POW search Herbert Gregory Walters 8 Bn Ox and Bucks LI and ASC

[Blue Dragoon]

Hello, I'm doing some research for my cousin on one of her ancestors who family legend has it was a POW in WW1, was wounded and had a letter of recognition from the King.(not supported by any held family documentation)

 

I'm in the last chance saloon here as I can only find the following records which can be accurately attributed to him.

 

Name:  Gregory Herbert Walters (or Herbert Gregory Walters)

 

Birth Registered as Gregory Herbert Walters Q1 1899 Aston, Warwicks Vol 6d pg 346

Marriage Registered as Herbert G Walters Q2 1923 Wolverhampton spouse Elizabeth G Barrett

1939 England and Wales Register Gregory H Walters born 17 Dec 1898 107 Pond Lane, Wolverhampton

 

I cannot find any ww1 military or ICRC records that could be attributed to him with any certainty. His regiment/corps is not known 

 

Any help or guidance to confirm or deny family legend appreciated

 

 

[charlie2]

This will be your man https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/1079645/3/2/

[Blue Dragoon]

Great find Charlie, many thanks.  Do you reckon this is him then ?  16207

 

Name:	Herbert G Walters
Regiment or Corps:	Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Army Service Corps
Regimental Number:	1620 7, MR/47668

Edited 8 April , 2019 by Blue Dragoon

[Kath]

There's a family tree on Ancestry with military details:

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/160061674/person/202090876568/story

 

Kath.

[Blue Dragoon]

Crikey, trying to situate this info.  So was he captured as a Private in 8th Bn Ox and Bucks LI (service No 16207)? (2 dates on card show 21.3.18 and 25.4.18).   I'm assuming he was wounded and then ends up as part of the British force in Russia (M.Russia 47668)??  I know in June 1918 the British sent a Brigade strength force to Northern Russia; part landed at Murmansk to deny the Germans the Kola Inlet as a U-boat base and part went to Archangel to assist the anti-Bolsheviks. The British withdrew in September 1919. Any thoughts?

1 minute ago, Kath said:

There's a family tree on Ancestry with military details:

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/160061674/person/202090876568/story

 

Kath.

Hi Kath, yes thats the one I'm doing

[charlie2]

16207 is your man, the name and DoB are the same as you provided. 

 

If you look at the PA and R numbers on his ICRC record, he was captured at St.Quentin/ Fresony on 21.03.1918 while serving with 2/4th OBLI, he  was repatriated on 26.11.1918. He could have transferred to the 8th Bn after his release. His medal roll entry records that he re-enlisted in the RASC on 18.06.1919, so presumably his service in Russia was after that date.

 

25.04.1918 is only the date the ICRC informed his family that he was a PoW.

 

Charlie

[charlie962]

To confuse things further:

There is a 1914/15 Roll (and card- Star only) for HJ(?) Walters 16207 OBLI. To Class Z Reserve 2/4/19.  Landed France 18/9/15. Would only have been 16 at that time if born Dec 1898. Is this him ?

 

Note that he PoW Walters was repatriated to UK 26/11/18.

 

 

[charlie962]

an old GWF thread here on ASC/Russia

[Blue Dragoon]

Really grateful Charlie, many thanks

[Blue Dragoon]

39 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

To confuse things further:

There is a 1914/15 Roll (and card- Star only) for HJ(?) Walters 16207 OBLI. To Class Z Reserve 2/4/19.  Landed France 18/9/15. Would only have been 16 at that time if born Dec 1898. Is this him ?

 

Note that he PoW Walters was repatriated to UK 26/11/18.

 

 

Hi Charlie, it is possible we've assigned the wrong birth record to him.  There is a death record that has a DOB 'Abt 1895' which would fit an earlier attestation/deployment

[charlie2]

I still think 16207 is your man but it looks like I got his OBLI battalions in the wrong order,  it should be 8th then 2/4th. 8th Bn OBLI arrived in France on 18.09.1915 which fits with the date of entry on his 14/15 Star MiC. 

 

The ICRC records give his DoB as 17.12.1898. it would be really too much of a coincidence for two soldiers to have the same DoB and number in the same battalion.

 

Charlie

[charlie962]

Walters HG 16207 is in CasList 1/9/18 as PoW. He is in the PoW section, not the Wounded and PoW section. I note that the ICRC records (unusually ?) don't mention whether or not he was wounded when he was captured.

 

I suggest he could have been wounded when serving with 8th Bn, resulting in his being left behind when 8th went to Salonika and thus him being posted to 2/4th. But I haven't found an appropriate CasList.

 

Charlie 962

 

PS: I note 16204 FosterFD  attested to 8th OBLI on 11/11/1914. Walters would just be coming to his 16th birthday if he attested around same date !

 

Edit- Of course it could be that his true age was discovered and he was sent home before 8th Bn went to Salonika early 1916 then went to France again once at the correct age ?

Edited 8 April , 2019 by charlie962