Army Veterinary Corps

[20th Division]

Wonder if any one can help please? I am trying to locate the division that the following soldier served in :-

                579  Staff Sergeant  G. Langley. Army Veterinary Corps. Mentioned in despatches  LG 1/1/16 --p71. 

[Ron Clifton]

He probably did not serve in any division as a staff-sergeant - the establishment of a mobile vet section, which was the divisional vet unit, had no staff-sergeants on their establishment.

 

He probably served on the lines of communication, with a veterinary section or a veterinary hospital. I don't think that the L of C War Diaries have been digitised yet, so a personal visit to Kew would be necessary, but at least there will be fewer diaries than the divisions. But be aware that a mention in despatches may not be noted in the war diaries.

 

I assume that the despatch referred to was from France - probably the last despatch from Sir John French - but if it was from the C-in-C in another theatre, it might be easier to track him down.

 

Good hunting!

 

Ron

[20th Division]

Good morning Ron. Thanks for this information. I was hoping the man I am researching ( C or maybe G Langley) may have been attached to the 60th division. I have this sparse information about him from a small piece of trench art which records his theatres of war which tallies with the 60th div.----PLUS soldered to it a Warrant Officer's crown badge---but this could easily have been added for decorative purposes rather than as a reflection of any rank he may have held. I'll keep trying and will follow up your suggestion. Again thanks---and a happy and healthy new year to you. Regards. Dave.

Edited 3 January , 2019 by 20th Division
rank error

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Dave

 

These are the War Diary references for the vet units of 60 Division, and for vet units on the Lines of Communication for the theatres in which the division served. I think that only the first two diaries are available to download online fro Kew, or free if you have access to Ancestry.

 

60 DIVISION - FRANCE
WO 95/3026 Assistant Director Veterinary Services 1916 June - Nov.  
WO 95/3029 2/2 London Mobile Veterinary Section 1916 June - Nov.  

L OF C TROOPS - FRANCE
WO 95/4153 1 Veterinary Hospital 1914 Aug. - 1916 June  
WO 95/4154 1 Veterinary Hospital 1916 July - 1917 Oct.  
WO 95/4154 2 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Jan. - 1916 Dec.  
WO 95/4155 2 Veterinary Hospital 1917 Jan. - 1919 Aug.  
WO 95/4155 3 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Aug. - Dec.  
WO 95/4155 3 Veterinary Hospital 1917 June - 1919 July  
WO 95/4156 4 Veterinary Hospital 1915 June - 1919 Dec.  
WO 95/4156 5 Veterinary Hospital 1914 Aug. - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4157 6 Veterinary Hospital 1914 Aug. - 1919 July  
WO 95/4157 7 Veterinary Hospital 1914 Aug. - 1919 Aug.  
WO 95/4158 8 Veterinary Hospital 1914 Oct. - 1919 June  
WO 95/4158 9 Veterinary Hospital 1914 Sept. - 1919 May  
WO 95/4158 10 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Sept. - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4159 12 Veterinary Hospital 1915 June - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4159 13 Veterinary Hospital 1915 June - 1919 June  
WO 95/4159 14 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Sept. - 1919 May  
WO 95/4159 15 Veterinary Hospital 1918 Mar. - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4160 19 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Sept. - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4160 22 Veterinary Hospital 1917 Apr. - Nov.  
WO 95/4160 23 Veterinary Hospital 1916 May - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4160 24 Veterinary Hospital 1917 June - 1919 Oct.  

12 CORPS - MACEDONIA
WO 95/4820 Assistant Director Veterinary Services 1918 Sept. - 1919 Feb.  
16 CORPS - MACEDONIA
WO 95/4826 Assistant Director Veterinary Services 1918 Sept. - 1919 Feb.  

60 DIVISION - MACEDONIA
WO 95/4926 Assistant Director Veterinary Services 1916 Dec. - 1917 June  
WO 95/4927 2/2 London Mobile Veterinary Section 1916 Dec. - 1917 June  

L OF C TROOPS - MACEDONIA
WO 95/4941 11 Veterinary Hospital 1916 Nov. - 1919 May  
WO 95/4941 15 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Dec. - 1917 Dec.  
WO 95/4942 17 Veterinary Hospital 1916 Mar. - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4942 18 Veterinary Hospital 1916 Aug. - 1919 Nov.  
WO 95/4942 30 Veterinary Hospital 1917 Feb. - 1918 May  
WO 95/4942 4 Base Depot Veterinary Stores 1915 Dec. - 1919 Aug.  

60 DIVISION - EGYPT
WO 95/4662 Assistant Director Veterinary Services 1917 July - 1919 Apr.  
WO 95/4666 2/2 London Mobile Veterinary Section 1917 July - 1919 Mar.  

L OF C TROOPS - EGYPT & PALESTINE
WO 95/4716 Deputy Director Veterinary Services 1915 Nov. - 1916 Oct.  
WO 95/4721 55 Mobile Veterinary Section 1916 Oct. - 1917 May  
WO 95/4726 Assistant Director Veterinary Services 1917 May - 1919 May  
WO 95/4754 11 Veterinary Hospital 1915 May - 1916 Oct.  
WO 95/4754 16 Veterinary Hospital 1916 Jan. - 1919 Sept.  
WO 95/4754 17 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Mar. - July  
WO 95/4754 18 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Mar. - 1916 July  
WO 95/4754 20 Veterinary Hospital 1917 Mar. - 1919 May  
WO 95/4755 21 Veterinary Hospital 1915 Nov. - 1919 May  
WO 95/4755 26 Veterinary Hospital 1916 July - 1919 Oct.  
WO 95/4755 31 Veterinary Hospital 1918 Feb. - 1919 Apr.  
 

It's rather a big haystack to search for possible needles, but at least the 60 Division diaries for Egypt should be an easy starting point. From the date of the LG entry, you should be able to eliminate most of the diaries anyway.

 

Good luck, and best wishes for 2019,

 

Ron

[DavidOwen]

I was struggling to find an ordinary MIC for the man, then came across this chap - might he be the same soldier?

Apologies if it is a red herring.

(Image courtesy of Ancestry free access)

[20th Division]

Good afternoon Ron and David, Some good leads here and THANK YOU. ----I WILL have to join "ANCESTRY" ---that's for sure- I think I've put it off for too long. Re the list of diary ref's Ron---I can see some interesting dates they cover as a starter. Maybe some clues.

   David---thanks for the search --I don't think this is the man though --the unit is of course right but he was a "Staff Sergeant" in late 1915 when he got his MID on 1/1/16--but he WAS an old-timer by then so he could have climbed from Pt to W.O. by that date I guess. I'm still hoping to tie in this man ( C or G Langley) with the 60th division in some way. Again---thank you both for giving me good reasons to join "Ancestry"! Regards. Dave.