Bedford 6th / Herts 1st Private soldier - Help request

[Jack Everard]

 

Hi 

 

I have been researching my Great Grandad on and off for the past few years and his movements and involvement during WW1 and I wanted to pick this back up and find out more. So I was wondering if anyone could help at all?

 

Firstly I thought I'd share what I have so far....

 

I have summarised my findings into a sheet to make it easy for you to review...

Research summary sheet - Profile 

Research summary sheet - Military timeline 

 

The rows in green on the military timeline tab are details I can confirm based on the documents I've gathered mainly from Ancestry and (see sources column). The rows in grey are information that I cant 100% confirm he did but is known information on the movements of his battalion as a whole. I have left a few notes in the notes column too.

 

Badges & uniform

Some more useful information that focuses on his badges and uniform. 

 

Photos 

You can also view full res images here...

 

What I would like to find out? 

 

1. To really confirm all of his movements, I would really like to establish which Herts 1st or Beds 6th Battalion company John was part of. That way I can then look for more war diaries/books on that company, and get the day to day details where possible. These details may be hidden amongst the docs I have, It just some parts I either cant read or translate.
   
   As for the red herts battalion battle flash as seen on his uniform in a photo of him, which would indicate the company, I have coloured it in red to copy a photo of a uniform owned by John Gregory, so Im not actually sure of its true colour. 
    
2. Any further information in general that you can provide (e.g gaps that I have, new details from previously unreadable text in docs) 

 

Any help would be much appreciated, and thanks very much for your time so far. 

 

Kind regards 

 

Jack 

[BarbaraG]

May I suggest you post the photograph of John in uniform and his name and number in the title of the thread.

 

You will most probably have accessed Burnt Documents on Ancestry. Although difficult to read - someone may be able to help decipher clues.

 

Apologies just found this thread....

 

 

 

Edited 9 April , 2021 by BarbaraG

[Jack Everard]

Hi Barbara 

 

Thats a good idea and thanks for suggesting that. Here are some relevant photos and some of the main documents with parts that I cant read/decipher. To highlight Im keen on finding out which Beds 6th & Herts 1st company, John Robert Everard reg: 39800 was part of. I feel like I've gathered most of the information on his movements I can now without knowing those details, and here is a link to my findings so you know what I've got so far...

 

Research summary sheet - Profile 

Research summary sheet - Military timeline 

 

I have already found that he was part of 259 AE coy - 259th Area Employment Company towards the very end of war as part of the details battalion from March 1919 onwards, which from my understanding was general cleanup/maintenance. 

 

I feel like Ive gathered all I can and actually finding out other company details is a bit ambitious! But I thought its worth asking you guys and get any expert advice. 

 

Thanks again and any feedback is much appreciated. 

 

Taken in Namur, Belgium 1919 - (I coloured the battle flash in red and cant confirm what colour it is)

 

I suspect this photo below was taken after the war in the UK as he joined herts during the war and they all have herts badges on and formal attire. He also has a walking stick which might be related to the gunshot injury he sustained to his left thigh in 1918. I guess if anyone can identify any of these soldiers or elements on the uniform that may provide a further clues towards a unit or company?

 

 

 

 

Military record page 1 

 

Military record page 2

 

Military record page 3

 

 

Casualty form 

 

Roll catalogue