rwyld Posted 21 November , 2008 Share Posted 21 November , 2008 I have found some records through ancestry.com about my grandfather Charles Littlewood. He enlisted on 9/12/1915 and appointed to, as far as I can read, 2 M.G.C. J?13 Does anyone know what this means? If I can understand this maybe I can find out where he was through the long road. My father remembers his mother saying he was in the York and Lancaster Regiment, he was a machine gunner and ended up as a machine gun instructer. The documents we have apart from the first all seem to be from 12/10/1918 when he was transfered to Rugely Camp "E" M.G.C Training Battalion as a trainer till he left the army. We can find nothing to say where or what he was doing between enlisting in december 1915 to October 1918. I would really like to find out as he would never speak of it to my father, who now himself in his 70's would really like to know more to pass on to me and my brother. thank you to any one who can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 21 November , 2008 Share Posted 21 November , 2008 Welcome to the forum. Do you have your grandfathers service number? Will narrow down the search a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 21 November , 2008 Share Posted 21 November , 2008 He enlisted on 9/12/1915 and appointed to, as far as I can read, 2 M.G.C. J?13 Does anyone know what this means? Looking at the file I think it reads "2 M.G.C. T.R.B." or 2nd Machine Gun Corps Training Reserve Battalion (or it could be Brigade) I'll leave that to a MGC expert. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 21 November , 2008 Share Posted 21 November , 2008 We can find nothing to say where or what he was doing between enlisting in december 1915 to October 1918. A brief service history from his records.... 09/12/1915 - Attested (and transferred to Reserve). 15/10/1918 - Mobilized. 16/10/1918 - Posted to 2 MGC Training Reserve Battalion. 20/10/1918 - Joined 'E' MGC Training Battalion. 11/01/1919 - Transferred to Class Z Army Reserve. His 'Military Service' amounted to three months in training. I suspect for the rest of the war between Attestation and Mobilization, as he was a coalminer, he was back down the pits (probably Dalton Main Collieries, Silverwood, Rotherham). Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwyld Posted 23 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2008 A brief service history from his records.... 09/12/1915 - Attested (and transferred to Reserve). 15/10/1918 - Mobilized. 16/10/1918 - Posted to 2 MGC Training Reserve Battalion. 20/10/1918 - Joined 'E' MGC Training Battalion. 11/01/1919 - Transferred to Class Z Army Reserve. His 'Military Service' amounted to three months in training. I suspect for the rest of the war between Attestation and Mobilization, as he was a coalminer, he was back down the pits (probably Dalton Main Collieries, Silverwood, Rotherham). Regards Steve Thank you steve. My Grandmother always told dad he was away for three years? his number as far as i can see is 178025. How wierd? Don't know what to tell him now. Either granddad did a bunk for three years or my grandma was telling fibs, either way not sure how dad will react. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 The war effort relied on more than just soldiers in the front line. He registered under the Derby Scheme in December 1915, thus volunteering. Because coal mining was so important to the war effort, he was put to work in the mines and not called up until very late. This was purely the Army's decision, and wouldn't have involved the man shirking his duty at all.... Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwyld Posted 24 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 24 November , 2008 The war effort relied on more than just soldiers in the front line. He registered under the Derby Scheme in December 1915, thus volunteering. Because coal mining was so important to the war effort, he was put to work in the mines and not called up until very late. This was purely the Army's decision, and wouldn't have involved the man shirking his duty at all.... Steve. Thank you. None of us would mind if he stayed in the mines but it just seemed wierd dad was told different. Maybe Grandad was embarrassed? My cousin Micheal has told me this morning Grandad- Charles Littlewood joined the Yorks and Lancs regiment. Is this true? What is the Derby Scheme please? He says the York and Lancs became the Prince of Wales Own which he himself joined and is now the Yorkshire regiment. Micheal was told the records for the Yorks and Lancs between 1914-1918 were destroyed by a direct hit on the building they were kept in by a bomb in the second world war. Is this true regards Ruth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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