Various Regiments where ancestors served

[jonbem]

hi all

my ancestors that I have found who served in WW1 all lived in the Hull & East Yorkshire area.

WARD, Frederick, Private (50236). Northumberland Fusiliers, 27th Bt
27563 Pte Sydney James Ward MGC
Stanley Maurice Downs 3616 & S/23928 7th Cameron Highlanders
Albert Henry Downs 13948 West Yorkshire Regiment - MM.

Am I right in thinking that their diverse range of regiment was due to "quotas" being reached, even though they probably wanted to join, say, the East Yorkshires or the Green Howards, and so were recruited to where needed?

regards

Jon

[Coldstreamer]

Or joined with mates.

Very common not to be in the "local " regiment

[kenmorrison]

Frederick Ward - No date on Medal Card so a post 1915 date for joining the Tyneside Irish.

S J Ward - No other regiment on Medal Card. Enlisted 29/11/1915. Discharged 18/5/1918.

Silver War Badge 426183.

S M Downs - Enlisted in Inverness and went to France 10/11/1915. Battalion had landed four months earlier.

A H Downs - went to France with the 12th Battalion 10/9/1915. Awarded M.M. with 10th Battalion, London Gazette 7/2/1919 p.2104.

Ken

[kenf48]

Re Frederick Ward

Probably In the 80th Training Reserve Bn

To France 31 IBD (Etaples) early March 1917.

Posted to NF at Base Depot on or around 19 March

Joined Bn in the field on or around 30.3.1917.

Re S. J. Ward

There are in the records a couple of Yorkshire men who enlisted in the 12th KOYLI (Leeds) and joined at Killinghall Moor Camp near Harrogate. Transferred to MGC 13 March 1916 and embarked France 17th May. Officers from the MGC would visit training/home units to find suitable recruits for the MGC.

These went to 94th Coy MGC though can't assume your man did, however 94th Brigade 31st Division was formed principally from 'Pals' Battalions from Sheffield, Barnsley and of course Accrington. The 31st Division was essentially Yorkshire and Lancashire 'Pals' and the attached MGC Companies joined their respective Brigades in May 1916.

Ken, the other one!

[jonbem]

Thanks Ken(s) for your input.

Maybe I should have explained a little more.

I have seen examples of "Call up" papers, e.g.http://www.1914-1918.net/msa1916-3.html

after The Military Service Act of 27 January 1916

where the person was required to present themselves at a certain location with no mention of regiment.

I was wondering if there was just one regiment represented in the recruiting office, or several in the same place.

I presume this applied to Fred Ward, he enlisted at Richmond according to SDGW. (October 1916 I think)

This is reasonable as he worked at Ampleforth on the railway (37 miles away), in the Howardian Hills.

With Richmond being home to the Green Howards (in the castle at the time I think), that would suggest a potential for that regiment. Although Ripon is only 25 miles from Ampleforth.

But he went into the Norhumberland Fusiliers 27th Btn TI, although that was probably in France from the training reserve as suggested.

Also there was, and still is, a wide variety of regiments at Catterick Garrison just 3 miles from Richmond.

SJ Ward attested at Ripon Nov 1915 into 32nd Northumberland Fusiliers before transfer to 121st MGC March 1916.

Similarly, if SM Downs went to Ripon (I think Inverness is detailed as enlistment but 7th Cameron Highlanders probably at Ripon by that time), there too was a wide range of regiments in training, including The West Yorks which his brother AH Downs went into.

I think Ripon was established/expanded under Kitchener plans in 1914,and Catterick by suggestion of Baden Powell in 1914 too.

It just piqued my interest that 4 of my great (and grt grt) uncles essentially were representing England, Ireland and Scotland.

regards

Jon

Edited 17 April , 2016 by jonbem

[Michael Peck]

The North Eastern Railway Company raised the 17th Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers in Hull in September 1914. Perhaps Fred had mates already in, or perhaps the company retained an interest in the Fusiliers and 'encouraged' men toward the regiment?

Just a thought!

Mike.

[jonbem]

Hi Mike

The Downs brothers lived in Hull, both were clerks (one shipping,one corn merchant)

The Ward Brothers both worked for the railways both porters, both at very small stations/halts, Ampleforth (50 miles from Hull) & Lowthorpe (22miles)

So with no railway engineering skills as such, and agricultural background, young lad porters?

Also, the 17th NF had moved to Catterick June 1915 and was in France November 1915.

regards

Jon