Colgot Posted 8 February , 2018 Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Apologies in advance for my lack of knowledge. I'm researching Richard John Jones, Private 1931, 6 Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. His medal card shows '2c Balkans'. I'm aware of 2a and 2b but not 2c. Is this an error or could it mean Suvla Bay, C beach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 February , 2018 Share Posted 9 February , 2018 10 hours ago, Colgot said: Apologies in advance for my lack of knowledge. I'm researching Richard John Jones, Private 1931, 6 Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. His medal card shows '2c Balkans'. I'm aware of 2a and 2b but not 2c. Is this an error or could it mean Suvla Bay, C beach? Hi Colgot, Welcome to the forum, I have had a look at the medal index card and I believe it is 2b, if you look at the "b" in Labour Corps written in the same hand it looks the same. As you are aware "b" is Galipoli and this fits with the 1/6th RWF who were at Galipoli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 9 February , 2018 Share Posted 9 February , 2018 10 hours ago, Colgot said: His medal card shows '2c Balkans'. I'm aware of 2a and 2b but not 2c. Colgot As Mark has already suggested the Medal Index Card shows 2b and not 2c, there wasn’t a theatre code 2c for the 1915/1915 Star. This is borne out on the actual medal roll which clearly states 2b with an entry date of 11.8.15. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colgot Posted 9 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2018 Thanks gents....I'm learning quickly! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 February , 2018 Share Posted 9 February , 2018 54 minutes ago, Colgot said: Thanks gents....I'm learning quickly! Colin If you like, I can give you an idea when he joined the Labour Corps based on his number, they were allocated in blocks and I have a book at home with a reference table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 9 February , 2018 Share Posted 9 February , 2018 4 hours ago, Gardenerbill said: If you like, I can give you an idea when he joined the Labour Corps based on his number, they were allocated in blocks and I have a book at home with a reference table. Pte 193982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 February , 2018 Share Posted 9 February , 2018 Colin, Labour Coprs number 193982 was allocated june to September 1917. This information comes from the book 'No Labour, No Battle - Military Labour During the First World War' John Starling and Ivor Lee. There are several possible reasons why Pte Richard Jones was transferred to the Labours Corps, usually it was because a man was no longer fit for front line duty, this could be due to a wound, an injury or the effects of an illness. The numbers tended to be allocated in blocks so again looking at service records for near numbers, may give a clue to which unit he served in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colgot Posted 9 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2018 I'm reasonably competent with general family history research but moving into military records is something new! Fortunately I was able to obtain both his service and medical discharge records through FMP. Unfortunately that only raises more questions! His age at enlistment and discharge seems random. His real age would have been 35 in 1914 but he is recorded as 39, then on discharge, four years later, as 46. Did they just pick a number? His home, Penygroes, held the drill hall for C company, 6 Bat., RWF. At his age was it likely that he was already a territorial soldier? Record shows that (thanks to you) that he was at Gallipoli, then Egypt, then a few weeks in France before back to the UK 16 December 1916. Next entry is transfer to Kings Liverpool Labour Corps. 3 April 1917, then 1st Labour Battalion, 15 June 1917 to Agricultural Company Depot, 30 June 1917 to 419th company. Then awol 26 June 1918 to 8 July 1018, then trfd to 393, then 392 labour companies. His medical discharge papers seem to confuse! He is referred to as G.P.I. but only first observed 3 August 1918 (as recorded...eighteen months after return from foreign service). He receives a medical discharge, with pension. The records up to referral, state that there is no indication of syphilis but the final assessment appears to attribute his condition to syphilis! ...'hoping to be corrected and put on the right track, Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 9 February , 2018 Share Posted 9 February , 2018 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Colgot said: I'm reasonably competent with general family history research but moving into military records is something new! Fortunately I was able to obtain both his service and medical discharge records through FMP. Unfortunately that only raises more questions! His age at enlistment and discharge seems random. His real age would have been 35 in 1914 but he is recorded as 39, then on discharge, four years later, as 46. Did they just pick a number? His home, Penygroes, held the drill hall for C company, 6 Bat., RWF. At his age was it likely that he was already a territorial soldier? Record shows that (thanks to you) that he was at Gallipoli, then Egypt, then a few weeks in France before back to the UK 16 December 1916. Next entry is transfer to Kings Liverpool Labour Corps. 3 April 1917, then 1st Labour Battalion, 15 June 1917 to Agricultural Company Depot, 30 June 1917 to 419th company. Then awol 26 June 1918 to 8 July 1018, then trfd to 393, then 392 labour companies. His medical discharge papers seem to confuse! He is referred to as G.P.I. but only first observed 3 August 1918 (as recorded...eighteen months after return from foreign service). He receives a medical discharge, with pension. The records up to referral, state that there is no indication of syphilis but the final assessment appears to attribute his condition to syphilis! ...'hoping to be corrected and put on the right track, Colin #1931 was allocated 22 Sep 1914 and he declared he had no prior service. Craig Edited 9 February , 2018 by ss002d6252 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colgot Posted 9 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2018 Thanks Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 10 February , 2018 Share Posted 10 February , 2018 392 and 393 were Home Service Labour Companies based at Whitechurch and Pembroke Dock respectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colgot Posted 11 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2018 Thanks Mark..it drops into place. That explains how he appeared at Pembroke military hospital then referred to the Welsh Metropolitan, Whitchurch, Nr Cardiff! I'm still confused about his medical discharge reasoning. The referral and discharge appear to contradict! Was he suffering from the advanced stages of syphilis? If so why was his condition recorded as 'temporary'. Why does the record show that his condition was aggravated by active service (I think). Also looking at his service records; the scanned form of service, with close to illegible pencilled answers, appears to show that he was overseas until 1917! Not December 1916! I'm on a huge learning curve. Thanks for your support but is it best that I raise such questions in more specific areas of the forum? Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 11 February , 2018 Share Posted 11 February , 2018 Hi Colin, If you are struggling with wording on his service record probably best to post a an image of the part of the page on the 'Interpreting Documents' sub forum, that's what I tend to do, other eyes on the document often help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colgot Posted 11 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2018 Thanks, I'll give it a shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now