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Trying to find information


Delahay

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Hi im trying to find any information or pictures about my grandad George Valentine Delahay he was in the sherwood foresters and i no he was born in ireland in the 1800's. Thanks 🙂

Edited by Delahay
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Welcome to the Forum

 

According to the National Archives medal rolls George Valentine Delahay (Regimental Number 23405) did serve in The Great War. However they have him as a Corporal in the (Kings) Liverpool Regiment Depot. Interestingly he does qualify for the British War and Victory Medals. That means he did not serve overseas before 1916. As to being (Kings) Liverpool Regiment Depot he may well have served elsewhere (soldiers were moved between regiments as needed) before but that was where he ended his war.

 

Hope that helps

 

P

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Welcome to the forum.

 

Any more details you can provide will assist the members in helping you, e.g. Soldier number, Date of birth, etc.

 

Good luck with your research

 

Edit: the soldier mentioned  above by Polar Bear was awarded the Silver War Badge being discharged in 1917.

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1 minute ago, Delahay said:

My nan seems to think he was a sergeant major 

 

Family legends can frequently be wrong. For example my Grandmother went to her death firmly convinced that her uncle enlisted and indeed died in the Great War underage. He was actually 24 when he volunteered.

 

P

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He was born in Dublin 14 February 1889 (hence 'Valentine'). Slight surname spelling difference. Father also a soldier in the Liverpool Regiment.

Parents married in Dublin 7 January 1889. 1901 census gives father (33) b. Middlesex & mother (30) b. Dublin.

Images (FREE) from: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ieScreen Shot 2020-11-27 at 15.47.19.png

Screen Shot 2020-11-27 at 15.54.12.png

Edited by Ivor Anderson
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The SWB roll shows that he enlisted 2 Sep 1914 and was discharged 22 Aug 1917

 

... and a bit of background on him on BNA!

 

delahay.jpg.2bb68a574646e156044d83124d7ce8ef.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by corisande
Corrected 1912 to 1914
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His father (also George) was a Sergeant in the KOLR by 1911 (perhaps he became the Sgt. Major?). 23 Oxford St., Warrington in 1911.

The birth places of their large family shows how much they moved from barracks to barracks (Ancestry link): https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/2352/images/rg14_23132_0021_03?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=23806193

 

Screen Shot 2020-11-27 at 16.09.42.png

Edited by Ivor Anderson
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Ancestry has some military records of George Delahay - he enlisted in the KLR in 1883 aged 15 as a boy soldier with the regimental number 313, and was a Drummer, Bandsman and latterly a Sergeant before his discharge in 1911 with 28 years plus of service and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal. 

 

 

 

Edit: he appears to have become a Chelsea Pensioner in 1911

Edited by Pat Atkins
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So, to recap the timeline:

 

Jan 1889 Father a bandsman in the 1st battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment. In other words a Regular in the British Army.

Feb 1889 (but one month later) George is born.

1911 - Father now a Sergeant in the KLR (Is this why your Nan thought he was a Sergeant. I.e. She has the information mostly right but has ascribed it to the wrong person?)

1912 - The Son joins the KLR. This means he is a pre war soldier with a family military tradition.

1917 - The Son is discharged from the KLR as a Corporal currently in their Depot.

1942 - Now in Derby (Hence the probably erroneous link to The Sherwood Forresters)

 

That in mind we have at least the beginnings of a framework of his service/ life.

 

P

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I thought it interesting and rather sad that the soap works where the two eldest daughters were working in 1911 has been forced to close this very year: https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2020/03/10/union-anger-as-crosfields-closure-is-confirmed/

Edited by FROGSMILE
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