nickmj Posted 16 July , 2017 Share Posted 16 July , 2017 Evening all. I recently discovered that my Grandfather was a Driver for the 1st London Regiment for about 18 months from March 1915 serving from northern France down to the Somme. What exactly would have been the duties of a Driver obviously apart from driving, but driving what etc. Any info gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 16 July , 2017 Share Posted 16 July , 2017 Could be horses or vehicles. Do you have service number or have you found him on a census which might give an occupation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickmj Posted 16 July , 2017 Author Share Posted 16 July , 2017 He was Private 1319, Regimental Number 200126, He was a boiler worker before signing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 16 July , 2017 Share Posted 16 July , 2017 To the best of my knowledge, Infantry battalions did not have mechanical transport in the Great War. Therefore he is likely to have been a driver of a horse in the transport platoon. The horses drew small wagons carrying ammunition or the cook's trailer. For a first hand source on the roles, get hold a copy of "Four years on the Western Front" bu Aubrey Smith who was in the Transport Platoon of 1/5th London Regiment There are lots of reprint available including http://www.naval-military-press.com/four-years-on-the-western-front.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 16 July , 2017 Share Posted 16 July , 2017 Can you give his name so I can look for any service records? Did he survive the war? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 16 July , 2017 Share Posted 16 July , 2017 (edited) 11 minutes ago, johnboy said: Can you give his name so I can look for any service records? Did he survive the war? No service record on FMP or Ancestry. I think Delta is correct. Horse driver for the battalion transport (1st London - R.F). A.S.C drove motor transport. Edited 16 July , 2017 by GWF1967 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 16 July , 2017 Share Posted 16 July , 2017 1 hour ago, delta said: For a first hand source on the roles, get hold a copy of "Four years on the Western Front" bu Aubrey Smith who was in the Transport Platoon of 1/5th London Regiment There are lots of reprint available including http://www.naval-military-press.com/four-years-on-the-western-front.html There is an interesting topic about the author Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickmj Posted 19 July , 2017 Author Share Posted 19 July , 2017 Thanks for all your replies, yes he did survive the war but there are no service records online as he was probably a victim of the burnt records. I only found out about his service after meeting up with a long lost cousin recently who had some papers. He was Albert George Housden and a regular soldier who signed up in 1909. After being a Driver and coming home after 18 months on the front he was a Groom in the Army and described as a 'first class shot' on his 'certificate of employment during the war', so must have fired a rifle in battle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 19 July , 2017 Share Posted 19 July , 2017 Quite likely he saw action, either before or during his time as a driver. The Transport Platoon was a highly suitable place for an experienced ex Regular as he would have understood the needs of the role implicitly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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