Cheshire Regt /Labour Corp

[Metid]

I'm trying to find out more about my grandfather, Samuel H Winward

From his medal card he served with the Cheshire regt service no 60950

and with the Labour corp service no 614323

Does anybody have any information on these units and possible unit information

which includes him.

Many thanks

[DavoT]

Hi Metid,

firstly, welcome to the forum. You'll find it very addictive. Going by his Cheshire Regt number it looks to be New Army. You might need to ascertain from medal roll his battalion detail then you can go from there. As for the Labour Corps - well he may have been transferred through wounds or sickness. Is there an entry for a SWB on his MIC? Keep us posted.

Cheers,

David

[Metid]

This is scan of his Medal Card.

Hi Metid,

firstly, welcome to the forum. You'll find it very addictive. Going by his Cheshire Regt number it looks to be New Army. You might need to ascertain from medal roll his battalion detail then you can go from there. As for the Labour Corps - well he may have been transferred through wounds or sickness. Is there an entry for a SWB on his MIC? Keep us posted.

Cheers,

David

Hi David.

This is his medal card

[John_Hartley]

Cheshire number suggests to me him joining around late 1916. You'd only be able to get the battalion from the medal rolls at the National Archives.

Ivor Lee's book suggests that the Labour Corps number relates to a transfer between May and August 1918 and that most men served with PoW guard companies.

[headgardener]

You'd only be able to get the battalion from the medal rolls at the National Archives.

Because the medals were issued by the Labour Corps (the reference is to a Labour Corps, or 'LC', medal roll), I'm afraid that you won't find a mention of the battalion that he served with.

Best bet is either his service record, if it survives, or by looking at similar Cheshire regt numbers; they may have been issued in 'blocks' to men from certain battalions. You'd need a Cheshire regt expert for that, though.

[KevinBattle]

A quick search (Thanks, Geoff!) shows that he was likely to have been in the 23rd Battalion

001 BARNES E 60987 23RD BN 05/09/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

002 CLARKE A 60953 23RD BN 05/08/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

003 DAVIS FJ 60970 23RD BN 08/08/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

004 MOORE F 60913 23RD BN 05/09/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

005 POWIS A 60959 23RD BN 02/11/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

006 REES H 60931 23RD BN 08/09/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

007 WRIGHT FR 60962 23RD BN 04/08/1918 CHESHIRE REGIMENT

With the date information provided by John Hartley, then early August is a good candidate for when he may have been wounded and upon recovery, transferred to the Labour Corps. I wonder what wounds he sustained, as if severe enough for a SWB, I would not have expected him to have recovered before the Armistice. Perhaps he was a tough customer!

[John_Hartley]

23rd Bn sounds a very good bet. It didnt go overseas until May 1918 and was comprised of men previously fit for home service only. It provided garrison guard duties until June. My guess is that this will have been when he was simply transferred to a newly formed POW Labour Corps company.

[Metid]

Many thanks gents for the info. A bit more digging in Nat Archives to do and then I'm a happy bunny!