Lancs Fusiliers AND Warwickshire Reg?

[Guest snowgoose]

My grandfather William Wright was definitely in the 1/5th and 1/6th Battalions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, I have this from the Absent Voters List, a birth certificate for a daughter(1917) and the medal rolls. However I have just obtained a birth certificate for another child born in 1915 which gives his occupation as Private, Lancashire Fusiliers (Railway Labourer). Every other detail of the certificate is correct and it is the only possible registration for this particular child over a period of four years. However the medal rolls don't mention the Lancashire Fusiliers and his documents are among those destroyed in WW2. Can anyone tell me whether he could have been in both regiments? I do know that men were moved to fill gaps left from the dreadful death toll but I'm not familiar enough with procedure to know whether this could be so in his case. I'd be grateful for any suggestions as to how I could find out more or any comments on the situation.

Regards

Dorothy(Snowgoose)

[hmsk212]

Hi Dorothy

He may not have served abroad whilst with the Lancashire Fusiliers hence no mention in the Medal Rolls of his time serving with them.

Steve

[Guest snowgoose]

Thanks for your reply Steve. I hadn't realised that the Lancs Fusiliers wouldn't appear on his medal card unless he had been overseas with them. Is there any way of finding out if and when the transfer took place or at least a likely date? His being in the Lancashire Fusiliers certainly makes sense as he was living in Manchester at the time. One of my uncle's says that he volunteered(he would be 27 in 1915) but this uncle was born in 1930 and my grandparents split up soon after - also he tends to spin tales so I've never placed much reliance on what he says! Private William Wright's Regimental number was 202462.

Dorothy

[Terry Carter]

Hello Dorothy

I have done a bit of checking on the 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' CD Rom.

Selecting the Royal Warwickshire Regiment I have entered service numbers either side of your Grandfather's Royal Warwickshire number, 202462.

It appears that at some time during 1917 a draft of men were transferred from the Lancashire Fusiliers to top up the Second Line Territorial battalions and it seems most were transferred either into the 2/5th or 2/6th Royal Warwicks, with one killed with the 14th RWR.

I have come up with several casualties who service numbers range from 202399 up to 202468, they nearly all originate from the Manchester area and they all formerly served in the Lancashire Fusiliers:-

Pte Robert Anderson 2/6 RWR 202399 KIA 3/4/18, born Middleton 8795 Lanc Fus

Pte James Asquith 2/6 RWR 202400, KIA 21/3/18, born Rochdale, 9209 Lanc Fus

Pte Harry Bromley 14 RWR 202405, KIA 8/7/18, born Manchester, 2029 Lanc Fus

Pte Joseph Buxton, 2/5 RWR 202408, KIA 3/12/17, Salford, 1821 Lanc fus

Pte John Doubleday M.M. 2/6 RWR 202411, KIA Seedley, Cheshire, 2715 Lanc Fus

Pte Charles F Earnshaw 202412 2/5 RWR, KIA 6/10/17, born Salford, 2017 Lanc Fu

Pte Vernon Formaston 202416 2/6 RWR, KIA 29/3/18, Salford, 2337 Lanc Fus

L/Cpl Albert C Lackleson 202434 2/5 RWR KIA 1/9/17, born Bury, 1659 Lanc Fus

Pte John Newton 202440 2/5 RWR KIA 8/8/16, born Middleton, 8547 Lanc Fus

L/Cpl George Prince 202446, 2/5 RWR KIA 8/11/17, enlist Salford, 2589 Lanc Fus

Pte Harry Quinton 202447 2/5 RWR KIA 6/9/17, enlist Bury, 2583 Lanc Fus

Sgt John Yates 202468 2/6 RWR KIA 18/4/18, born Middleton, 8679 Lanc Fus.

Casualties with Higher service numbers than 202470 had formerly served with the North Lancs Regt, and casualties with a lower service number from 202392 had served with the Manchester Regiment.

Hope this is of Interest

Terry

[Guest snowgoose]

Terry, this is truly splendid and makes sense of it all now especially since I mistakenly said that my grandfather was in the 1/5th and 1/6th Bns when it was actually 2/5th and 2/6th. I would like to try and discover more about his army service with both the Lancs Fusiliers and the RWR but with no W/O records for him I'm not sure if this is possible. Are there any avenues I could explore?

Dorothy

[Blackblue]

Dorothy,

The numbers here for the LF may give you some indication regarding battalion. I think numbers were issued in blocks to the different type of battalions (regular, territorial and service). You can probably rule out the higher numbered battalions(15,16,17,18,19,20 etc.) as they generally had five digit numbers. There are a few LF experts about who may be able to help further.

Rgds

Tim