William Herbert Victor Le Santo, Hampshire Regiment.

[midshipmanrayley]

William Herbert Victor Le Santo, 1888-1968, born in Portsmouth. Served as Serjeant 280008 1st/6th Hampshire Regiment. His medal index card shows service in the Territorials with rank of Corporal and service number 79.

Can any member please help me discover when he originally attested?

[ss002d6252]

With a number that low I would expect April-May 1908 (for joining the T.F.) - he may have been a Volunteer prior to that.

Craig

[butler]

Cpl Wareham No 68 enlisted TF 5.4.08 and CSgt Pitman No 90 enlisted TF 11.4.08, but all the early enlistments appear to be Volunteers re-enlisting

[midshipmanrayley]

Many thanks Craig and butler.

Born in 1888 he would have been 20 years old in 1908 and could have been a Volunteer re-enlisting. John

[johnboy]

Not sure if the TF War Medal Roll would give any info. It is available on Ancestry if you can figure out the indexing.

[clk]

Not sure if the TF War Medal Roll would give any info. It is available on Ancestry if you can figure out the indexing.

Unfortunately it only confirms his unit, and a disembodied date of 2.4.19 http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41806_626640_12140-00084/?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=5119&iid=41806_626640_12140-00084&fn=William+H+V&ln=Le-Santo&st=d&ssrc=&pid=4440135

I don't have an ongoing membership of FMP, but there are a couple of what I guess might be casualty records in their

Britain, Trade Union Members, Service & Casualties 1914-1918 that look like they might relate to him

Regards

Chris

[johnboy]

Thanks Chris. How Does Hampshire Regiment come between Royal Sussex Reg. and Royal Welsh?!

[ss002d6252]

W H le Santon appears on the 'Bricklayers' Society' annual report of 1914 for the Portsmouth Branch as being on active service.

Craig

[johnboy]

The TFWM Roll does not show 14 or 14/15 star. although an entry for another man does.

[midshipmanrayley]

1911 census gives bricklayer as his profession.

Thanks Johnboy, Chris and Craig.

[clk]

Hi johnboy,

Thanks Chris. How Does Hampshire Regiment come between Royal Sussex Reg. and Royal Welsh?!

I'm sorry I haven't got a clue. I always use a notional common surname in the main Ancestry WW1 screen, then get into the medal rolls, then hit "edit search" change the surname to the one I'm looking for, and add "Territorial Force War Medal" into the "Medal Awarded" box.

The TFWM Roll does not show 14 or 14/15 star. although an entry for another man does.

That's interesting. I thought that to qualify for the TFWM, a man had to have attested/been embodied with a TF unit and signed the Imperial Service Obligation before 30th September 1914, but not to have served in an active theatre before 1916. My understanding was if he had, his entitlement to the TFWM would have been replaced by the award of a 14 Star, or 14/15 Star.

Regards

Chris

[ss002d6252]

The TFWM was meant to cover some of those T.F. men who didn't qualify for a Star but had volunteered for overseas service.

Craig

[johnboy]

From LLT

The Territorial Force War Medal, 1914-1920

This is the least commonly issued campaign medal. It was instituted in 1920 and only applicable to men or women who had served in a unit of the Territorial Force. To qualify, the soldier must have completed four years or more service prior to 4 August 1914, and if not still serving must have rejoined by 30 September 1914; they must have agreed to serve overseas by the same date; they must have served overseas at some point up to and including 11 November 1918; and they must not have otherwise qualified for a 1914 or 1914-15 Star.

Only 33,944 of this medal was issued, to members of the TF and the TF Nursing Service.

[clk]

Thanks johnboy,

A subject close to my heart. My near family (great uncles - all originally Wiltshire Yeomanary) can account for 3 of them, although I've never seen them, and have no idea where any of the medals are.

Regards

Chris

[johnboy]

On the link to TFWM Medal Roll Gilbert B Leigh is shown as being issued with 14/15 Star. Although it looks like the tick next to his name has been erased the entry is not struck through in red ink as is usually the case when a medal is not issued.