Pre war service- service record question

[joee86]

Hi,

I didn't think the service record section was the best place to put this as it isn't actually about a particular service record. Rather, a question regarding men who served before and during the war. I am researching a relative who appears in the 1901 census as a soldier with the 1st Royal Rifle Reserve Regiment and 4th Oxfordshire Light Infantry Battalions. However, he quit the army at some point as by the 1911 census he was out the army. He joined the army again in 1915, lieing about his age as he was too old and joined the ASC. I know that records survive for men who served during the war and after 1920. But what about those that served before? Would it be possible to have a pre war service record and a war time one? I just want to get a idea, as if there is a good chance I will write try to track it down.

Thanks.

Joe.

[andybw125]

Hi Joe,

I have found two of my great uncles who were in the army before 1914 and were discharged. One re-enlisted in 1914 and the other probably did but under a slightly different name. This would have given me 4 sets of service records if all had been available. I found 3 sets on Ancestry under WW1 Records, starting with the original enlistments. Its worth a look.

Good Hunting.

Andy

[Paul Nixon]

As Andy says, pre WW1 service records do exist in the WO 363 and WO 364 series. The earliest one I have found dates to the 1850s. The other large series for pre WW1 records is the WO 97 series which is for men discharged to pension up until 1913. Find My Past is currently making this series available on-line.

Paul