Guest grandaughter Posted 21 April , 2004 Share Posted 21 April , 2004 I have recently learned that my grandfather served in the trenches at Ypres. My grandfather was born in Dorset in 1899. I have yet to establish whether he was still living in Dorset when he signed up for war service. Is any kind person able to tell me which regiment my grandfather may have served in, or where I could find out this information. My grandfather survived the war and died in 1972. Many thanks and kind regards, Debbie Fenemore Wiltshire, UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 21 April , 2004 Share Posted 21 April , 2004 Hi Debbie Welcome to the forum. Can you give us your grandfathers full name. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 21 April , 2004 Share Posted 21 April , 2004 Hello Annette, Thank you for your welcome. My grandfather`s full name was Joseph Reginald Riggs. He was born on 26 July 1899 in Minterne Magna, Dorset. Kind regards, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 21 April , 2004 Share Posted 21 April , 2004 Debbie The only way to currently try and establish which unit he served with is to visit the National Archives in London to look up his Medal Index Card. Details of what this is and what else you might be able to discover can be found by clicking on the Long Long Trail link - top left of the page - and then finding the section "grandad's war". The National Archives is gradually adding these Cards to its on-line services but it will be some months before they get to the letter R. Welcome to the Fourm, by the way. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 22 April , 2004 Share Posted 22 April , 2004 I was thinking of taking a trip to the National Archives - this confirms that I really must go! I will read through Grandad`s War too. Thank you John - what a friendly and helpful forum this is Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 22 April , 2004 Share Posted 22 April , 2004 Debbie Glad to be of help. Come back and tell us how you got on at the NA. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPotter Posted 22 April , 2004 Share Posted 22 April , 2004 Debbie, There was a Joseph RIGGS who was killed in action with the 1st Dorsetshire Regiment. His details are: Service No: 12760 Rank: Pte Theatre First Served In: France and Flanders Date of Entry: 13th May 1915 Killed in Action: 27th August 1918 Born and Resident: Woodsford, Dorchester, Dorset Enlisted: Dorchester, Dorset. Entitled 1914-15 Star/British War and Victory Medals. Obviously not your Grandfather but spooky none the less! As your Grandfather was only just 15 when the war started in is unlikely (though possible, as many under-age lads did manage to enlist) that he would have first gone to France until after 1916, thus being only entitled to a British War and Victory medal. Unfortunately I haven't yet copied this roll (though do have just about everything else!) Your best bet, as already suggested, is to look for him as RIGGS Joseph R. in the Medal Index Cards. With any luck you'll only find one, though it's surprising just however many people shared even what one would have thought extremely unusual names. Doesn't get you any further but could well be a family connection. Regards Steve Who's A'feard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 Hello Steve, Yes, I too had seen this Joseph RIGGS. I expect somewhere down the line this chap and my grandfather were related. Will have to check the family tree I agree that my grandfather (Poppy, as I used to call him) would have been eligible for at least the two medals you mention. I`m now wondering where on earth the medals could be. No-one in my family has ever mentioned them. Were the medals engraved with the name, rank and service number of the individual soldier in those days, as they are now? If my Poppy got to Ypres sometime during the last two years of the war, then he would have played a part in either the third or, most certainly, the fourth battle of Ypres - my surmising here and please correct me if I`m wrong. Hoping to get to the NA during the second week in May - so not long to wait until I finally get some answers - hopefully! Thanks again. Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff. Hobson Posted 28 April , 2004 Share Posted 28 April , 2004 Debbie, Another welcome to the forum, I have very recently spent some four days at the National Archives, and I am afraid to say in hindsight wasted quite a bit of time, ( my first visit.) spent a considerable amount of time looking at microfilm for individual soldiers records which were not there. The N. A. (PRO) held some six and a half million records but in September 1940 Hitlers bombers destroyed five and a quarter million of these. Be satisfied in the beginning with looking for your Grandfather's Medal Index card ( on Microfiche) take the reference off this for the medal rolls to determine what Battalion /Regt., he served in then go on from there and good luck. kind regards, Cliff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 28 April , 2004 Share Posted 28 April , 2004 Hello Cliff, More invaluable information! This forum is wonderful If I find my Poppy`s Medal Index Card that will be more than I could ever hope for. Anything I discover after that will be considered an absolute bonus. Thank you so much. Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 28 April , 2004 Share Posted 28 April , 2004 If I find my Poppy`s Medal Index Card that will be more than I could ever hope for. Anything I discover after that will be considered an absolute bonus. Hello Debbie Not wanting to put a dampener on things but if you do not know your grandads service number then unless he has a unique name you will not know 100% that you have the right MIC. Please do take the time to look through the burnt records, you might well be lucky. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 29 April , 2004 Share Posted 29 April , 2004 Hello Andy, It`s no dampener at all, and thank you for raising the point. I am under no illusion that I will be successful in discovering my Poppy`s regiment, but I have to try. Does anyone know how much I can expect to pay for any information I may find at the NA? Kindest regards, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 29 April , 2004 Share Posted 29 April , 2004 Well failing that the relevant absent voters list might yield soem clues. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Thanks Ian. Another great snippet of information Kind regards, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Debbie, As I had a couple of minutes spare at the NA today I had a look at the Medal Index Cards for RIGGS. The most likely candidate seems to be: Joseph R RIGGS Pte 48242 East Surrey Regiment who was entitled to a BWM and Victory Medal pair. Medal Roll reference E/1/103 B16 Page 3199 - you'll need this reference in order to identify which NA Medal Roll reference (WO329) you need to order. As mentioned previously the Long Long Trail website will tell you why looking at the original medal rolls is important. If you do get to the NA then I suggest that you note down all the possible matches from the MIC's as I note that there are also a couple of Joseph RIGGS (no middle initial) as well. Also remember to have a look through the surviving service records on microfilm as you may be lucky and find a match. Good luck with the research. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 11 May , 2004 Share Posted 11 May , 2004 Hello Marc, Many thanks for this gem and also for taking the time to look through the records. It is very much appreciated Every little snippet brings forth yet more questions doesn`t it! Who or what determined the regiment that a new recruit ended up in? I was always under the impression that if someone lived in Dorset then they would serve in a Dorset regiment. Thanks again, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 11 May , 2004 Share Posted 11 May , 2004 Hi Debbie From 1916, when conscription was introduced, the linkage between where a man came from and the regiment he served with was utterly broken. He was posted to whichever unit needed a man. Before that, the individual had - in theory at least - a degree of choice and many opted for their local regiment. But it was much more complicated in practice. Regiments recruited outside their obvious area; recruitment staff had favourites; some regiments semed more attractive for various reasons, etc etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 13 May , 2004 Share Posted 13 May , 2004 Hi Chris, Many thanks for your response. This has just thrown my theory right out of the window!! But most welcome, nonetheless. Will have to wait and see what I unearth at the NA next week. I could end up with agreeing with Marc`s candidate - who knows. Mostly certainly will let you know how I get on. Kindest regards, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grandaughter Posted 17 May , 2004 Share Posted 17 May , 2004 Well, folks, I made the trip to the NA today. Having taken 3 hours to get there (M3 was a nightmare), I finally got into the reading room at 1pm. Started on the MICs and noted all the Joseph`s, including the one Marc Thompson found. Then went to check the service records. What interesting reading they are, but couldn`t find one for my Joseph. I was going to start on the Mis-sorts but felt really queasy from scrolling the films back and forth (what a whimp!). Time was running out by this stage so have promised myself a return visit in the not too distant future. What an awsome place the NA is. Kind regards, Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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