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Documents differ with 3 different regiments and numbers?


llandegla

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I have been researching my uncle Private WILLIAM JOHNSON b around 1895 in Liverpool. I have found his medal card with his regiments as the South Wales Borderers Service Number 39050 it also has the Royal Welch Fuseliers service Number 4587. He was killed on the 22nd December 1916 France. But when I checked on find my past website on the Soldiers Died in the Great War records[attachment[attachment it has his details as being in the SWB with a supplementary note saying he was formerly in the Liverpool Regiment 36420 and enlisted at Seaforth. There is no mention of the Royal Welch Regiment ?? I have not found his enlistment records yet which would probably give me the correct deatails. Any help or information would be most helpful. post-117151-0-89692900-1415717980_thumb.

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He enlisted as No.36420 with the King's Reg't at Seaforth, Liverpool but at some period during his training in the UK he was transferred to the R.W.F. with whom he was posted overseas in 1916.

It looks as though he was only at a Base Depot with the RWF for a short time before being transferred to the 1st Battalion S.W.B. with whom he was killed on 22.12.16

(The medal card only gives the Regiments he served overseas with.)

BillyH.

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His medal roll details (just available this week on Ancestry) are actually very detailed:

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41629_636897_10992-00177/3885466?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dIWOServiceMedalAwardRolls%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dwilliam%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3djohnson%26gsln_x%3dXO%26dbOnly%3d_F8007A65%257c_F8007A65_x%252c_F00061C3%257c_F00061C3_x%252c_F000836E%257c_F000836E_x%26_F00061C3%3dsouth%2bwales%26_F00061C3_x%3d1%26uidh%3d5k3%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d10%26h%3d3885466%26recoff%3d5%2b6%26ml_rpos%3d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

They show:

  • 4587 Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Infantry Base Depot) - This suggests he went overseas with the R.W.F. and transferred to the South Wales Borderers at the I.B.D. on the coast before ever joining a battalion of the R.W.F.
  • 1/South Wales Borderers - his actually first posting in France/Flanders
  • South Wales Borderers (Bomb Course) - Never seen this on a medal roll, but he was obviously sent on a bomb (grenade) course in France for a couple of weeks. This suggests he was a specialist bomber.
  • 1/South Wales Borderers - back to his old Infantry Battalion
  • South Wales Borderers (attached 179 Tunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers)

This begs the question whether he was with the Infantry or on attachment as a Tunneller when killed?

Steve.

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His medal roll details (just available this week on Ancestry) are actually very detailed:

wow - didn't know that Ancestry had these now - I subscribe and had no notification from them of it - glad all the same - what else might I be missing I ask myself !

Thanks for posting - it's likely I would have been in ignorance of that for quite a while

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Thank you to Steve and BillyH for there replies, I have tried to find William Johnsons enlistment documents without success, still wondering which regiment he would have enrolled in The Liverpool Kings Reg,or The Royal Welch??

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He would have enlisted with the King's Liverpool, but Ancestry may have filed them under either regiment.

With a name like Johnson it is also possible that they are under a variation such as Johnston or Johnstone

I'll have a look and see if I can find anything.

BillyH.

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No luck I'm afraid, I don't think he has any surviving service or pension papers.

BillyH.

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Thank you BillyH for the information you found, most grateful for the interest you have shown. It gives me encouragement to look further. Regards George

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