Royal Scots Fusiliers regimental numbers

[high wood]

I am trying to identify the Great War soldier in the Royal Scots Fusiliers who was allotted the number 6289.

[PPCLI]

Hi, it's been a while since we said hello.

These men were all older soldiers, enlisting at the end of August 1899. I think that a check of the RSF QSA rolls at Kew may be worth a try; 6277 (Thomas Hutton) and 6285 (one of the missing men in your list, Herbert Bristow) are both on Ancestry and their records show that they were awarded QSA with 3 clasps.

Depending on what records (pre-war attestations, QSA rolls?) are held, the RHF Museum in Glasgow may be able to help.

Cheers,

Stuart

[SheridanP]

Frederick George Rufey was a Wootton Bassett man, and had served in India before WW1, See http://www.visitroyalwoottonbassett.co.uk/frederick-rufey/ for more. That fits with the comments above.

[James]

He may have served with 1st Bn - and not served in SA either.

You could also try the 1901 census which has some 312 names of RSF at the depot in Ayr. I am not sure if it noted service numbers though.

[SteveE]

From FMP; Royal Scots Fusilier with service number 6289 from the 1899 range of numbers was Edwin Cragg Dunstan, attested 28th August 1899 at Oxford.
Served a total of 12 years including his reserve obligation, discharged 27th August 1911 on Termination of First Period of Engagement.

Regards

Steve

[SteveE]

Simon

He won't be on the QSA Roll, he served at Home 28/08/1899 to 14/03/1901; East Indies 15/03/1901 to 25/10/1907 and Home 26/10/1907 to 27/08/1911.

I'd seen the MICs for Edwin C Dunstan and, on a second look, see on his record that he married in Tilehurst, Reading in 1908 which would possibly explain the later Royal Berkshire Regiment link.

Regards

Steve

[Guest cox936]

Hi, I came across this forum whilst on a genealogy hunt, Edwin cragg dunstan is my great grand father, maybe you can enlighten me a little more about his army history, I would be most grateful if you could, I have his WW1 medal records but little else. many thanks

[clk]

Hi cox936,

Welcome to the forum.

Following his pre war service with the Royal Scots Fusiliers, it would appear that Edwin served with the Royal Berkshire Regiment during WW1. His medal card can be seen on Ancestry here. It shows that he first landed in France on 30th March 1915 and was entitled to the 1914/15 Star, British War, and Victory Medals. It also appears that he was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal as a 4th Battalion man . (The Rolls for the 14/15 Star and British War & Victory Medals are available on Ancestry). On the card he is first numbered 1943*. The BW&V medal roll appears to show him as number 200208. This is a renumber associated with the renumbering of the territorial force in 1917. That number isn't shown on the medal card, but the number 5330165 does. It is another renumber - associated with post war service.

The extract below shows information the MoD released (following a FoIA request) of service files still in their holding. For £30 you should be able to get a (partial transcription) copy of his record which would probably contain detail of his war, and post war service. Guidance, application forms, etc can be found here. In the blurb it says that they want a copy of the death certificate. It might be worth checking with them though, as I understand that for people who were born before a certain date (1910??) they may waive that requirement.

Hopefully the service record would confirm that he served as a 1/4 Royal Berkshire man, in which case you could read (and download) on a page by page basis their war diary from Ancestry, or you could download it as 5 separate pdf files from the National Archives (£3.45 a go). Alternatively there is a day by day transcription of the diary which you could read on the website of the regimental museum. You can also purchase (£15) a hard copy of the transcribed diary, which I understand contains some additional information. Unfortunately, the diaries are unlikely to mention Edwin by name though.

Quite often, the actual detail of the service of a man isn't reflected in the headlines shown on the medal rolls. I would be tempted to confirm the details from his service record before cross referencing to the war diaries.

Good luck with your research.

Regards

Chris

*EDIT:

1942 Bowyer enlisted into the 4/Berkshire Regiment on 4th March 1913.

In broad terms it seems that Edwin was serving in the militia with the 4/Oxfordshire Light Infantry when he attested into the regular army on 28th September 1899, where he served with the 1st Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers until he was transferred to the army reserve on 30th October 1907- from which he was finally discharged ("time expired") on 27th August 1911. He then seems to have attested as a territorial soldier with the (1/) 4th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment circa March 1913, and served with the battalion for the duration of the war.