William Charles Perrett, Wiltshire Regiment, No. 7196, Remembered in D

[ADNIL]

Dear Sirs,

I am starting new to research .. as I have been meaning to try and find out further details from an old certificate we have... of an extended family member.

We have an old certificate for:-

"William Charles Perrett, Wiltshire Regiment, No. 7196, Remembered in Dispatch from Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig" ... on date _ 16th March 1919.

Countersigned and dated 1st July 1919, by Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for War.

• I know that William Perrett was born in September quarter of 1886 in Andover.

If anyone can help _ I would appreciate any advice ... as where to find out more details please ?.

Kind regards,

Linda

28.12.2014

[Langdon]

Hi Linda,

According to his Medal Index Card and Medal and Award Rolls he was a Corporal and then a Company Quarter Master Sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshires (7th Brigade of the 3rd Division) - with a date of entry into France, landing at Rouen, of 14th August 1914 - making him an 'Old Contemptible'.

Research based on this information is possible on the Long, Long Trail website above.

Mike

[Gareth Davies]

He was a 1st Battalion man. In Jan 16 he was a Sjt in A Company and was the acting CQMS.

[HarryBrook]

This is the notification of the 'mention' in the London Gazette

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31442/supplement/8704

[GraemeClarke]

Hi Linda

He is mentioned once in the War Diary

http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/research/war-diaries/detail/10279

Regards,

Graeme

[ADNIL]

Thank you all ... I am most grateful for your help

Please find attached a certificate which I am trying to find out more details.

Your help will really help me try to find out more about the man and his regiment.

Kind regards,

Linda

[ADNIL]

Hello,

I can see that this topic has been tagged ... and do not know why ?

Is it because of the connection - that William Charles Perrett has been Remembered in Dispatch please ?

Thank you,

Linda

[clk]

Hi Linda.

Further to Graeme's post #5 above, the regimental museum have the war diaries transcribed on the website. However, they haven't transcribed all the appendices. It might be worth downloading the appropriate diary from the National Archive (£3.30). One of my relatives was a sergeant with the battalion, and in the full version of the diary there is a report (as an appendix) which details his actions, and recommends him for a DCM - although it only resulted in a MiD. His actions/death are not recorded in the main part of the diary that the museum have transcribed.

HarryBrook (in post #4) has found the Gazette publication for the MiD in 1919. Unfortunately I only have a copy of the diary for August 1914 - October 1915. If there were to be a more about William's actions it might be in this diary:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353185

As a general reference for the 1st Battalion, I was recommended:

http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/shop/books---regimental/the-1st-battalion-the-wiltshire-regiment-in-the-great-war/view

Regards

Chris

[ADNIL]

Thank you kindly for sharing the 2x extra additional sites ... I am keen to find out more, to honour his memory.

Kind regards

Linda

[clk]

Hi Linda,

In the 1911 census he is listed as being with the 1st Battalion in South Africa.

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2352/rg14_34977_0049_35/37354448?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3d1911england%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dwilliam%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dperrett%26gsln_x%3dXO%26msbdy%3d1886%26msbdy_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d1%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3drc2%26msbdp%3d1%26cp%3d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

He is shown as being a 24 year old Private (Signaller) - born in Tidworth. I think that this ties back to where he grew up. The 1901 and 1891 census returns would appear to have him living in North Tidworth with parents (Charles and Alice), and siblings. His birth place on those returns is shown as Shipton, Hampshire. Shipton (Bellinger) is very near Tidworth, and both fall within the Registration District of Andover you referred to in your original post.

Good luck with your research.

Regards

Chris

[ADNIL]

Hello Chris,

Your info is correct as we know the family did indeed have connections to the villages you mention.

We did not know about him being in a Signaller with the 1st Battalion in South Africa... so this is a welcome piece of the jigsaw for us,

Thank you

Linda

[mac]

Linda

A long shot but try going back to the Regimental Museum at the wardrobe www.thewardrobe.org.uk and once there go to RESEARCH/THE COLLECTION and there either put in his name or the number 7211 and you will pick up an image of a sporting team. Rear left is Private PERRETT (No initials) in India 1907. (The battalion went to South Africa from India). Could that be your man ??

Give it a crack, and good hunting

Cheers

MAC

[clk]

Hi Linda,

As a pre-war regular I was hoping to find an original attestation for William, but have failed miserably! From his service number (7196) though it would appear that he joined up as a young man (age 18 or 19) sometime between July 1904 and January 1905 - see

http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/wiltshire-regiment-1st-2nd-battalions.html

(My Great x2 uncle had the number 7269 and attested in March 1905)

The only other info. I've found is that William was wounded in 1916 - see

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/united-kingdom-records-in-military-armed-forces-and-conflict?lastname=perrett&soldiernumber=7196

An extract transcript of which is shown below.

It appears that he was wounded in the right arm and left hand. I'm not sure what the cause "SW" is though. I had thought that it might stand for "shrapnel wound" or "shell wound", but there are others shown on the same page as "Shp" and "Shell Wd." - hopefully others on the forum may be able to clarify.

Evidently he recovered and returned to the unit as his Medal Roll/Medal Index Card shows that he rose in rank to Company Quarter Master Sergeant.

I think that it would well be worth you contacting The Wardrobe. When I visited, and on other occasions contacted them by e-mail they were welcoming, and very helpful.

Regards

Chris

[ADNIL]

Hello - Thank you kindly for this update - I will surely try to follow up what SW means.

Is there anyone else in the forum that has come across this type of information - to explain it for me please ?

Thank you

Linda

[ADNIL]

Hello

Does anyone know what the abbreviation "SW" stands for please.

Thank you

Linda

[ss002d6252]

Hello

Does anyone know what the abbreviation "SW" stands for please.

Thank you

Linda

The standard usage is for 'shrapnel wound'. Other variations where used but mean the same thing.

Different hands would write it differently.

Craig