3065 / 300589 John H Edgar Durham Light Infantry

[stug]

My great grandfather served with the DLI for nearly 3 years during the war. I have some of his documents but am puzzled as to why he has 2 regimental numbers. The first is 3065 and the second is 300589. He enlisted in the durham territorials on 1st October 1914 and went to France in April or May 1915. He was invalided out in 1917 due to, I believe, machine gun wounds to the legs. Any help would be appreciated. Incidentally his name was John H Edgar ( also sometimes written as John Henry Edgar or John Harry Edgar). If anyone recalls the DLI museum before it was refurbed, they had a section of mocked up WW1 trench downstairs. Alongside it was a roughly full size photo of a DLI private, this is the gentleman I'm talking about.

[SteveE]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Your GGrandfather had two service numbers because, as a Territorial soldier, he was still serving when the Territorial Force was renumbered in early 1917, there is a good article about the renumbering here....http://www.1914-1918.net/renumbering.htm

His second number was issued from the block of numbers allocated to the 8th Battalion DLI (300001 to 325000) and this is borne out on his Medal Index Cards which I've attached.

The cards also confirm your dates, he enlisted 1st October 1914, went to France 20th April 1915 and was discharged as no longer physically fit for service due to wounds received on 8th September 1917.

Regards

Steve

[stug]

Thanks for the swift reply. Must admit I was confused. Seems he must have gone to France with 8DLI who seemed to have a very tough time straight away. May go some way to explain why he was the way he was!

[stug]

Sorry to be a pain again, but I'm new to this research thing. Are all the numbers quoting paragraphs etc under the discharge details referring to specific wounds or just the fact that he was unfit for further service? Its a little bit addictive once you start looking isn't it? This whole thing has set me away researching my grandfather who served with the DLI from the outbreak of WW2 aswell! Will have to be careful though or the wife will divorce me if I spend too much time doing this!

[SteveE]

No problems and yes it is addictive.....

The relevant details in that column don't specify a particular wound etc. they are simply the details covering his discharge etc.

Para 392 (XVI) K.R. equates to Paragraph 392 (XVI) of King's Regulations that stated he was "No longer physically fit for service".

A.O.265 of 1917 2 (BI) equates to Army Order 265 of 1917 section BI and relates to the issuing of the Silver War Badge, the relevant sections of A.O.265/1917 are below:

2. Under the amended conditions the badge will, subject in every case to the approval of the Army Council, be issued only to the individuals specified below, who have served with the military forces subsequent to the 4th August, 1914:

(a) Those who, having served as officers and being still of military age, have retired, resigned or relinquished their commissions:

(i) After service overseas in the armed Forces of the Crown, on account of disablement or ill-health caused otherwise than by misconduct,

(ii) After service at Home, and have been medically examined and finally discharged from liability to further military service under sub-section (5) of Section 1 of the Military Service (Review of Exception) Act, 1917, as permanently and totally disabled, otherwise than from misconduct.

(b.) Those who, having served as soldiers and being still of military age, have been discharged under the conditions set forth at (i) and (ii) in (a).

Hope this helps.

Steve

[Guest Kimberz]

Dear Stug,

I never thought that a forum might be somewhere I'd find members of my own family but it would appear I was wrong.

John H Edgar was also my Great Grandfather. I can't tell from your nickname if you are a relation I've met or not but I am also tracing my family tree and since ours are connected I would love to see if we can help each other fill in the gaps.

Please get in touch with me asap, I'll keep checking this forum.

Kimberley Haddon

[Guest Kimberz]

I'm slightly confused.

Having attempted to do more research on my Great-grandfather John H Edgar. I stumbled across the following website;

http://www.ww1photos.com/DLI.html

It states my Great-grandfather was in the 9th Battalion not the 8th and has a link to a photograph, or so I thought. It takes me to a website (lulu.com) where I am asked to pay £4.46 for a photograph which I can see no preview of to confirm that it is indeed the correct person.

Two points I am confused on;

1) Was John H Edgar in the 8th or the 9th Battalion?

2) Is World War One Photos a legitimate company who would actually have the copyright to the photograph of my Great-grandfather?

[SteveE]

Two points I am confused on;

1) Was John H Edgar in the 8th or the 9th Battalion?

2) Is World War One Photos a legitimate company who would actually have the copyright to the photograph of my Great-grandfather?

Quick answers because it's late and I need sleep....

1) Both, there are two John H Edgar(s). John Harry Edgar as per the thread above, was an 8th Battalion man it appears, John Hammond Edgar on the other hand was a Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion.

2) Perfectly legit but the photos are available elsewhere. The John H. Edgar listed that you link to has a photo in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour and is John Hammond Edgar, the Roll is available on Ancestry if you have a subscription.

Regards

Steve