ken Riley Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm trying to find any info regarding my grandfather John William Riley,born 6th July 1894 in Haslingden. He must have joined up in 1914 . I believe he was invalided out in 1915 after being gassed. He got married in Oct 1915 and had a child in march 1916. That's how I have arrived at the dates mentioned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 February Admin Share Posted 28 February Welcome to the forum. The cap badge in the photo is very indistinct, but shape wise similar to East Lancashire Regiment. Does this fit in with what you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawhiri Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February Assuming he was awarded a Silver War Badge, this should tell you exactly when he was enlisted and discharged. A quick look at the Silver War Badge rolls on ancestry brings up five individuals named John William Riley, along with a number of variations of John Wm. and John W. From there it would be a matter of eliminating possibilities based on the regimental identification by Michelle. Unfortunately I no longer have full access to Ancestry, so can't tell you more, but others will be along shortly I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 February Admin Share Posted 28 February A possibility? Image ©️ Ancestry. I’d like someone else to have a look at the cap badge. @FROGSMILE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February 13 minutes ago, Michelle Young said: Welcome to the forum. The cap badge in the photo is very indistinct, but shape wise similar to East Lancashire Regiment. Does this fit in with what you know? I agree that the East Lancashire Regiment badge seems the best bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Riley Posted 28 February Author Share Posted 28 February (edited) Many thanks for all your help. Yes I believe he was in the east Lancashire regiment. He must have volunteered early on in the war, August, September 1914 as he was back home by June 1915. Edited 28 February by ken Riley Missed a bit off reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 February Admin Share Posted 28 February Bear in mind the training time. He wouldn’t have been out very long if as you say he was sent home in June. Looking at the battalions of the EL, him being a 1st Btn reinforcement is a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawhiri Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February (edited) Except that his medal index card, if it is the correct one, states he was not discharged until 8 May 1918. A quick search on Ancestry for John W Riley, with service number 17854, does produce a Silver War Badge record, along with two pension index cards. I wouldn't, however, just assume that because he married in October 1915 and his wife had a child the following March, that this means he remained in the UK from June 1915 until his discharge in May 1918. You need a little bit more evidence to be sure of this sequence of events. Edited 28 February by Tawhiri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February 20 minutes ago, ken Riley said: Many thanks for all your help. Yes I believe he was in the east Lancashire regiment. He must have volunteered early on in the war, August, September 1914 as he was back home by June 1915. Welcome to the forum Ken. Your photo has been tinkered with a fair bit and I'm not at all convinced I'd happily conclude this is an ELR cap badge ..... please see below for what I mean..... the badge outline appears added. Do you have the original photo? You mention he was born in Haslingden - or was his birth registered in Haslingden which also collated all records from the adjacent Boroughs of Rawtenstall and Bacup and the like. My own grandfather was born in Waterfoot but registered in Haslingden. Any family detail, such as where he lived/child was born/died and any local relatives might help narrow down the possibilities. If he was wounded/discharged there will likely be SWB detail and Pension details relating to these places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February 1 minute ago, Tawhiri said: Except that his medal index card states he was not discharged until 8 May 1918. A quick search on Ancestry for John W Riley, with service number 17854, does produce a Silver War Badge record, along with two pension index cards. I wouldn't, however, just assume that because he married in October 1915 and his wife had a child the following March, that this means he remained in the UK from June 1915 until his discharge in May 1918. You need a little bit more evidence to be sure of this sequence of events. Agreed. 17854 is BWM/BVM with no sign of a 14 or 14/15 Star which he would be entitled to if injured on active service in 1914/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 February Admin Share Posted 28 February How about #5846? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Riley Posted 28 February Author Share Posted 28 February (edited) I mistakenly thought he was home because he had 2 more children in 1917 & 1918, but the births were registered by the mother, although the child born in 1917 died in February 1918 and registered by JW Riley. Attached is a copy of the original photo , only about 30 mm across. He was born in Haslingden. Living at 257 Blackburn road Haslingden when he got married, later moving to 21 back paradise terrace Haslingden. Edited 28 February by ken Riley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 February Admin Share Posted 28 February The original, though still not sharp, certainly looks more like East Lancs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February 8 minutes ago, Michelle Young said: The original, though still not sharp, certainly looks more like East Lancs. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February 56 minutes ago, Michelle Young said: The original, though still not sharp, certainly looks more like East Lancs. Yes I think so too. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February (edited) 4 hours ago, Michelle Young said: From WFA/Fold3 Pension details for 17854 - with an address Pension index card discharged and awarded a pension of 27/6 pw from 9.5.18 [under the 1918 Royal Warrant the 100% disability rate for a pension Class V soldier / Pte - commonly a temporary and/or starter rate to later be reviewed] Anyway ... that address ... 28 Commercial St, Church, Lancashire There is a pension ledger page but it adds nothing other than a 1920 administrative annotation ??? Your man ??? M Edited 28 February by Matlock1418 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February 3 hours ago, Michelle Young said: How about #5846? Not showing up in WFA/Fold3 pension records. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Riley Posted 28 February Author Share Posted 28 February 20 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: From WFA/Fold3 Pension details for 17854 - with an address Pension index card discharged and awarded a pension of 27/6 pw from 9.5.18 [under the 1918 Royal Warrant the 100% disability rate for a pension Class V soldier / Pte - commonly a temporary and/or starter rate to later be reviewed] Anyway ... that address ... 28 Commercial St, Church, Lancashire There is a pension ledger page but it adds nothing other than a 1920 administrative annotation ??? Your man ??? M Thanks for everyone's hard work, sadly this is not my grandfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February There's an unspecified disability PIC for a John William RILEY Kings Regiment (Liverpool) 26269 Labour Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, 139513 [Last unit] 4, Lonsdale St, Haslingden with a MIC showing KLR Depot [but no medals] - SWB listed ??? Your man ??? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February (edited) 7 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: There's an unspecified disability PIC for a John William RILEY Kings Regiment (Liverpool) 26269 Labour Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, 139513 [Last unit] 4, Lonsdale St, Haslingden with a MIC showing KLR Depot [but no medals] - SWB listed ??? Your man ??? M Good spot. That cap badge would fit, it’s a very similar shape in terms of silhouette to the East Lancashires. Edited 28 February by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Riley Posted 28 February Author Share Posted 28 February 4 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Good spot. That cap badge would fit, it’s a very similar shape in terms of silhouette to the East Lancashires. Getting closer, but wrong address. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February (edited) 1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said: 4 hours ago, Michelle Young said: How about #5846? Not showing up in WFA/Fold3 pension records. Apologies - as John RILEY Think found him in the pension records as 5846 [5840], ELR and then 102071 King's Liverpool Regiment but his KLR MIC for a SWB shows enlistment July & discharge October in 1919 [apparently after discharge from ELR 5.5.19 - whilst receiving a disability pension from 6.5.19 to 4.5.20] - Mental Def health issues, Man admitted to asylum 9.12.20. Address 12 Miller Rd, Preston ??? M Edited 28 February by Matlock1418 add Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Riley Posted 28 February Author Share Posted 28 February 44 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Good spot. That cap badge would fit, it’s a very similar shape in terms of silhouette to the East Lancashires. 17 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: Apologies - as John RILEY Think found him in the pension records as 5846 [5840], ELR and then 102071 King's Liverpool Regiment but his KLR MIC for a SWB shows enlistment July & discharge October in 1919 [apparently after discharge from ELR 5.5.19 - whilst receiving a disability pension from 6.5.19 to 4.5.20] - Mental Def health issues, Man admitted to asylum 9.12.20. Address 12 Miller Rd, Preston ??? No not him. He moved to Rawtenstall in 1919/20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 28 February Share Posted 28 February (edited) 3 minutes ago, ken Riley said: No not him. He moved to Rawtenstall in 1919/20 Oh well, that's the way it can go - but another place to look, just in case. M Edit: Not spotted anything at Rawtenstall that woulds seem to fit for a later disability claim Edited 28 February by Matlock1418 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Riley Posted 28 February Author Share Posted 28 February (edited) I'm guessing he was invalided out, due to family legend of him being gassed, and having 3 children between 1916-19. As you can imagine it's frustrating, I've found one of his brothers who was in the navy and another in the RFA. Edited 28 February by ken Riley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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