Kings Royal Rifle Corps, John W Ward, 8377

[Mespot18thDiv]

Hello.  I have obtained what details I have from my Grandfather's Medal card (doesn't seem to be anything else on the internet - that I can find, but I haven't been down to Kew yet). 

I was told that he joined the Territorials with his mates in York, whilst working for the North Eastern Railway and then found himself enlisted.  Noted that he was in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, 8377 and then the 18th Indian Machine Gun Corps Battalion, 11543. Awarded a Kurdistan clasp form service in Mesopotamia.  I know from the 1939 Electoral Roll that he served as a soldier 1915 - 1920, so it looks as though he was in Mesopotamia for the postwar uprising (it also said that his deafness had been caused by dysentery, not the machine guns as I had always thought).  Date of birth 4 5 1890.  Unusually (and good for me), he has his family address on his medal card, so I know it is definitely his.  I think this is probably because he joined the Territorials with a railway lodging house address.  I attach a photograph of him, in what looks like a cheap, belt-less uniform, with MGC badge on cap. I don't have a photograph of him in a KRRC uniform. 

 

I would appreciate any details that would help me put some flesh on these bare bones, as I have been on this trail for some years … off and on.