Help needed on newly discovered Gt Uncle in KRRC 1916

[Jon Gray]

Hello, I have recently discovered that I had a great uncle who served as a Rifleman in the 12th Battalion of The Kings Royal Rifle Corps. His name is Vincent Foster, Service Number R/16583. The only other information I have for him is that he died on 7th October 1916, and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial. Any information or images of the battalion would be most appreciated.

[ss002d6252]

The war gratuity was paid for length of service, the amount paid to his widows was £3.00 - this is a net payment, the gross payment being £5.

 

The £5 tells us that he had 12 months or less service, so it indicates enlistment 8 October 1915 or later.

 

Craig

[Alan24]

5 minutes ago, Jon Gray said:

Hello, I have recently discovered that I had a great uncle who served as a Rifleman in the 12th Battalion of The Kings Royal Rifle Corps. His name is Vincent Foster, Service Number R/16583. The only other information I have for him is that he died on 7th October 1916, and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial. Any information or images of the battalion would be most appreciated.

Welcome to the forum Jon,

 

The best place to start is here http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/ 

 

you can also read the war diaries here for free by registering at the TNA. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353111

 

Once you have looked at these, there will be many knowledgeable people here to guide you.

[Matlock1418]

Hi Jon,

A very warm welcome to GWF.

I am going to dive in and give you a bit of info to get you, and perhaps other GWF 'pals, on the way.

There are three pension records available at the Western Front Association / Fold3

Image courtesy of the Western Front Association / Fold3 - With thanks

This one give most/all of the really relevant info and seems most interesting and helpful [except that one other appears to record Millbrook rather than Millbank = ??]

You may note that his widow got an A.P. [Alternative Pension] under article 13 of the Royal Warrant - I don't have a copy to hand but think this might mean her late husband has a pre-war income greater than that provided for under the standard provisions and an upward adjustment was possible - certainly she seems to have a rise in 1918 = others may come along and clarify this point!

Though GWF is not a genealogical site a bit of background info often helps - so if you have any further biographical/family details then you could perhaps usefully share.

Good luck with your research.

:-) M

[Jon Gray]

Many Many thanks for this. I have literally only recently learned of the existence of this relative so I have very few details and those I have are very sketchy, but this adds to my fund of knowledge. What is ironic is that I along with my Son and Son-In-Law visited the area 2yrs ago and walked through the Thiepval Memorial before I had knowledge of our connection.

55 minutes ago, Alan24 said:

Welcome to the forum Jon,

 

The best place to start is here http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/ 

 

you can also read the war diaries here for free by registering at the TNA. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353111

 

Once you have looked at these, there will be many knowledgeable people here to guide you.

Thank you so much, already I have learned more about my Gt Uncle in 1hr Than I have in the past week.

[Jon Gray]

58 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said:

The war gratuity was paid for length of service, the amount paid to his widows was £3.00 - this is a net payment, the gross payment being £5.

 

The £5 tells us that he had 12 months or less service, so it indicates enlistment 8 October 1915 or later.

 

Craig

Thank you Craig, the knowledge the members of this site possess is quite staggering

[ss002d6252]

1 minute ago, Jon Gray said:

Thank you Craig, the knowledge the members of this site possess is quite staggering

I think we must have centuries of experience and knowledge across the forum - in respect of the war gratuity (as I also wrote some code to do the calculations) I spent hundreds of hours and I've spend even more on pensions. Multiply that up across all the forum members and...

 

As mentioned above Article 13 refers to additional pensions which where paid in place of the usual pension if they could show that the household's pre-war income was higher than what the pension would otherwise have provided for.

 

Craig

[Swinesheadvillage]

Hi Jon

 

If you have access to Ancestry, his service record is here

 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1219/images/gbrmil1914r4pt2_139138-01089?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=e407ea3ab3faf1d25b8f18cffa1a382c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=xwq190&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.243392396.883429871.1605003728-1628933297.1605003728&_gac=1.222352873.1605189013.Cj0KCQjwzbv7BRDIARIsAM-A6-3_ngnZIVTY0nWQ0Wa6G_-gT5b4CymlqIqp6lW0KLGLrf1vDujeOoIaAv-8EALw_wcB&pId=697086

 

Kind Regards

 

Derek

[Matlock1418]

27 minutes ago, Swinesheadvillage said:

If you have access to Ancestry, his service record is here

Alternatively if you have access to Find My Past, his service record is here:

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7280754%2F50%2F1100 

SR is certainly is one key doc to check out [lucky to have survived the WW2 bombing which destroyed so many others'] - it's short but always worth a look for Attestation form etc. - so good to see the original docs - any questions then just get back to GWF

[Gives: Millbrook, Southampton as his address - see pension card above]

 

His entry in 'Soldier's Died in the Great War' [doesn't add much] is also available at FMP, here:

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM%2FWWISD%2F0511861

 

Medal Index Card available in basic b/w from the National Archives https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3536977 [or in better colour from Ancestry] - No Theatre of War [so presumed France / France & Flanders] and no date of entry [so post 31-12-1915 - SR gives 8.3.16]

 

If you are not already subscribing to Ancestry and FMP - Access to Ancestry and/or FMP is often available [free] to local library members = so worth exploring getting a membership if you are not one yet.

Sometimes/usually available in-library but in these current COVID days some libraries even now allow [free] access remotely [sadly not all libraries, but you may be lucky]

 

Ancestry may also be available for basic viewing [e.g. MIC] and searches through a free registration for a basic membership as a Registered Guest [or at least it was, and still is, for some lucky blighters!] 

Good luck

:-) M

Edited 12 November , 2020 by Matlock1418
added further details

[Jon Gray]

45 minutes ago, Swinesheadvillage said:

Hi Jon

 

If you have access to Ancestry, his service record is here

 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1219/images/gbrmil1914r4pt2_139138-01089?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=e407ea3ab3faf1d25b8f18cffa1a382c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=xwq190&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.243392396.883429871.1605003728-1628933297.1605003728&_gac=1.222352873.1605189013.Cj0KCQjwzbv7BRDIARIsAM-A6-3_ngnZIVTY0nWQ0Wa6G_-gT5b4CymlqIqp6lW0KLGLrf1vDujeOoIaAv-8EALw_wcB&pId=697086

 

Kind Regards

 

Derek

Thank you Derek, This is awesome

1 hour ago, Alan24 said:

Welcome to the forum Jon,

 

The best place to start is here http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/ 

 

you can also read the war diaries here for free by registering at the TNA. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353111

 

Once you have looked at these, there will be many knowledgeable people here to guide you.

Thank you Alan. I've discovered so much about him in the last hour it's amazing.

[T, Fazzini]

Have you tried Regimental Museum?

[Jon Gray]

3 hours ago, tryagainnn said:

Have you tried Regimental Museum?

Yes, I thought of that. It’s less than 8 miles from me, but have to wait until lockdown is over now.

[T, Fazzini]

Oh