1st Volunteer Battalion Kings Regiment, Liverpool

[Angharad]

My Great Uncle served with the 1st Volunteer Battalion Kings Regiment in Liverpool from the age of 18 till he was 22 years old in 1911. Then he emigrated to Australia settling in Melbourne. In March 1915 he was on his way to France via Gallipoli and to cut a 4 year long and horrid story he was shot in the head in Sept 1918 and died Nov 1918 of Spanish Flu in the London Hospital.

I am writing about both his war time history and that of my grandfather, his brother, who had an equally interesting Great War, but in particular I would like to know about the above Battalion. Would he have been a "territorial" or full time soldier?

Can someone direct me towards the right place to find more info on the Battalion please?

Many thanks

Angharad Bowen-Holmes.

[Old Owl]

Hi Angharad,

Welcome to the Forum.

If you Google Australian National Archives and select the Military (Army WW1) section, then you should be able to search by name for your relative. These service records are digitised and I believe can be down loaded, although there may be a charge for this. His record should show his battalion and any injuries he recieved, etc.

Hope this helps.

Robert

[ss002d6252]

My Great Uncle served with the 1st Volunteer Battalion Kings Regiment in Liverpool from the age of 18 till he was 22 years old in 1911. Then he emigrated to Australia settling in Melbourne. In March 1915 he was on his way to France via Gallipoli and to cut a 4 year long and horrid story he was shot in the head in Sept 1918 and died Nov 1918 of Spanish Flu in the London Hospital.

I am writing about both his war time history and that of my grandfather, his brother, who had an equally interesting Great War, but in particular I would like to know about the above Battalion. Would he have been a "territorial" or full time soldier?

Can someone direct me towards the right place to find more info on the Battalion please?

Many thanks

Angharad Bowen-Holmes.

The volunteer battalions became Territorial Force battalions in 1908.

Craig

[pbrydon]

He would have been a part time solder rather like a territorial. If he was an officer he would be in the book in the picture. If you can let us have his name I will see if he is mentioned in any of the bits I have about the 1st.V.B.

P.B.

[Angharad]

Thank you all very much. My Uncle's name was Thomas Edward Bowen of Walton, Liverpool. Born 1889.

I should have mentioned in my first post that I do have his AIF Service History and very comprehensive it is too.

I am particularly interested in his history before he left Liverpool for Australia and part of that history was his involvement with the Kings Regiment.

Thank you for accepting me onto this forum, I have learnt so much already from this web site. I'm afraid I have more questions in the pipline!!

Best wishes Angharad

He would have been a part time solder rather like a territorial. If he was an officer he would be in the book in the picture. If you can let us have his name I will see if he is mentioned in any of the bits I have about the 1st.V.B.

P.B.

Much appreciated - Thomas Edward Bowen born 1889 Liverpool. I doubt he was an officer, he was a Private with the AIF. Angharad

[pbrydon]

Angharad,

Sorry I cannot find any mention of him.

Peter

[Angharad]

Thanks very much for looking.

Angharad,

Sorry I cannot find any mention of him.

Peter

Thanks very much for looking - Angharad

[pbrydon]

Angharad,

As Craig pointed out in the first reply to your post, the Volunteer Force was replaced by the Territorial Force in 1908 so for most of his service in the Kings Liverpools, your relative would have been in the 5th Battalion.

Peter