badge, but I am not certain he ever applied for it. BURLINGTON ROAD, BAYSWATER was renamed in the inter-war period as a continuation of ST STEPHENS GARDENS. This section of that street degraded after WW2 and was infamous for being where Rachman started his rental business. It was in turn demolished in the 1970's to make way for the WESSEX GARDENS ESTATE. By an odd coincidence the aunt of an ex-partner of mine lives there! In the 1915 Trade Directory, the street seems to be mainly apartments and boarding houses. See the location here: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=51.51799&lon=-0.19884&layers=163&right=osm I've had no luck so far finding 1st Garrison Bn., Hampshire Regt in any ORBAT. Likewise any war diary. I'm following up a few leads on an enemy air raid against an ammunition dump, but it's past bedtime, so I'm calling a halt! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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