Finding Harry Bradshaw

[Guest JerrySch]

The Harry Bradshaw I am researching (there are many in the data base) was in Regiment W/4047 of the Royal Field Artillery during WWI. He was a driver. How do I find the actual name of the regiment? None of the listings I have found includes that sort of identification.

[John_Hartley]

The Royal Field Artillery is a Corps and didnt have regiments. It had brigades.

W/4047 was his service number. Unlike infantrymen, it's pretty much impossible to find out which brigade he served with.

This link will help you to better understand what information may be around and how it might be found.

http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/research.html

[sotonmate]

W/4047 Harry Bradshaw Driver RFA first landed in France on 25.12.1915 according to his medal card. There are no discernable service or pension records for this soldier on Ancestry UK,so service record probably lost in 1940 to Luftwaffe bombing,and maybe he didn't have a pension record. Medal Rolls don't usually show unit served with RFA so you won't be likely to get it there. Only one Division first landed in France in Dec 1915 so he might have been one of 16 Division's artillery group,or,he could have gone to any unit to make up for deficiencies due to sickness or battle losses. You might be able to find him on an Absent Voters list for1918 where it might show his unit. Local news archives may also help.

[Guest JerrySch]

Sweat and Old Sweat, thank you. Your comments are helpful. I have Harry Bradshaw's victory medal, and would love to learn more about him. I understand that might be impossible.

[SteveE]

I'm pretty sure the W/ prefix in this instance refers to Welsh and that he was an artilleryman in one of the 38th (Welsh) Division's artillery units.

Hopefully someone with a better knowledge will be able to help.

Regards

Steve

[sotonmate]

Having said that you are unlikely to get a unit from the medal rolls it might still be worth getting a look at the roll for the 1914-15 Star,as I am not sure if it shows unit or not. Maybe someone here can clear that up and save you some time. The Roll reference on the Medal Card RFA/1 page 507 I have been unable to link to the ledger in the WO329 series where it is stored at Kew,maybe around WO329/2402.

[clive_hughes]

Over 6000 "W" (for "Welsh") prefixed artillery numbers were issued to men enlisted for the RFA of the 38th (Welsh) Division. This proceeded overseas in December 1915 so it's a distinct possibility that he went over with either the 119th, 120th, 121st or 122nd (Howitzer) Brigades RFA and the Divisional Ammunition Column.

Having said that, when vacancies began to occur in these Brigades they were filled with any artillerymen who were spare, whether "W" or not, and there are many casualties to these units with general RFA numbers. Likewise men who didn't go over with the 38th Divn. or who had returned to the UK after wounds or illness could easily find themselves allocated to other formations. There are at least 2 "W" prefix fatalities as far afield as Salonika, and one in Iraq, to say nothing of those shown as being with non-Welsh units on the Western Front.

if you know exactly where the soldier came from, there might be some mileage trying to find the local Absent Voters List which could show you the unit he was serving with in mid-1918.

Clive

[Stephen Bradshaw]

On 18/11/2013 at 09:10, Guest JerrySch said:

The Harry Bradshaw I am researching (there are many in the data base) was in Regiment W/4047 of the Royal Field Artillery during WWI. He was a driver. How do I find the actual name of the regiment? None of the listings I have found includes that sort of identification.

My grandad was Harry Bradshaw and was also in the Royal Artillery, I wonder if this is the same person? I know that this is a very late response but I’ve only just come across this site - thanks.

[kenf48]

7 hours ago, Stephen Bradshaw said:

My grandad was Harry Bradshaw and was also in the Royal Artillery, I wonder if this is the same person? I know that this is a very late response but I’ve only just come across this site - thanks.

Welcome to the GWF unfortunately username JerrySch is no longer a member as denoted by ‘Guest’ we no longer hold contact details.

 

[DavidOwen]

8 hours ago, Stephen Bradshaw said:

My grandad was Harry Bradshaw and was also in the Royal Artillery, I wonder if this is the same person? I know that this is a very late response but I’ve only just come across this site - thanks.

Stephen there were many Harry Bradshaws who served in ww1 in the artillery.

If you could post as much detail that you know about him then I am sure the members will do their best to help you.

 

[Stephen Bradshaw]

Unfortunately, I know very little of my grandfather Harry Bradshaw other than he lived in the Glossop area of Derbyshire and died in 1930.