beth76 Posted 4 July , 2016 Share Posted 4 July , 2016 I am hoping someone will be able to point me in the right direction with my research of my Great Grandfather's service. His name is JOHN ROBERT HARRISON LIPPITT, but his medals records have him down as LIPPETT. He was in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps number C75. He received the Silver War Medal (discharged due to illness) so I have his enlistment date and discharge date. He started in the 16th Bttn, I have found their war diary. But his Silver war medal says 6th Bttn on discharge (I can not find their diary online). Is there any way I can determine ish when he changed battalions. I would like to find out if he was in the Battle of the Somme as my Grandfather (now 93) says he was. My Grandfather also says at one point my Great Grandfather was Kitchener's bugler and he can remember a silver bugle in a glass case growing up. I am also wondering whether any of his service records would remain as he served as home guard in Leicester in WW2. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 4 July , 2016 Share Posted 4 July , 2016 6th Battalion was a reserve battalion (see http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/kings-royal-rifle-corps/), so it's likely that after he became ill he was posted to them in the period immediately prior to his discharge. He will have a Home Guard record held by the MOD, but these were not linked to earlier service records, there will just be a statement there saying he had had previous service in the army, though occasionally you find a slightly more detailed entry in that field. 16th KRRC was the Church Lad's Brigade battalion, with that low a service number I'd image he was an original recruit (suggesting he was a CLB member before the war). There are people on here with an interest in the battalion, so do a forum search and you may find more. The CLB also has some archive material which might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liliasodell Posted 4 July , 2016 Share Posted 4 July , 2016 The National Archives announced just before 1 July, that they now have all UK Western Front war diaries available to download on-line. I had a quick peek at service & pension records, looking up by surname (both spellings) and regiment name, but there don't appear to be any. Many were destroyed in WWII, so it's a bit of a lottery! If you go on a presumption that he was on The Somme, the 16th diaries may indicate when they suffered casualties & illness (if they contain this latter detail - not all did), and this might give you some dates to start from. Sometimes, you just have to make a 'best guess' from the info available. Not ideal, but better than nothing! Sorry not to be of more help, and good luck with your hunt. Eljo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth76 Posted 4 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2016 That's great, thank you. I shall look through the 16th bttn's diary to see where they were in the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth76 Posted 4 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2016 1 minute ago, liliasodell said: The National Archives announced just before 1 July, that they now have all UK Western Front war diaries available to download on-line. I had a quick peek at service & pension records, looking up by surname (both spellings) and regiment name, but there don't appear to be any. Many were destroyed in WWII, so it's a bit of a lottery! If you go on a presumption that he was on The Somme, the 16th diaries may indicate when they suffered casualties & illness (if they contain this latter detail - not all did), and this might give you some dates to start from. Sometimes, you just have to make a 'best guess' from the info available. Not ideal, but better than nothing! Sorry not to be of more help, and good luck with your hunt. Eljo Thanks I have his enlistment date and discharge date from his silver war badge record. I will look through the war diary, it is in several sections, to see where he was as it seems the transfer to the 6th bttn would be just prior to his discharge. Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony paley Posted 4 July , 2016 Share Posted 4 July , 2016 Hi Beth, The 16th Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps was in 33rd Division, a New Army Division that arrived on the Somme on 12th July 1916. In reserve for a few days then on 14th July 1916 took part in an attack at Bazentin Ridge. Later that month the Division took part in an attack on High Wood. If you find the link from this site to the Long Long Trail you will find more information on the 33rd division and the battles mentioned. Just a start Tony P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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