Tracing my great grandfather

[onny]

Hi i'm new to the forum and this is my first post. Having recently started researching my family tree I have found that my great grandfather served in the 1st World War and I am trying to find as much info as possible so any input greatly appreciated.

Sapper John Harold Onn 217581, 2nd Signal Company RE

I know he died in France but don't know where

[ander11]

HI THERE ONNY AND WELCOME TO G.W.F .I HAVE YOUR GGF DETAILS ON THE CWGC.HERE ARE LINKS TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION

http://www.cwgc.org/...casualty=285092

HE WAS IN THE 8TH DIVISION IN FRANCE AND WAS KILLED IN ONE OF THE BATTLE IN 1918

http://www.1914-1918.net/8div.htm

BEST REGUARDS

IANANDER

[roughdiamond]

Hi i'm new to the forum and this is my first post. Having recently started researching my family tree I have found that my great grandfather served in the 1st World War and I am trying to find as much info as possible so any input greatly appreciated.

Sapper John Harold Onn 217581, 2nd Signal Company RE

I know he died in France but don't know where

Onny

The good news is that your Great Grandfathers Service records are amongs the 30% that have survived, they are in the link to Ancestry below, take the "free trial" option when you click on "view record" and you'll be able to download them, there will be multiple pages so make sure you look at them all, also bear in mind that the first page it takes you to may not be the first of his records, so check the previous page before checking the next.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?MS_AdvCB=1&db=BritishArmyService&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=2&msT=1&gss=ms_db&gsfn=John&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=onn&gsln_x=XO&81004010__date_x=1&msbpn_x=XO&msbpn__ftp_x=1&msrpn_x=XO&msrpn__ftp_x=1&81004240__date_x=1&gskw_x=1&_F0003C18=217581&dbOnly=_F0003C18%7C_F0003C18_x&_F0003C18_x=1&dbOnly=_F0003CA3%7C_F0003CA3_x&_F0003CA3_x=1&uidh=000

This 2nd link is also for Ancestry and shows his Medal Card, if you need any help once you've downloaded them just ask, the Pals on here will help you as much as possible.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?MS_AdvCB=1&db=MedalRolls&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=2&msT=1&gss=ms_db&gsfn=John&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=onn&gsln_x=XO&gskw_x=1&dbOnly=_F0003FD8%7C_F0003FD8_x&_F0003FD8_x=1&dbOnly=_F0003FD9%7C_F0003FD9_x&_F0003FD9_x=1&uidh=000

Sam

[rksimpson]

Hi Onny

For his service records, the first page that comes up is the first page, no pages before it, make sure you download them or print them out!

Here is a bit on his regiments-

http://www.1914-1918.net/yorks.htm

http://www.1914-1918.net/cre.htm

and the 8th Division - http://www.1914-1918.net/8div.htm

regards

Robert

[onny]

Thank you for your help it has been great reading.Is there way of finding out where he died in France ?????????

[kenf48]

Soldiers Died in Great War (SDGW) shows he 'died of wounds' this means he was evacuated from the battlefield. His service record shows gsw (gunshot wound) back [image 53]. SDGW also shows he was 'Formerly 46354, Yorks Regt.' There is a also a reference to RA 2nd Siege - which may or may not mean he was attached to a Royal Artillery Siege Battery. (See also image 60 of the record where there is a scribbled note which says 2/Sge RARE).

If you click on the red link of the CWGC link given above (i.e. the cemetery name) you will see the cemetery is associated with a Casualty Clearing Station so in all probability he died there.

The CCS was the second stage of the casualty evacuation train see http://www.1914-1918.net/wounded.htm

and was towards the rear, usually with a rail or road link to the hospitals. It may be there is a war diary for the RE unit, but it's unlikely he would be mentioned by name.

The service record confirms the West Yorks link. He was called up as a skilled worker to the Royal Engineers, in December 1916 and, probably because he was married man remained at home in the 1st Reserve Bn but in September 1917 he transferred to the West Yorks and went to France on 10 September 1917. It seems he wanted to get in the fight.

He was transferred 'for the benefit of the service' from the Yorks Regt to the Royal Engineers on 2 January 1918. A month later on the 2nd February he was posted to the 2nd Sg. Coy R.A.R.E. and he was with this unit when he was wounded. I don't know what R.A.R.E. are the initials for - maybe Royal Artillery Royal Engineers - an RE expert will soon tell us!

The records are not the easiest to read there are three separate indexed entries on Ancestry.

He could have been wounded up to 24 hours before (and a few kms forward), though as the name suggests they didn't remain long at the CCS.

Ken

[Hywyn]

RARE = Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers

a Territorial Unit

http://www.remuseum.org.uk/corpshistory/rem_corps_part11.htm

Hywyn

[kenf48]

RARE = Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers

a Territorial Unit

http://www.remuseum....orps_part11.htm

Hywyn

Thanks for that I see from the posted link the Royal Anglesey were organised into a Siege company and a railway company.

not heard of the RE Siege Companies before so RA + Siege = a proverbial 5!

I'm guessing CWGC also misread the abbreviation as his unit is shown as 2nd Signal Company Royal Engineers

I was surprised a carpenter ended up in Signals when he was transferred 'for the benefit of the service' [notwithstanding Army logic ], but now it makes more sense as I assume the Siege Companies were building defences.

Onny: thanks to Hywyn's post you can now look for the right war diary which may help you to discover where he was when he was wounded.

Ken

[onny]

What can i say but thanks again can you tell me where i should be looking to see if i can find a war dairy