John Flatman, Indian Army died Mesopotamia

[MaureenE]

The only record I can find for John Flatman is from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/633422/FLATMAN,%20J

Flatman, J

Rank: Guard

Service No: 15427

Date of Death: 11/10/1918

Regiment/Service: Indian Railway Department, Iraq Railways

I have been told that a guard’s job required technical knowledge, and almost certainly he would have been employed by a railway before the war. He was born in India, with a British background.

I have searched the National Archives Medal Index Cards without success, although there are stated to be over 20,000 records for the Indian Army. I understand Ancestry does not have Indian Army Medal Index Cards.

Does anyone have any suggestions for further information? The British Library does not have his service record.I have not yet tried to obtain a service record from the National Archives of India

Cheers

Maureen

[Old Owl]

Hi Maureen,

I would think that your best bet may be to try the records held in India, if these have survived? I would imagine that the India Office should be able to provide you with a contact point, although I have never tried this myself.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will be along soon.

Good Luck,

Robert

[IPT]

I expect you already know that his father James William Harrison Flatman was a train driver for I,P&D Railways?

[MaureenE]

Yes, thank you, I knew the father James William Harrison Flatman was an engine driver with the Sind, Punjab and Delhi Railway later called North Western Railway, which had its headquarters at Lahore. Almost certainly John Flatman would have worked for North Western Railway. All the Indian Army personnel who served overseas were volunteers, so it is possible entire train crews volunteered together, but I have not been able to find out much information at all. The British Library has a book called A history of Mesopotamian railways during the War, which possibly may have some background information about the train crews, but I do not live in the UK.

Cheers

Maureen