Harvey H Posted 14 May , 2020 Share Posted 14 May , 2020 Good evening everyone, I hope everyone is well and taking care of themselves in these uncertain times. I recently bought a medal trio from a local lady to a JAF Perrott, Royal Artillery. His service number is L/30779. I’ve managed to find his Medal Index Card which I’ve downloaded and displayed alongside his medals. I was wondering if anyone could help me in finding out what unit within the RA he was with? I discovered that the ‘L’ prefix meant that he locally enlisted in the RA, but whether that meant he ended up attached to a local unit I’m not sure. Im happy to do my own research on his RA unit and the Division he was attached to from there, I’m just not sure how I would find which particular unit he was with. Kindest regards and many thanks in advance, Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 14 May , 2020 Share Posted 14 May , 2020 Harvey, I can't help with the military details, but he appears to be James Frank Edward Perrott, born in West Ham late 1877. He married Annie Georgina Torr in West Ham in 1908, In 1911 he was living in West Ham https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=bmY39730&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&dbid=2352&gsfn=james&gsln=perrott&gsfn_x=1&gsln_x=1&cp=11&new=1&rank=1&uidh=9y4&redir=false&gss=angs-d&pcat=35&fh=0&h=52550658&recoff=&ml_rpos=1&queryId=e97bdd206f1fa588ad578f766d0c8a91 This West Ham connection may provide a link to a particular artilery unit. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 May , 2020 Admin Share Posted 14 May , 2020 36th Divisional (West Ham) Ammunition Column, enlisting mid June 1915 Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 14 May , 2020 Share Posted 14 May , 2020 (edited) Hello again Harvey, Our paths haven't crossed for quite some time and I hope you are well and your studies going to plan. Like Alf I can't help directly but I wondered if he had any children between enlistment and demob on the off chance something may be uncovered on a birth certificate. I seem to remember you were planning (or had just returned from) a battlefield tour, have you been back since and if so where? It does become addictive! You may be aware already but the National Archive is free at the moment so if you can narrow your things down you may find the diaries that show his progression throughout the war. Simon Edited 14 May , 2020 by mancpal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey H Posted 14 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 14 May , 2020 (edited) Many many thanks everyone for the quick replies, I'm astonished with how quick you all managed that. Once I've got a sub with Ancestry again I'll check that link out Alf, really appreciaet you posting it. Although this man isn't my relative, he deserves to be remembered all the same. My first year of university ends at the end of May and I should have a plentiful amount time to do some research on my own relatives, as well as James Perrott. I'll also get hold of any civilian records, as they're nice to have as general history of a persons life, not just military. Good points raised though RE info on a birth certificate, I'll check it out now I know where I'm looking fellas. Thank you Russ for the information on his unit attachment, is that the divisional column of the 'Ulster' Division then? I quickly glanced at another thread on this forum of a member asking about a relative who was also 36th Div Ammunition Column and also from London, could be some connection, while probably not personal, between the two men. This is listed on LLT on the OB of the 36th: "The original artillery of 36th (Ulster) Division, shown below, did not accompany the Division to France in November 1915, but rejoined it there in December. The artillery of the 56th (1st London) Division moved to France with 36th (Ulster) Division and remained under command until 12 December 1915. ....... 36th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA ........" As well as this: "3-6 October: the Division moved to France, although the artillery remained in England until November." Could his connection to West Ham be linked with the artillery of the 1st London Division going to France with the 36th instead of their own? On his MIC it lists him as going to France on the 27.11.1915, in line with when the 36th's Artillery went over in the same month. I may be confusing myself there, which isn't uncommon on this forum as I've done it many times before and confused things for everyone, but there might be some value in all that above. Hi Simon, nice to hear from you again, I'll fire you a PM now! Kindest regards Harvey P.s just seen you've updated your comment, I'll check the NA now. Edited 14 May , 2020 by Harvey H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 May , 2020 Admin Share Posted 14 May , 2020 1 hour ago, Harvey H said: Thank you Russ for the information on his unit attachment, is that the divisional column of the 'Ulster' Division then?. Correct ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 May , 2020 Admin Share Posted 14 May , 2020 Snip from the War Diary (courtesy of Ancestry) https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43112_2496_8-00000?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return#?imageId=43112_2496_8-00000 WO 95 2496/8. Currently free to download from The National Archives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey H Posted 15 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 May , 2020 11 hours ago, RussT said: Snip from the War Diary (courtesy of Ancestry) https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43112_2496_8-00000?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return#?imageId=43112_2496_8-00000 WO 95 2496/8. Currently free to download from The National Archives That's brilliant RussT, located the war diary on NA and have downloaded it, in 2 weeks time when all my University work is done I'll have a read through. Many many thanks guys Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey H Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 On 14/05/2020 at 19:21, RussT said: 36th Divisional (West Ham) Ammunition Column, enlisting mid June 1915 Regards Russ Hi Russ, Apologies for bringing this thread up again, but been doing some more research on James Albert Frank Perrott, and was wondering where you looked to find out he was in the 36th Div's Ammunition Column? I've looked on the medal rolls, but it just lists RFA rather than his specific attachment. I found a service record for an Ernest Tanner, also RFA, with a close number of L/30777, who also disembarked for France on the same day as Perrott, and signed up in June 1915 at West Ham, and he was in the 36th Div Ammunition Column, did you deduce it by doing this? Or is there a much easier way to find out rather than how I've done it? I couldn't find a service record for Perrott so assume it was destroyed by the bombing in 1940, orrr I'm just dense and missed it on Ancestry. ,Many thanks Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Harvey, You will find that numbers L/30401 to around L/30982 were allocated to 36th (West Ham) DAC for enlistments from June 3, 1915 to July 12, 1915. It is just a case of working through the numbers in surviving service records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey H Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Thank you David, I will keep that in mind for future reference when looking for the unit attachment for men without service records. Case of trial and error, but works out in the end. Looking forward to delving deeper into the war diary, but, from a quick look, it seems it’s been cursed with nigh-on illegible handwriting at times. Still, I don’t go back to uni for another 5 weeks, so I’m sure I’ll have enough time to have a good go. kindest regards harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 28 August , 2020 Admin Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Hi Harvey As mentioned it was just a case of going through surviving service records of men with similar service numbers to see whether a self-consistent pattern were to emerge as regards enlistment. As David notes, there was indeed a pattern - and which gave sufficient confidence to conclude the same applied to your man. Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey H Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Hi Russ Thank you for the pointers, I’ll keep them in mind. When I found Ernest Tanner’s Service record, the medal roll helped immensely as it gave the service number and date of disembarkation in theatre. It’s definitely a tactic ill be using again. kindest regards Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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