5th Devons

[Malcolmh01]

Hi List

Like most of his cousins, Harry Exworthy’s service record is not available. His medal card is also short on detail with no theatre of war recorded.

According to the WW1 Medal and Award Rolls via Ancestry UK, Private 240359 Harry Exworthy served with the 5th Devons.

He has only one service number and not a 4 digit early one which leads me to think he joined up later in the war. According to his medal card he did not receive a 1915 star. He was born in Lamerton, Devon in 1895 and was living in Plymouth on the 1911 census.

Originally the 5th Devons sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914 and came under orders of 3rd (Lahore) Divisional Area at Multan. In December 1915 they moved to Lahore and then to Egypt on the 04 April 1917. On the 25 June 1917 they transferred to 232nd Brigade, 75th Division. They then landed in Marseilles on the 01 June 1918 from the Middle East and served the rest of the war on the Western Front.

Harry’s information only shows him serving with the 5th Devons and having one service number. In the remarks column he (Disemb?) on the 24 February 1919.

Can anyone identify by his service number when Harry joined up and if it was possible he served with the regiment in Egypt or if he joined the Regiment in France in 1918?

kind regards

Malcolm

[TEW]

I think he may have had a four digit number, it's not showing on records as he didn't serve abroad while using the four digit number.

You can look for other Devons men with 240*** numbers in the 'pension' records and for example find 240901 William Ash's record which shows he had a four digit number of 3968 and enlisted 3/11/15.

Neither the medal card nor the medal roll shows his four digit number so without his pension record one would never know he had one.

His record only states that he left Bombay 22/3/17 for Suez then to France 1/6/18

I'm very pleased that I found Ash's record as it shows he was treated at Seale Hayne which is something I've been involved with for a while.

TEW

Charlie Ash 240352 also has a pension record, 4 digit 1753 enlisted 13/5/14. left Bombay same day as Ash.

[woollamc]

Exworthy's service number was 240539 according to the medal rolls.

In case it helps: 240532, George Stiles, was previously 2114 (from CWGC) and 240534, Francis Hutchens, was previously 2117. Hutchens attested in September 1914 and was commissioned in January 1917 whilst in India but some of his service records are on Ancestry (here).

C

[Malcolmh01]

Hi list

Thanks for the responses from TEW and woollamc and the correction. Plenty of food for thought there.

A couple of things

According to his medal card Harry did not receive a 1914 or 1915 medal. Does this mean that he definitely was not abroad at that time?

In the remarks column of the WW1 Medal and Award Rolls, Harry (Disemb?) on the 24 February 1919. Does anyone know what Disemb. Means apposed to discharge?

Regards Malcolm

[woollamc]

"Disembodied" - it is the term used for Territorials being discharged.

C

[TEW]

I think the fact that only the six digit number shows on medal records means he entered a theatre of war in the spring or later of 1917. In his case this is his arrival in Egypt as I believe India was not a theatre of war.

TEW

[Malcolmh01]

Thanks again C and TEW

regards

Malcolm

[ddycher]

Malcolm

I show Harry Exworthy joining the 5th Devons on the 3rd November 1914 being demobbed on the 24th February 1919. I believe his original number was 2122 but there is some conjecture in that as a number of the men attesting that day did not serve overseas and their numbers are hard to find. For sure it is between 2120 and 2127.

Outside of that he does not appear in any of the records I have and I am not sure which theatres he was active in, though his MIC shows he served overseas.

Unfortunately I can not add to what C and Tim have noted above.

Regards

Dave

[Malcolmh01]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the info.

Malcolm