Advice please

[Radargk]

I suspect there is already an ongoing topic for the question I’m asking and that is which are the best online sites to find out about ww1 soldiers, I’ve taken a keen interest regarding a great uncle and great grandfather as I’ve recently been given my great uncles war medals. He was with the royal inniskillin fusiliers and from Scotland. I assumed that the number on the medals were unique to him but strangely when I look it up there were 2 identical names, two different ranks and one died during the war. I’m also having problems finding my great grandfathers records I suppose this could be down to destruction or just poorly kept records. So once again any guidance would be very much appreciated 

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. I would say that you have found the best online site! In order for members to help you, we will need names and as much information as you have.

Also have a read here

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/

 

Michelle 

[tullybrone]

4 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

Welcome to the forum. I would say that you have found the best online site! In order for members to help you, we will need names and as much information as you have.

Also have a read here

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/

 

Michelle 

Michelle,

 

I’m surmising that perhaps the OP is asking which are the best “paid for” online sites?

 

There have been several

topics comparing Ancestry to FMP (and other sites) in the past.

 

Steve 

 

 

[weshallremember]

if you put the his number from the medals and full name and as many details as possible on here

people will be able to help.

regards

trevor

[Radargk]

 Hi all. I e been so busy and I apologise for the slow response. There Are 2 medals a bronze and a silver the name and number that reads

 

C Gallocher 22326 PTE R.IINIS.FUS On both. He was born and raised in Glasgow as far as I can tell but there is a good chance he may have been born in Ireland. I’ve found information about this person but it says he was killed in action in 1915 ? Any info or advice you can give me would be great.

 

 

[Matlock1418]

32 minutes ago, Radargk said:

There Are 2 medals a bronze and a silver the name and number that reads

 

C Gallocher 22326 PTE R.IINIS.FUS On both

Medal Index Card on Ancestry reads: Charles Gallocher, R[oyal] Innis[killing] Fus[iliers], Pte. 22326

With Medal Rolls B/102B.17 page 721 for a British War Medal [your silver one] and a [British] Victory Medal [your 'bronze' /gilt one] 

Not found another MIC so seems not eligible for a 1914 or 1914/15 Star.  Thus went overseas on/after 1 January 1916 - but theatre of war is not given on MIC

Edited 23 October , 2019 by Matlock1418
correction

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

C Gallocher's CWGC entry:

 

Lance Corporal GALLOCHER, C

Service Number 22326

Died 06/04/1916

Aged 18

7th Bn.
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Son of Daniel and Matilda Gallocher, of 84, Oran, Maryhill, Glasgow.

[Matlock1418]

28 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

C Gallocher's CWGC entry:

Lance Corporal GALLOCHER, C

Service Number 22326

Died 06/04/1916

CWGC online site and the Graves Register document gives surname as Gallocher and records as "Killed in action"

Buried at Philosphe British Cemetery, Mazigarbe - think you may reasonably assume his first/only theatre of war was France & Flanders

However note the Grave Registration Report Form [which were often originally inaccurate and corrected for the Graves Register] gives a surname of "Gallagher" - might be worth also searching under that name as he might have served under an alias of Gallagher.

Names do seem to often be quite 'flexible' so he might perhaps have alternatively been born Gallagher - just a hypothesis/suggestion that you might explore if coming up blank otherwise.

His rank was as a Private - but it appears he held the appointment of Lance Corporal [this was not a rank at the time - but the latter is what has been used by CWGC] 

Please remember that the majority service records of British soldiers were destroyed during the WW2 blitz so such records may not exist for your g-uncle- but then again they might so worth searching some more.

His Pension record card as Gallocher is held the Western Front Association in conjunction with Ancestry - visible through membership paywalls

It records his mother, Mrs. Matilda Gallocher, as receiving a pension of 5/- [5 shillings] per week from 3 April 1917 and address as 84 Oran Street, Maryhill, Glasgow [very similar to CWGC] - as she is quoted as his dependant [i.e. dependant on him] this might suggest his father was not around, possibly dead in 1917

Good luck

Edited 23 October , 2019 by Matlock1418
addition

[Guest]

Good Afternoon, Radargk. Welcome to the Forum.  As I have been bashing away at a local (London) casualty  who served with  Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, then I have diverted  to look up a few details of your man.

 

    As above, his name should more properly be "Gallacher" but small mistakes in spelling are common with CWGC (and nothing blameworthy,given the administrative task they ha in a pre-computer era)

   Yes, he is Scottish born, not Irish born. As  far as I can see he enlisted sometime very shortly before 2nd April 1915-probably within the previous week. His  father was given his War Gratuity-this was of £3 only- which denotes under a year of service (but usually add 3 months for basic training, which doesnt count).  His back pay was moved from his father, Daniel William, to his brother Daniel-which suggests that the father died sometime in late 1916 when these things were settled. His brother Daniel is listed as being  Sergeant 5089 in the Machine Gun Corps.

   Your man was a volunteer, not a conscript  but his assignment to the Inniskillings may be for one of 2 reasons- either, because of Irish heritage (?), that is what he chose-or because he was assigned to that battalion-  Irish regiments were topped up  from non-Irish recruits throughout the war as conscription was never introduced (or rather,enforced) in Ireland- thus, it is likely that he may have been posted to the Inniskillings as part of a draft of Glasgow men with Irish connections to keep up the numbers.

   The War Diary for his battalion shows that he was kiled while the battalion was in the front line-   the diary records only casualties  from heavy German shelling, between 1.05pm and 2.45pm on that day and CWGC records that he was one of 12 fatalities of the 7th Inniskillings of that day.

  Thus, he was one of "wastage" casualties from just holding the front line. He received British War and Victory medals. There is no record of him receiving the 1915 Star, awarded to those who served overseas before the end of 1915-this indicates that he had arrived in France sometime after 1st January 1916-so he  lasted no more than 3 months in France

 

   

[Matlock1418]

As above, his name should more properly be "Gallacher" but small mistakes in spelling are common with CWGC

So as not to potentially confuse Radargk [and for my own clarification - I'm a bit confused now!]

Radargk's post #5 gives Gallocher off his medals

MIC gives Gallocher

Pension card gives Gallocher [twice]

CWGC gives Gallocher [twice on site and also twice on GR - but with Gallagher once on GRRF]

You now introduce Gallacher - just wondering the source (which I am sure Radargk would appreciate too) and its reliability

Or perhaps a typo somewhere?? - Where???

Has anyone seen the Medal Roll?

His mum, Mrs. G, was around in 1917 - what do other records say about the possible alternative spelling of her surname? - ? 1911 Census for example, Marriage etc. ??

M

[Guest]

Hi Matlock, the  reference is from Soldiers Effects -which will not copy onto here.   In my experience , Soldiers Effects has always been the most accurate in names-being based on a contemporary reading of the individual soldier's file. The acid test is the  birth name, though even that is not sacrosanct as all who have tripped over ad hoc changes of names will know.

   No intent to confuse.  I did not want to do the family history but I will have a look now- Scottish records are a little more awkward to access  south of Hadrian's Wall.

 

 

 

Hi Matlock-looks as though Ancestry transcription of SE is wrong-My apologies. I have just run the brother's details- William Gallocher, not Gallacher- and the good news is that he was a Company Sergeant-Major in the MGC

 

    I will ask Ancestry to correct the entry

 

[Radargk]

Oh my goodness me what can I say other than thank you toes h of you for all help and support. I have no family history for the first 40+ years as I was brought up in care homes. I was lucky to trace an uncle on my maternal side and had a wonderful 20year relationship with him and his wife. Unfortunately he died unexpectedly last year and his wife gave me as much information as she could and the medals but didn’t know much about his grandmothers side. I’ve absolutely loved the detective work but when clues dry up it’s difficult. I will continue with the research as guided by you lovely people 

[Heid the Ba]

I suspect the address of the parents should be "84 Oran Street" which was tenements at the time but has been redeveloped.  An Irish background would not have been unusual in that area.

[Radargk]

1 hour ago, Heid the Ba said:

I suspect the address of the parents should be "84 Oran Street" which was tenements at the time but has been redeveloped.  An Irish background would not have been unusual in that area.

I know for a fact that my uncles was born and lived in Oran street as did a lot of his family so it’s on the right track. I’ll confess I was starting to give up hope of finding anything on Charles Gallocher. I know his mother was irish so it makes perfect sense.  I also was wondered are the medals given to family members?  

[Radargk]

A massive thanks to everyone as you’ve helped me more than I hoped for. The information you gave me has led to me actually finding my great uncle final resting place the Philosophe British Cemetery Mazingarbe in Pas de Calais. He died on the 06/04/1916 at the age of 18yrs old. It made me cry at how desperate things must have been as he died not as a private but a Lance Corporal. The reason I felt sadness is what responsibility these young kids had to deal with every single day. The timing of my search is uncanny and quite spooky as I’ve just found out that my 14yrs grandson are visiting that very cemetery in feb 2020. I’ve printed of a map to show where exactly great uncle Charles is buried so I’m saving one poppy to be placed at his resting place. Again, all of you have made this possible and as I said someone up there is definitely watching over me.

kind wishes to each of you 

Glynis

[sadbrewer]

On 29/10/2019 at 15:29, Radargk said:

I know for a fact that my uncles was born and lived in Oran street as did a lot of his family so it’s on the right track. I’ll confess I was starting to give up hope of finding anything on Charles Gallocher. I know his mother was irish so it makes perfect sense.  I also was wondered are the medals given to family members?  

 

A little snippet from the British Newspaper Archive 

 

 

Edited 5 November , 2019 by sadbrewer