A/Sjt H Skevington - 1/4 Leicestershire Regt

[Tyrrell]

This is my Grandfather who served with the 1/4 Leicesters for the duration. His original no was 1850 and he was in C Company throughout. He was in the Territorial unit before war broke, having just returned from camp before being mobilised. Have got a lot of general detail about his service (he survived the conflict being discharged as a Corporal in January1919) but I'd like to know where to look to see about his pre-war Territorial experience and sign up. Any help or tips welcome.

Thanks

David

[johnboy]

I am not sure that you will find much. He would probably gone to his local Drill Hall for a few hours a week and had some training including shooting and gone to summer camp once a year.

Maybe contact Leicester Regiment HQ?

[Jonathan D'Hooghe]

There is a Medal Index Card for Horace Skevington showing that he arrived in France on 25 June 1915 and rose to the rank as Acting Sergeant. His service number became 200166 and he was awarded a 1915 Star, The BWM and the VM - a standard trio. His discharge date is shown as 22 Feb 1919.

I only had time for a quick search but I could not immediately locate a surviving service record.

[johnboy]

He would have got his 6 digit number sometime early 1917 as part of TF renumbering.

[Stebie9173]

Numbers were (generally) issued in sequence. The 4th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment would have had their own sequence to issue. No. 1851 was issued to Frederick Noel Brewin on 8 September 1913, so it is likely that (then) Private 1850 Horace Skevington would have joined and had his number issued a few days previously. He would have been too late to join the summer training camp in 1913 but would have attended the one in July 1914, probably preceded by an extra week's Recruits Musketry Training. He would have had a few weeks basic training at the start of his enlistment followed by a return to civilian work in between.

"C" Company during the war would have been part of the 4 Company battalion structure (A to D) used during the war which would have been formed out of two of the previous eight companies (A to H) which would have been based in specific drill halls in the area. A Leicestershire Regiment expert should be able to fill you in on the locations.

Steve.

[IPT]

He appears on a list of wounded in 1915;

Hospital List No H.497 - Lichfield Territorial Force Record Office

1850 L/C Skevington H. 1/4/Leic.R Sh.W. Shldr. R. to Base Det.C.ex 1 Can GH Etaples 26/July/1915

[Adam Llewellyn]

A diary for C Coy, which I believe is on display at the IWM, and a forum member has copied shows him as being a resident of 130, Wand Street, St. Margarets, Leicester and his father as being his next of kin. If I remember rightly the said forum member is related to C Coy CO.

Saying this, the 1918 Absent Voters List for Wand Street doesn't show Horace at 130, Wand Street, but families did move around?

Regards.

Llew.

[Tyrrell]

Thanks all for your kind replies

Jonathon - this confirms my own findings. When I last enquired (about 5 years ago) I was advised that his war record could well have been damaged or destroyed but things have moved on since my last enquiry so could enquire again.

Stebie - the info re the next enlistee is great and is new to me. This gives me a more certain date to work towards - many thanks.

IPT - This is really great news (if you get my meaning!). Mum has told me he was wounded just the once but I've never been able to find out when. She thought it was 1917 as he got married then when he was home on leave. Again new info which gives me a new start - many thanks.

Llew - He certainly lived in the St Margarets area but having got married in 1917 to my Grandmother who was from Yeovil, perhaps he was registered there. His Father was initially a pawnbroker and then a travelling salesman in the Boot and Shoe trade so he could well have moved around. In the 1911 census we have him as living in rooms elsewhere in Leicester but otherwise he has been elusive to trace. Again though some new information for me to follow up. I understood he was he was discharged in January 1919 and my Mother was born in October 1919 in Leicester - she is still alive but unfortunately suffers from dementia so cannot help unless she has a moment of lucidity.

Once again many thanks for all the help and information.

David

David