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Remembered Today:

2nd Bn Tank Corps


Game pat

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Hi, I am looking for any information for the 2nd Bn Tank Corps, Charles Donald my great uncle was born in 1899 which made him 15 years old when he joined up, seems as though he was with the 45th Field Ambulance RAMC in France, No.46240 on the 15th July 1915, All the medals were issued by the Tank Corps as he was serving with them at war's end, post-103424-0-50967800-1400777262_thumb.and they had to apply for his medals and issue them to him, with the RAMC details on them.
Charles was transferred some time in December 1916 attached to the 2nd Bn Tank Corps from the Devon Reg No.76632, I do know at some point he was at Bovington Bump! Wool, Dorset, I would like any information of when he would have returned to England to train at Wool, and when he would have returned to France and what battles they partook in. I am waiting for an estimate from National Archives for 2nd Bn Tank Corps war diary, as they are not online
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You are in luck - some of his service record is available on Ancestry

B Battalion Heavy Branch MGC (later 2nd Battalion Tank Corps) was formed in France from B Company Heavy Section MGC in November 1916 with transferees joining around Christmas. Its soldiers were trained in France and not Bovington.

Donald joined B battalion on 28 December 1916, then after a short time at the Reinforcement Depot was posted to C Battalion in March 1917. As he was posted to the Advanced Workshops on 8 Jan 1918, I would guess he served in the C Battalion Workshop Company. After the Armistice, he was posted to A Company of the Field Battalion which was responsible, amongst other roles, for clearing / destroying tank hulks. He returned to the Uk in June 1919.

Forum member Ian Verrinder has written a first class book on B Battalion;in 1917

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tank-Action-Great-War-Fontaine/dp/1848840802

which may asist you learn more about the formation of the unit.

Detailed information about the battles in which C Battalion fought are provided on Rob Martin's Landships site - https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/narratives-by-battalion

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Wow, that's a lot of information, many thanks, is it at all possible to let me have a copy of ancestry service records, its going to take a little while for me to digest this, military history is not my thing, so have to read and re read.

Thanks a lot Pat

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If you can't access Ancestry at your local library, you can use the "buy as you go" option.

This will allow you to view 12 record pages in 14 days for just under £7.00.

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Hi GP,

I find his MIC a little contradictory as it appears to say that he was serving with the Tank Corps from the outset, whereas in reality he served with the RAMC from enlisting up until he transferred to the Tanks in December,1916. So I would have assumed that his 1914/15 Star would be named to the RAMC? The MIC then indicates that his BWM and VM would be also named to the RAMC rather than the Tank Corps.

Do you actually have his medals? I am somewhat confused by what the MIC appears to be saying.

I have to admit that I have not seen his service record, so I am uncertain as to exactly what that says.

Robert

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post-1494-0-72077400-1400835620_thumb.jp

The record shows he started with the Suffolks, then transferred to the RAMC, then the MGC(H), then the Tanks.

I have sent you a copy of the best page possible

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Hi GP,

I find his MIC a little contradictory as it appears to say that he was serving with the Tank Corps from the outset, whereas in reality he served with the RAMC from enlisting up until he transferred to the Tanks in December,1916. So I would have assumed that his 1914/15 Star would be named to the RAMC? The MIC then indicates that his BWM and VM would be also named to the RAMC rather than the Tank Corps.

Do you actually have his medals? I am somewhat confused by what the MIC appears to be saying.

I have to admit that I have not seen his service record, so I am uncertain as to exactly what that says.

Robert

Hi Robert

I only have the medal index card, no service record, so that is all I have to go by, I do know on his brother's next of kin paperwork, he had Charles address as Bovington Bump, Wool Dorset, why would he have put this? Wish I could solve the mystery.

Regards Pat

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The MIC clearly indicates he first went to France with the RAMC (8th July 1915) which is how his medals are named but that the medals were issued via the Tank Corps rolls, the unit with which he was serving, or last serving, at the time medal rolls were prepared. Nothing unusual in that.

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Hi Robert

I only have the medal index card, no service record, so that is all I have to go by, I do know on his brother's next of kin paperwork, he had Charles address as Bovington Bump, Wool Dorset, why would he have put this? Wish I could solve the mystery.

Regards Pat

Hi Pat,

Bovington Camp was I believe the base for the Tank Corps and Charles obviously would give that out as his address whilst he was serving there. Not quite sure what Bovington Bump is unless it is a typo? Of course the Tank Museum is based at Bovington and well worth a trip :thumbsup:

Robert

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I don't think this is the right man. Adding 11 years to your age seems ambitious.This man gives his next of kin as mother Isabella which fits with a man born in 1888 on the census. Also, he was from Tynemouth not Leamington.

I've had a look at his brother William Alexander Donald's papers, and I believe that the Army Form W5080 was completed in 1919 when Charles was 20. I don't believe that Charles went abroad.

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I don't think this is the right man. Adding 11 years to your age seems ambitious.This man gives his next of kin as mother Isabella which fits with a man born in 1888 on the census. Also, he was from Tynemouth not Leamington.

I've had a look at his brother William Alexander Donald's papers, and I believe that the Army Form W5080 was completed in 1919 when Charles was 20. I don't believe that Charles went abroad.

Hi I do know that the information for Charles Donald on Ancestry was not mine, it was the wrong number and information was all wrong. I am not sure about the rest, William died in 1916, his next of kin form was I believe standard when joining, I researched the following information " Army Form W.5080, which was the Army Form completed by a soldier regarding his details of next of kin in the event of his death", William, would have filled this in on entry, he has his brother down as 20 when this form was filled out by him. Charles I know served abroad. The MIC, states he was in the RAMC and Tanks, as there are no surviving service records I can confirm nothing really, this I realise, there are are no service records for either RAMC or Tank No's I have checked.

Regards Pat

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Hi Pat,

Sorry, I may not have explained myself very well.

The MIC that you have posted belongs to a man who has service papers. That's where I got his age and family from.

W5080 was sent out to the next of kin of a deceased soldier after his death. If you look at the age of the rest of the family, you will see that the form was completed in 1919 (E.g.Rose Kathleen Donald was born in 1902, and her age is 17). That's why i'm fairly certain that Charles never went abroad during the war.

Cheers,

IPT

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Thanks for the explanation, I did wonder, Charles Donalds, full name was Charles Weaving Henry Donald, but, I did research that MIC and could find nothing at all for it, I must admit I am not sure which road to go down now, all the information I have for Charles is what is down on that form, [ Devon Reg. att. Tank Corp Bovington Dump/Bump Wool Dorset], I do not really understand why that form is sent out in 1919 when William died in 1916, but I do not have much knowledge of military or where to start, I was very lucky with William as I had his service papers, same with my granddad, if you have the service records you have proof of everything. Any ideas on where I can go from here?

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From 1919, the next-of-kin of each deceased soldier was required to complete W 5080 in order to enable the Officer in charge of Records to dispose of the plaque and commemorative scroll.

All we know is that Charles was in the Devonshire Regiment, and had been attached to the Tank Corps at Bovington Camp in probably early/mid 1919. A bit of a long shot, but If your man stayed in the army, and served after 1921 then i believe his service papers would be held by the M.O.D. Do you know what his occupation was when he married in 1921?

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