What Was My Great Uncle Doing?

[Roger34]

Hi all,

My mother has recently found a new relative Bernard Richmond who served during the Great War but we are having trouble understanding what he did as his service records show lots of transfers. He was attested 12-12-1915 and was mobilized 17-6-1916 into the Worcesters, he was then transfered into the West Yorkshire Regiment (51148), followed by transfer to the Labour Corps (426128) followed by a final transfer into the KRRC (58676). He was finally demobbed in 1920. He does not seem to have served abroad.

Was it normal for a soldier to be moved around so much? Could he have been a trouble maker that the regiments wanted to get rid of?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Roger

[Ivor Lee]

Roger

I can tell you he did serve overseas as there is a Medal Card entry for him.

The number indicates he was in a Garrison Guard Company (probably 934 or 935 as in May 1918 men in these Companies were transferred to a number of Garrison Battalions including the 25th Battalion KRRC

Regards

Ivor

[roughdiamond]

Roger

According to his service record which you seem to have, if you have the right man? He went to France 13/11/1917 with the Labour Corps, and then transferred to the KRRC on 1/4/1918 or 1/6/1918 (hard to read).

So no "trouble maker" mate, just the route many others took.

Sam

[sotonmate]

Roger

My interpretation of the pages:

Worcesters until 11.11.1917.

Then 51148 with 1 Garrison Battalion West Yorkshire from 13.11.1917 (to France ? BUT the LLT gives this unit as in Malta for the duration of the war !).

Then there is a ref to a unit 21,which,as there is no other Regiment shown I would take as being 21 West Yorks,which was in France as Pioneers to 4 Division,this from 22.11.1917.

Then to Labour Corps on 13.12.1917 with 933 Area Employment Company.

Later to 25 KRRC.

Sotonmate

[roughdiamond]

Sotonmate

Having read your post and getting a better look at the Service record than I could earlier at work, this is what I reckon.

If you look at the sheet "Descriptive Report On Enlistment" at the bottom there is a section "Military History Sheet" it show's:

Home 17.6.16 ........unreadable

Malta?...unreadable....11.11.1917

France 15.11.1917.....1918?

If the 2nd entry is Malta, this would explain the the service with 1st Garrison Bn West Yorks, if you notice his "Transfer Statement of Clothing and Necessaries" sheet it shows him "Proceeding from" that Bn to the BEF on 11.11.17, rather than arriving.

To me his "Statement of the Services of" sheet reads

Attested 12-12-15

Reserve 13- 12-15

Mobilised and posted to Worcestershire Regt 17-6-16 as Pte 33993 (this No from his "attestation form" the rest from his MIC)

West Yorks Garrison Bn (Malta) transferred 24-6-17 as Pte 426128

BE Force Posted 12-11-17 (day after leaving Malta)

21 (Bn W Yorks) Posted 22-11-1917

Labour Corps 933 AE Coy Transferred 13-12-1917 as Pte 426128

AEC? Posted 15-12-17

K R Rif 25 Garr (25th Garrison Bn KRRC) Transferred 1-6?-18 as Pte 58676

The next image which seems to be the rear page of the one above going by the tear and with guesses in italics reads:

Home 12-12-1915 to ?

Reserve 13-12-1915 to 16-6-1916?

Home 17-6-16 to Date un readable 23-6-17?

Unreadable Malta?, unreadable 24-6-17? to 11-11-1917

France Unreadable 12-11-17? to 7 or 17-8-18

Home (leave) 8 or 18-8-18 to 21-8-18

BEF 22-8-18 to unreadable

[Roger34]

Thank you all for the help with interpreting Great Uncle Bernards records. It is amazing how much can be taken from a few surviving sheets of information.

We are now going to look at old familly stuff to see if we can put any more background onto the man from before and after the war.

Thank you again

Roger (and his mom)