Terry Carter Posted 5 January , 2015 Share Posted 5 January , 2015 Is there a Gloucester Regiment expert who could give a bit of info regarding 27642 Pte Sidney Taft. Was he wounded at all? In the Birmingham Absent Voters List 1918 he was 415913 Pte Labour Corps. He was awarded the BWM and Victory Medal. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_Fielding Posted 5 January , 2015 Share Posted 5 January , 2015 Apparently not on the usually excellent Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum database... http://www.glosters.org.uk/search2/?q=Taft&x=26&y=8&type=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Promenade Posted 5 January , 2015 Share Posted 5 January , 2015 Simon, As the original compiler of the Glos Regt database I thank you for your kind words! Unfortunately the database is a product of it's time (1990s) and it's usefulness is gradually being overtaken with each internet release - in fact I am amazed that people still find it useful ! The foundation data was obtained, over a number of years, by me travelling to London from Gloucestershire to dictate the Glos Regt medal rolls onto tape at the National Archives and then transcribe them at home - as Pte Taft transferred to the Labour Cops and his medals were issued from that roll he does not appear in the database. I also went through the Birmingham AVLs at Birmingham Library looking for Glos Regt men but would not have included Taft as he is listed as Labour Corps. The AVLs for Birmingham are huge and it would be great if they have been scanned and/or indexed as they are a fantastic and unique source. Terry Finally for what it is worth I am not even sure that the Glos Regt number for Taft listed in the Labour Corps is correct. The Glos Regt medal rolls (and database!) lists a Pte Thomas A Robinson with No 27642 - he is listed as 14 Glos Regt which is correct for the number block. Duplicate numbers in this block are normally an indication of a clerical error. My feeling is that the incorrect number belongs to Taft rather than Robinson. The number was allocated between Dec 1915 and Feb 1916. Promenade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 5 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2015 Many thanks in taking the time to check for me. The reason for my interest in Pte Sidney Taft is due to him being a survivor of the Lusitania sinking of 7 May 1915. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_Fielding Posted 6 January , 2015 Share Posted 6 January , 2015 Sure you've seen this: http://www.rmslusitania.info/people/second-cabin/sidney-taft/ http://www.immigrantships.net/v4/1900v4/lusitania19150507.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_Fielding Posted 6 January , 2015 Share Posted 6 January , 2015 Presumably this is him? NAME: Sidney Tafft GENDER: Male ETHNIC BACKGROUND: English ESTIMATED BIRTH YEAR: abt 1884 BIRTH PLACE: Birmingham, England AGE: 29 PORT OF DEPARTURE: Liverpool, England SHIP NAME: Franconia ARRIVAL DATE: 7 May 1913 PORT OF ARRIVAL: Boston, Massachusetts FRIEND'S NAME: George Tafft LAST RESIDENCE: England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 6 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2015 Hello Simon Yes that is him. I have looked at those pages in my research. He grew up in the Ladywood district of Birmingham and worked as a machinist in the bicycle trade. He spent two years working in Boston, Massachusetts area before returning to the UK on the Lusitania. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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