William Stephen Boorman - Royal Engineers

[Paul-B]

Hi Everyone,

I have been trying for 3 years now to pin down my Great Grandfathers WW1 military service. I have tried everything, followed all the advice from different websites and books. In fact I've spent a small fortune and feel I'm no closer to the answer, just going around in circles.

I know for certain he served in the war. I have a very poor quality photo of him in his uniform. I fairly certain in that photo he is wearing a Royal Engineers cap badge, but no shoulder titles. I find a WS Boorman on the National Roll of the Great War, serving in the Royal Engineers and living in Deptford. 99.9% sure that's him. States he went to France in April 1915. I can't find a MIC that matches these details. The closest I get is William Boorman Royal Engineer driver entering France in August 1915.

Is it possible 1 of the 2 documents has the wrong date of entry into France?

Can anybody help me move forward with my search please?

Thank you,

Paul

[johnboy]

If you post all his information i.e service number, Company he served with. and date of birth it may help.

The date given by The National Roll of Honour may have just been given if it was the date his Company landed in France, He may not have gone wih the first draft.

[Paul-B]

His date of birth was 3 Sep 1884.

The National Roll of Honour says he was a Sapper in the Engineers.

The MIC, that may or may not be his says he was a driver in the Engineers with a regimental number of 53543.

That's all I have I'm afraid.

[Paul-B]

Now I'm really at a loss. What next steps can I take?

[Paul-B]

OK after much searching and reading other search questions on the GWF I've got him. The successful search came in checking the Absentee Voters for 1918. The list doesn't exist for Deptford for 1918 but there was a list for 1919 (he had been discharged by then) and it confirms his address.

Driver or Sapper William Stephen Boorman 53543 Royal Engineers.

The rank difference - do I take it his MIC is correct? As a fully paid-up member of ancestry I have check about 5 million times for his service record and don't see it, though I am confused because I didn't think the B's had been lost? Can his service record be anywhere else? I have checked at the NA but nothing there.

I'm still fairly inexperienced in the checking of military records, would I be correct in thinking it will be almost impossible to actually find out which unit/units he served in in the Royal Engineers? According to the National Roll of Honour he served in both France and Belgium at many of the locations of the great battles of WW1.

Many thanks to anyone who can help me.

Paul