ScrumpyJack Posted 16 November , 2008 Share Posted 16 November , 2008 Can anyone help me research my dad's military history. He told me before he died in 1971 that he served with the Dorsethire Regiment in Mesopotamia during the Great war then served in Northern Ireland on his return. Sorry I know no more. I have his service number etc but nowt else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 16 November , 2008 Share Posted 16 November , 2008 Welcome to the Forum He could have been 2nd Battalion, or 1/4th Battalion Your grandad's service number might help our Dorset experts determine his battalion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScrumpyJack Posted 16 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2008 Welcome to the Forum He could have been 2nd Battalion, or 1/4th Battalion Your grandad's service number might help our Dorset experts determine his battalion Thanks Kate, by the way its my dad not grandad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 16 November , 2008 Share Posted 16 November , 2008 As well as the number, his name would help! Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScrumpyJack Posted 1 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 1 January , 2009 My father was a Corporal in the 1st battalion his name was West. What is the 1/4 battalion is it the first and fourth battalion or ..................?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andiS Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 What is the 1/4 battalion is it the first and fourth battalion or ..................?? 1/4 was one of the regiment's territorial force battalions - more information here http://www.1914-1918.net/dorsets.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScrumpyJack Posted 2 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2009 1/4 was one of the regiment's territorial force battalions - more information here http://www.1914-1918.net/dorsets.htm Sorry but it don't tell you much. 1st Battalion August 1914 : in Belfast. Part of 15th Brigade in 5th Division. Landed at Le Havre 16 August 1914. 31 December 1915 : transferred to 95th Brigade in 32nd Division. 7 January 1916 : transferred to 14th Brigade in same Division. 1/4th Battalion August 1914 : in Dorchester. Part of South Western Brigade in Wessex Division. Moved to Salisbury Plain. 9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Bombay 10 November 1914. 23 February 1916 : landed at Basra with 42nd Indian Brigade and remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of the war. So whatys what? Confused France!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 Sorry but it don't tell you much. 1st Battalion >><< 1/4th Battalion >><< So whatys what? Confused France!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1st = 1st Battalion 4th = 4th Battalion, this battalion (which happens to be a Territorial battalion) like many others started to expand in war time and progressively split to: 1/4th = 1st string of the 4th battalion - the initial "one" - usually first to the front 2/4th = 2nd string of the 4th .. etc. Referred to verbally as "The first fourth" etc. Not to be confused with some older designations arising from amalgamations such as "16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers"! HTH? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 3 January , 2009 Share Posted 3 January , 2009 SJ War Diaries at Kew for the 1/4 Dorsets in Mespot are: WO95/5196 from Feb 1916 to Feb 1919,and WO95/5213 from Mar to Oct 1919. There might be a book out there about their War, or the Brigade as a whole (42nd Indian),or even the Division (15th Indian). Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddycher Posted 4 January , 2009 Share Posted 4 January , 2009 "Jack" To put a little more meat on this : 2nd and 1/4th Battalions all served in Mesopotamia (the 1st Dorsets served only in France). The 1/4th coming via India. In India both the 1/4th and 2/4th battalions supplied drafts to the 2nd Bn. The 2nd Bn was captured at Kut el Amara then spent some time as part of the composite "Norsets" before being reconstituted. It remained in Mesopotamia until February 1918 when it moved to Egypt / Palestine. The 1/4th remained in Mesopotamia for the remainder of the war. The 2/4th Bn also moved from India to Egypt / Palestine Wrt Ireland - 2 Bn's saw service in Ireland at the end of the war. Initially the 3/4th Dorsets moved there as part of the Wessex Reserve Brigade. The 3/4th's were a third line Reserve Bn feeding drafts to the first and second line territorials in Mesopotamia and Palestine. The 3rd Dorsets moved to Ireland after the war an absorbed the 3/4th Dorsets. To serve in either your father would have had to return to the UK wounded / sick from Mesopotamia. If you have his regt number(s) we should be able to confirm if he was in regular or territorial Bn's - this would atleast allow us to place him in either the 2nd or 4th Dorsets. Will be difficult to place him further than that. I have the histories of these Dorset Bn's if you have any further queries. Regards Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pounds14 Posted 7 January , 2009 Share Posted 7 January , 2009 The Keep Military Museum of the Devon & Dorsets is in Dorchester. Well worth a visit. The Dorset Regt History WW1 is published in three volumes, vols 2 & 3 will give you the big picture pounds14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 7 January , 2009 Share Posted 7 January , 2009 Sorry but it don't tell you much. Thanks for your kind words. Not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScrumpyJack Posted 7 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 January , 2009 Thanks for your kind words. Not. Well it was true the link to the web site did not tell me much, sorry. I can't help it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPotter Posted 15 January , 2009 Share Posted 15 January , 2009 ScrumpyJack, You still haven't told us your father's Regimental Number, which you say you know. A quick scan of my records shows there are many 'West's' who served and are possibile candidates, so it is up to you to confirm his number before anyone can be sure of giving you the right information. A rank is not particularly helpful - unless 'high' - as it could have been held at any point in his service, whereas medal rolls record it at a specific point in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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