Royal Garrison Artillery Soldier E. Seabrook

[jm288]

Hello all, 

I am currently researching my partner's family tree and trying to see whether or not I have the correct person.

I need help interepreting Ernest Seabrook's medal index card. I have read the article on 'Long Long Trail' about medal index card and have unpicked a few bits but need some confirmation.

On his medal index card he is recorded as a private that was part of the Hertforshire regiment (3855, 266161) then as part of the RGA (228933).

 

I can see that he received the Victory medal and British War Medal and has the code 'Roll: RGA/251B1  Page:5246' written next to each of those.

 

I am aware that this means he was in the Royal Garrison Artillery but what does the rest represent or have I interpreted all the data that I already can?

 

Any help or history on the Royal Garrison Artillery from the Hertfordshire area would be greatly appreciated!

[ss002d6252]

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I am aware that this means he was in the Royal Garrison Artillery but what does the rest represent or have I interpreted all the data that I already can?

It indicates who issues his medals - the admin work was done by whichever unit hr was with at the time they were issued.

Quote

On his medal index card he is recorded as a private that was part of the Hertforshire regiment (3855, 266161)

He was a territorial force soldiers with the Herts but didn't move to the RGA until after early 1917. It appears only the 1/1st Bn of the Herts served overseas so his service was with them/

Can't see a 1914-15 Star for him so looks like he first went overseas after 1 Jan 1916.

The switch to the RGA may have been after injury or illness which required a period of hospitalisation and resulted in him being sent where the army needed him once he was fit for service again.

Craig

[Mark1959]

There are 2 MICs for him.

One under E Seabrook and mistakenly tagged by ancestry as Herefordshire Regiment. This refers to a Herts 1/1st battalion 1914/5 Star roll. Qualified for 1914/5 Star by going to France on 10/7/15. Usefully give a discharge date - says disembodied 7/3/1919

The British Was and Victory Medal roll does not add anything to the info on the MIC

[jm288]

Ok this is interesting as the dates do not line up with the Ernest Seabrook I have in my family tree as he was born in 1900 so 1914 1st battalion would be too early for him to join, surely?

Thank you so much for taking the time to clarify and reply to me. 

Have a great week!

Edited 28 August , 2017 by jm288

[ss002d6252]

26 minutes ago, jm288 said:

Ok this is interesting as the dates do not line up with the Ernest Seabrook I have in my family tree as he was born in 1900 so 1914 1st battalion would be too early for him to join, surely?

Thank you so much for taking the time to clarify and reply to me. 

Have a great week!

A boy could join the territorial force from age 14 but, if he looked a bit older then it was reasonably easy to enlist as an older man. Only minimal checking of age etc was done and assuming no-one notified the army he had lied about his age they may never discover a person's true age.

The Herefordshire number # 3855 was allocated on or around 27 Oct 1914.

Any idea where he was born / was living pre-war ?

Craig

Edited 28 August , 2017 by ss002d6252

[ss002d6252]

There was an Ernest Seabook conscripted in Feb 1918 to the Royal Horse Artillery. The address is given as 46 Ashleigh Road, Morden. This man was most likely an 18 year old conscripted under the military service act.

Craig

[jm288]

 

That's interesting about the Royal Horse Artillery.  Ernest was born in Hemel Hempstead and stayed around that area for the rest of his life. I will look into this address though, thank you.