George Percy Douglas

[stonechat]

I originally though that my great Uncle Percy (George Percy Douglas) was not in the Forces during the Great War.

A couple of discussions recently with an aunt who I don't so often see, suggested he was a good horseman and was maybe in the cavalry

I think I have found him - at least the best possibility in the MICs on Ancestry

Douglas G P

RHA 126989

On the front

Remarks

Comm RFA (SR) 7-7-16

EF/5/9833

Extd from E7/9/4146

At bottom LH corner

4 5/22

On the rear see below

It has been said there might be another MIC somewhere but I have not found it and wonder if someone can find him

As it seems he may have been commissioned in the RFA

If it helps he was born 1885 in Egham Surrey

Bob

[sotonmate]

Bob

There is a service file at Kew for a Lieutenant G P DOUGLAS under WO339/16616. It is the only one with the full name.There are also seveno thers with the first initial only. It seems to me that later in the War they only used the first initial and rarely the rank.

He could be any one of these eight ! The only ways to resolve this is either for one of our memebers here who hold a WO338 index and who can ID the right man,if he didn't serve beyond 1920 (records not yet in the public domain),or to read all the files in situ at Kew !

Sotonmate

[Phil Evans]

The WO 338 entry for GP Douglas is hard to read, but it looks like 13/?, S(pecial) or G(eneral) List.

It certainly doesn't look like an Artillery entry.

Phil

[battiscombe]

I have a WO338 list and the only G P Douglas seems to be listed as '13/? G List', (as another Gordon Douglas is listed as 13/71 RFC.. I dont know what the numbers means..) .... with a reference to file 33829 ... otherwise there is a George listed as RGA (SR) .. file ref 170783 .. no other likely candidates for a George Percy, Percy George, I am afraid .. david

[headgardener]

I just wanted to add that the fact this particular G P Douglas (as mentioned by Phil and Battiscombe) doesn't appear to be in the RFA doesn't mean that he's not your man; you'll only know that for certain by checking the file. He could have transferred to another unit which may not appear on his MIC. Particularly true of the 'General List' reference.

There is a significance to the numbers that Battiscombe was wondering about; I seem to remember that the 1st number relates to rank, while the 2nd number relates to the list of regimental 'precedence'. I'm not absolutely certain about this because it's a long time since I acquired that knowledge, but I'm pretty sure it's right.

[sotonmate]

Bob

Well,that narrows it down a bit !

Your Remarks entry in your post says Comm (commissioned) RFA SR (Special Reserve) 7.7.1916 so it moght be George with a file 170783 which is a six digit number that I would expect from later in the war.

Sotonmate

[stonechat]

Bob

Well,that narrows it down a bit !

Your Remarks entry in your post says Comm (commissioned) RFA SR (Special Reserve) 7.7.1916 so it moght be George with a file 170783 which is a six digit number that I would expect from later in the war.

Sotonmate

Thanks all

Can't claim that I understand all the details, but I'll have a look next time I'm at Kew