James N Anderson 73301

[wingers]

Hi

 

Can anyone help me find more information on Private James N Anderson, 73301, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

 

I have his medals and want to find out more about him

 

Thank you

[Mark1959]

Medal Roll shows service with 2nd and 16th Battn. Shows middle name as Neils.

 A possible would be a man with that name born 11/9/1898 Toxteth, Liverpool.

Edited 11 October , 2018 by Mark1959

[wingers]

thanks for reply - I had got what I though was medal roll but it didn't show that information, so can I ask where you are looking

 

 

[sotonmate]

No war zone service until after Dec 1915. It seems that he may have been serving at home in 1914 because there are 2 entries for him for that year in Forces War Records. You need a sub to read what it says, maybe someone here can help with that. Serving in 2 Battalions is usually the result of withdrawal from one for such as sickness or wounds and then returning to active service by being drafted to another Battalion, or being posted to an Infantry Base Depot in France and drafted to another Battalion then because the need for replacements was greater in the second unit.

So, in 1916 2 Battalion was with 19 Inf Bde of 33 Division, and 16 Battalion 115 Inf Bde of 38 Division.

You need to unravel the change dates in order to get a picture of the soldier's service by seeing Unit War Diaries.

Edited 12 October , 2018 by sotonmate

[Mark1959]

Do not be fooled by the FWR the 2 records merely reflect the medal card. Most 1914 records on FWR are just the medals. So if there are only 1 or 2 "1914" records on FWR it is probably just the medals. So sotonmate, not evidence of early service I am afraid. Pretty poor on FWR's part methinks. 

Wingers - the card is an index card. The index for the medal roll. The roll will sometimes contain additional information. Roll details available on Ancestry. The numbers against the medal indicate which roll book and what page the entry is on. 

No surviving service papers found to date.

Edited 12 October , 2018 by Mark1959

[wingers]

Thank you both for your replies

 

@Mark - I found the card I posted on Ancestry, but couldn't find the "roll" or wherever you found out he was in 2nd and 16th - can you point me to where on Ancestry this is for future reference - thanks

[Mark1959]

Here we go

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=nCP5858&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&db=iwoservicemedalawardrolls&gsfn=james neils&gsln=anderson&gsfn_x=NP_NN_NIC&gsln_x=NP_NN&cp=11&msypn__ftp=toxteth, lancashire, england, united kingdom&msypn=1669727&msbdy=1898&qh=7aBXJiSyqkMY1PN7QgnZKw%3D%3D&new=1&rank=1&redir=false&uidh=aoc&gss=angs-d&pcat=39&fh=0&h=3254647&recoff=5 6 7&ml_rpos=1

Unfortunately does not provide dates. Also shows some time at Infantry Base Depots whilst overseas. 

[corisande]

This is the record on Ancestry - Click

[wingers]

Thank you both - seems my Essentials membership didn't allow access which is why I couldn't find them - upgraded and now sorted - thanks again

[wingers]

Was hoping to find a service record so I could piece together more, but can't see one on Ancestry so perhaps doesn't exist?

[RussT]

 If you look at his medal roll and men with similar RWF service numbers, you will find them in surname alphabetical order, indicative of men being re-numbered at the same time and place.

 

The series goes from at least 73298 Airey to 73499 Wood, so circa 200 men.

 

So you could look for service records of men within this number range and you should spot a pattern of movements which would mirror those for your man.

 

A quick look shows these were young men (18 yr olds) being called up to training reserve battalions but then posted to the RWF upon being sent to the BEF at 5th Infantry Base Depot on 30/10/1917, posted to 2/RWF on 01/11/1917 and joining them in the field on 11/11/1917.

 

Regards

 

Russ

 

 

[wingers]

Thanks Russ