Leicestershire Regiment - batallion?

[Guest EButland]

My grandfather Private Charles BELFIELD 36549 was in the Leicestershire Regiment during the Great War. How can I find out what batallion he would have been in?

[Paul Reed]

The only way is to search the medal rolls in class WO329 at the NA. The Medal Index Cards are on-line (http://www.documentsonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk/) but they do not tell you which battalion a man was in - you use the information on them to access the medal rolls, which are not on-line.

[Cliff. Hobson]

As Paul says that is the only sure way to find out which Battalion of the Leicestershire Regt he served in, but sometimes you can get an indication from his regimental number as a lot of the numbers were issued in blocks. For example Pte G. Bennett No. 36486 9th Battalion Leicestershires ( Service Bn.) K.I.A. 3rd May 1917. Comm. Arras Memorial, is only 63 away from your Grandfathers.

There are I know some experts on the forum regarding the numbering but whether or not they have considered the Leicestershire Regt., I know not.

Regards Cliff.

[Guest donald cumming]

As an additional question, my great-grandad (arthur guy fane griffinhoofe) was in this regiment, and was awarded an MC in 1918 when he was a 2nd lieut, but I can't find him in the online medal rolls. He is mentioned in the London Gazette twice though. Would it just be a case of heading to Kew and looking through the non-online records?

Cheers!

Donald