My Great Grandfathers service documents

[Sandiebeach44]

This is my first post here, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes

I have a subscription to Ancestry, and 2 days ago I found records relating to my

great grandfather Joseph William Barnes. He was in the Middlesex battalion and the

10th or 8th regiment I think. I have a record of his military history with dates he

went to France. Is there anyone who might be able to decipher the information

and work out where he may have fought etc?

thanks in advance

Sandie

[BFBSM]

Hi Sandie,

The first page of his records show he was in the 8th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, written as 8th Middlesex Rgt.

The second page then shows he was embodied on 7 Aug 1914 into the 10th Battalion (10th Middlesex Rgt.)

He was later transferred on to 1/8 Middlesex Regiment on 6 Mar 1915, and then it seems he was periodically attached to the 4/8 Middlesex regiment. Being transferred between the two on the dates shown on page 2 of the documents, his final posting being to the 11th Middlesex, on 30 Sep 1916 and then being transferred to the Army Reserve on 5 April 1917 prior to being discharged on 23 Aug 1917.

If you look at http://www.1914-1918.net/msex.htm, you can see which actions your grandfather may have been involved in. Remember to double check the periods when he was posted home, and so wasn't in France.

Mark

[Sandiebeach44]

Thanks Mark, I have also found information from the National Archive of his Medal card, will this give the same sort of information

that I have posted here today? I have about 8 documents downloaded from Ancestry, not sure how to put them all on here

[Stebie9173]

Here is my interpretation of his records:

Enlisted at Stamford Brook on 7-8-1914

Joined the 10th Battalion, the Middlesex Regiment (based at Ravenscourt Park), 7-8-1914

Allocated No. 1925

Would have originally been in the 1/10th Battalion Middlesex Regiment

Commenced training in England at Sheerness

Probably moved to 2/10th Battalion Middlesex Regiment along with the other partially trained men when 1/10th went to India in October 1914

Continued his training at Staines with 2/10th Battalion

Transferred to the 1/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, 6-3-1915

Allocated new No. 4140

Embarked to France with 1/8th Battalion on 8-3-1915

Part of 85th Brigade of 28th Division

http://www.1914-1918.net/28div.htm

Took part in the 2nd Battle of Ypres

Gassed during April 1915 - probably during the famous gas attack of 22nd April 1915.

Returned to the UK, 30-4-1915

Posted to 4/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment in the UK, 12-6-1915

Returned to France, 26-3-1916 and rejoined 1/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment

Now part of 167th Brigade of 56th (London) Division:

http://www.1914-1918.net/56div.htm

No details of reason for leaving battalion, but appears to be due to problems from his earlier gassing.

Returned to the UK, 6-4-1916

Posted to 4/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment in the UK, 10-4-1916

Posted to 1/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment to return to France, 7-9-1916

Returned to France on 7-9-1916

Transferred to 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, 30-9-1916

Allocated new No. G/40579

11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment were part of 36th Brigade of 12th (Eastern) Division:

http://www.1914-1918.net/12div.htm

Probably took part in the battles at Le Transloy on the Somme.

Reported sick on 7-1-1917 due to shortness of breath following gassing.

Returned to the UK, 22-1-1917

Admitted to 3rd Northern General Hospital, 23-1-1917

Transferred to Class P Army Reserve, 5-4-1917

Discharged as no longer physically fit for duty, 23-8-1917

Steve.

[Sandiebeach44]

wow Steve, I am speechless!

I know that he died approx 1918, both he and his wife died from influenza. The medals papers have been signed by his father.

Damn, most of my pics are too big