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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Service Records - PRO


DaveNich

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I have recently visited the Public Record Office and searched for the service records of 12 men who served with the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment during WW1.

I searched both the Burnt Series and the unburnt series (plus mis-sorts) and did not find one record that had survived.

Is this just very bad luck!!! or is there a reason that less territorial records have survived or a particular regiment?

Could it be the case that because they were territorials that they may still have served as a territorial after 1920, so the records are not at the PRO?

Any suggestions please!

Many Thanks

David Nicholas

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David,

I have to find anyone in these records either, from any regiment. It is certainly possible that TF men re-enlisted and so their records are unavailable.

Rob

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I've found WO364 pretty good for TF men discharged at Termination of Engagement and not bad for men discharged for medical reasons. I've never had a lot of luck with WO363.

Jock Bruce

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Guest Ian Bowbrick

I have always found that it depends on the unit - have never found a single MGC record in 85 searches but have found 6 Labour Corps out of 10 and 2 Tank Corps out of 4.

Ian <_<

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Many thanks for the replies. I will try another visit and hope for some better luck!

If anybody finds any records of men from the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment, please e-mail the name!!

David

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Hi

I have got some results for all of the things so far mentioned except... the Monmouthshire Regt.

Of the service record searches that I have done, which includes casualties, non-casualties, KIA, etc.

29 searches

18 = no records

11 = some records, from both WO363, WO364 and the "burnt" records.

Most of my searches have been in the Royal West Kent Regiment but does also include Royal Marine Artillery, Buffs, Sussex Regt., R.E., R.F.A., R.G.A. and so on.....

The only Territorial I have is for the Sussex Regt. and this came from the "burnt" records, comprising two sheets!

The M.G.C. was a transfer from a pre-war regular from the Royal West Kent Regt. to the M.G.C. but he was eventually busted to private and transferred for allowing a P.O.W. to escape whilst in his charge. Still, he went on to join the 98th Light Railway Train Crew Coy, R.E. so I'm not complaining because he makes an interesting soldier!

Regards

Andrew

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Guest Eric Smith

I had a go at looking for a number of my family members, I have looked in the Burnt Files, Pension Records, TF competancy all drew a blank. A smug researcher with a beard said it was easy, and had no problems sadly I was a lot less than smug. Mind you I am looking for 6 men named SMITH!!!!!

I am going back again for another go, may be I might get lucky

Good hunting

Eric Smith :(

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David - a 100% failure rate with a block of 12 SR searches is "unfortunate" in the extreme. With a fairly average name you should be looking at 5 - 6 seperate films - were you ?

There's no shortage of TF men in WO 363 & 364 and I've never noticed any discernable pattern of % difference in results between TF men and Regular Army men - though I dont recal ever searching for a Monmouth Regt man.

Some time ago I started to log all SR search results against baic criteria relevant to the men being searched, in the hope that any "patterns" could be established. Not a big enough database to make any firm pronouncements, yet, but in due course I'll stick the results on the website. One thing that is already clear though is that the old chestnut - single man, no dependants, died during the war = no surviving service record --- is simply not true - it doesnt look like they are going to be noticably deficient in % terms.

Regards - Tom

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Tom

The log of your service records search results will be a very interesting read. I look forward to it in the future.

Many Thanks

David

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