Mesopotamia

[ScrumpyJack]

My dad Private William West Dorsetshire Regiment 3103 served in Mesopotami. I know nothing of his time there where or when any info would be great of the Dorsets out there.

Apparently he amssed two more service numbers

Dorsetshire Regiment 0587 Private
Dorsetshire Regiment 5719249 Private

again mean not a lot to me. He did serve in Northern Ireland circa 1922? I believe His first wife was Irish so I guess that's the reason he stayed in the Army in NI.

Any help any pointers would be appreciated

Thanks Fred

[Blackblue]

William Henry Frederick West, 0587, 1/4th Bn, Dorestshire Regt.

Medal Index Card here:

http://interactive.ancestry.com.au/1262/30850_A001654-01207/3427155?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.Ancestry.com.au%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsln%3dwest%2b%26gskw%3d0587%26gskw_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d1%26uidh%3dtg7%26cp%3d11%26pcat%3dMIL_AWARDS%26h%3d3427155%26recoff%3d12%26db%3dMedalRolls%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Medal Roll here:

http://interactive.ancestry.com.au/5119/41629_626640_11687-00218/2483835?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.Ancestry.com.au%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3dIWOServiceMedalAwardRolls%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dwilliam%26gsln%3dwest%2b%26dbOnly%3d_F8007A65%257c_F8007A65_x%252c_F00061C3%257c_F00061C3_x%252c_F000836E%257c_F000836E_x%26_F00061C3%3dDorsetshire%2b%26_F00061C3_x%3d1%26uidh%3dtg7%26pcat%3dMIL_AWARDS%26fh%3d1%26h%3d2483835%26recoff%3d5%2b8%26ml_rpos%3d2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Also served on the Indian Northwest Frontier in 1919 and awarded the General Service Medal with Afghanistan North West Frontier 1919 clasp.

He first saw overseas service after 21 Dec 15, so may have joined them either in India of Mesopotamia as a reinforcement. Unsure about why his original service number changed from 3103 to 0587, but the 7 digit number is one which was provided during renumber of the entire army post WW1.

The 1/4th Bn went to India in in October 1914. On 23 Feb 16 they landed in Basra.

http://www.1914-1918.net/dorsets.htm

War Diary for 1/4th Dorsets for WW1 here in two files. Not yet available for download unfortunately:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7362590

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7362692

Rgds

Tim D

[Blackblue]

If he served Post 1920 the DoD may still have papers for him and are worth writing to:

https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

Rgds

Tim D