Duddridge Posted 25 June , 2014 Share Posted 25 June , 2014 Hello. While researching my great-grandfather's war diaries, he mentions enlisting in Guildford in mid-1915. Does anyone know where Guildford's enlisting office was in 1915? Many thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 25 June , 2014 Share Posted 25 June , 2014 Have you found his service record? If so, the address may be shown on his attestation form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 26 June , 2014 Share Posted 26 June , 2014 Guildford was the depot and Regimental HQ for the Queen's, so it may simply have been at the barracks. THe recruitment books, held at Surrey History Centre amy also shed some light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duddridge Posted 26 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 26 June , 2014 Guildford was the depot and Regimental HQ for the Queen's, so it may simply have been at the barracks. THe recruitment books, held at Surrey History Centre amy also shed some light Many thanks. I assume that would have been Stoughton Barracks [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/g/guildford_stoughton_barracks/index.html], which I understand is now a residential housing estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 26 June , 2014 Share Posted 26 June , 2014 Yes, that's the one. The catalogue description for the recruitment registers (http://www.surreyarchives.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=2496) notes only: With the end of the war many of the wartime recruiting offices were closed down, including the recruiting office at Guildford, the headquarters of 2nd Regimental District, which on 19 October 1918 was ordered to be amalgamated with the 31st Regimental District at Kingston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 27 June , 2014 Share Posted 27 June , 2014 According to a Queen’s Royal West Surrey recruitment register 1914-1916 held at the Surrey History Centre (reference: QRWS/1/3/3) G/2323 Walter Hitchcock, aged 21, enlisted on 15 September 1914 for 3 years. Whether this was at Stoughton Barracks or in Guildford is not indicated and there are no further details regarding him in the register. I have seen an article in a local Surrey newspaper, either the Surrey Advertiser or Surrey Mirror, regarding army recruiting during late 1914 or early 1915 that includes addresses of local recruiting offices; however, I will have to try to hunt it down. The Surrey History Centre also holds the 2nd (Queen’s Royal (West Surrey) Regiment) and the 31st (East Surrey Regiment) Regimental Recruiting Districts Recruitment Registers (Army Book 303), 1908-1933, (reference: 2496/1-44). However, these registers mainly cover the East Surrey Regimental Recruitment District. regards Bootneck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 28 June , 2014 Share Posted 28 June , 2014 Many thanks. I assume that would have been Stoughton Barracks [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/g/guildford_stoughton_barracks/index.html], which I understand is now a residential housing estate. Cardwell's Keep and the main gate to Stoughton Barracks still exists. Also along the road opposite the Keep (Barrack Road) is an interesting sign "Soldiers Welcome" painted on the front of a cottage - I certain others can advise what they were welcome for? Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duddridge Posted 2 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 July , 2014 According to a Queen’s Royal West Surrey recruitment register 1914-1916 held at the Surrey History Centre (reference: QRWS/1/3/3) G/2323 Walter Hitchcock, aged 21, enlisted on 15 September 1914 for 3 years. Whether this was at Stoughton Barracks or in Guildford is not indicated and there are no further details regarding him in the register. I have seen an article in a local Surrey newspaper, either the Surrey Advertiser or Surrey Mirror, regarding army recruiting during late 1914 or early 1915 that includes addresses of local recruiting offices; however, I will have to try to hunt it down. The Surrey History Centre also holds the 2nd (Queen’s Royal (West Surrey) Regiment) and the 31st (East Surrey Regiment) Regimental Recruiting Districts Recruitment Registers (Army Book 303), 1908-1933, (reference: 2496/1-44). However, these registers mainly cover the East Surrey Regimental Recruitment District. regards Bootneck Many thanks, Bootneck - anything you come across from the old newspapers would be most welcome! (I'm an amateur at this research business!) Cardwell's Keep and the main gate to Stoughton Barracks still exists. Also along the road opposite the Keep (Barrack Road) is an interesting sign "Soldiers Welcome" painted on the front of a cottage - I certain others can advise what they were welcome for? Sepoy Thank you for the photographs! I will have to go and have a look - I don't live far from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 11 July , 2014 Share Posted 11 July , 2014 Besides Stoughton Barracks, the Borough Hall in the High Street was also used as a recruiting office, at least during the later part of 1914. Bootneck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ajahitchcock Posted 10 August , 2014 Share Posted 10 August , 2014 Greetings cousin Duddridge, I have recently discovered this site. Fascinated to find my paternal grandfather here. hope to unearth more about him in due course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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