KIRKY Posted 9 May , 2005 Share Posted 9 May , 2005 I have been advised to re-title this previous query which was as follows : I recieved this mail from a friend who has asked me if I can help identify his great father in laws war record, he wants to locate a regimental service number and then try to build a picture up of his service : He was 2nd Lieutenant (then later temporary Captain) Albert John Fisher of the Rifle Brigade. He served from 1914 - 1921 working for the war grave commission after the war at British Cemetery, Cagnicourt, Arras, France. We have his brass compass and field glasses but no medals or serial number! I cant find a medal index card with his name and rank (he went in as a 2nd Lieutenant). Interestingly we also have some written orders telling him to select four random bodies in the cemetry from which one was selected and sent to St Pol as the unknown warrior elect from the Arras region. Four (or Six) depending on what you read were sent to St Pol one from each main battle region. One of which was selected at random and is buried marked as the 'unknown warrior'. This letter is dated 6 November 1921 (3 days before the final selection is known to have taken place) and he is warned to keep the contents of the letter secret. Can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 9 May , 2005 Share Posted 9 May , 2005 Tony, Did you have a chat with your friend re this gentleman as I have gone through some of the lists previously mentioned in case I missed him. He just does not seem to be there. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 9 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2005 Andy I have emailed him and wait his response, thanks for help to date. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 9 May , 2005 Share Posted 9 May , 2005 Tony, You are welcome, I checked in the London Rifle Brigade History 1859 - 1919 to see if he was in the nominal lists anywhere but also could not find him. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 25 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Hi here is latest information. He seems to have been overseas twice during WW1. He showed me several documents as follows : Carte D' Identite : no : 345, Capt A J Fisher rifle Brigade issued 22nd June 1920. From Soldiers book : Albert John Fisher dob : 21/8/1891, Rifle Brigade, from Bolton, Service record : School of Musketry : 5-26 May 1916. Promotions : 2nd Lieut 26/9/17 Class 2 Acting Capt 23/7/1920 Service : 6th Bat Rifle Brig : 24/11/14 to 5/12/16 at home 6th Bat Rifle Brig : 6/12/16 to 4/3/17 : abroad Rifle Brig 3/3/17 to 29/9/17 home 6th Bat rifle Brig : 26/9/17 to 26/12/17 home 13th Bat The rifle Brig : 3/12/17 to 25/4/18 : abroad 5th Bat rifle Brig : 9/7/18 to 13/10/18 home Wounded 25th April to 9th July 191 2nd Rifdle brig 19/10/19 to 4/11/18 Att 8th London Reg : 4/11/18 to 18/3/19 Attd GR 1st Army : 18/3/19 to 16/1/192? Next is a report of a trench raid he was in charge of and a map with details of the raid and Message Form with details of raid as follows : Dated 8th Nov 1918 and is based around Laplaigne with no 4 platton A company 8th London rifles. Reports no contact with enemy and pushing to 2nd objective, all is shown on the map. We then jump to 6th Nov 1919 and orders he is given by Major ww Mills ? DAW ? telling Fisher to collect bodies for unknown soldier from Cagnicourt Cemetry to be taken to St Pol. Warning him not to tell anyone about this document. Then another doc : appt approved : Temp Lient A J Fisher Rifle Brig to be graded FF to temp Capt while with ADGR&E no 1 district. Then letter demobilization of Capt A J Fisher Rifle Brig Last one is letter from 2nd sup London Gazette on Tues 18th Jan 1921 appointing Temp Lieut A J Fisher Service Batt Rifle Brig to A.Gs & QMGs Staff page 544 emplyed under Diredtorate of Graves Registration Then there is also a reference letter dated 14/1921 from Duisans BT in F&F. OK there is all of it! Hope one of you guys can work this one out as he was abroad twice and even wounded. tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Tony, Will check through again, now that we know he was in the 13th Battalion it gives us a bit more to go on. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Tony, Well this is a bit of a twister. There is no mention of A.J. Fisher in the War record of the 13th as having been wounded, most of these war records list officers coming to the Battalion, officers killed or officers wounded. There is no record of him going to the 2nd Battalion in their war record, I cannot find him in the MIC's were he would have had the British War Medal and Victory Medal and he is not in the Army Lists for the Rifle Brigade!!!. I do not have the war diary for the periods and Battalions in question but should be up at Kew next week sometime so will get the war diary out and see if his officers records are there. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Andy I have checked through the 13/RB war diary, from Feb to Aug 1918 and also some casualty returns and can find no mention of Fisher Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Thank Andy, There is also no mention of him in "For the Duration" the story of the 13th RB's which names or mentions most of the officers in that Battalion. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 27 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Thanks for efforts so far, seems a real mystery?? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Tony, As you say real mystery man. Will see what I can dig up at Kew for you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 There is a mention of him in the London Gazette, Issue 31341, 13 May, 1919, link to issue: Rif. Brig. Temp. Lt. A. A. Tollemache to be temp. Capt. 15-Dec. 1918. Temp. 2nd Lt. A. J. Fisher to be temp. Lt. 26 Mar. 1919, with precedence next below A. B. Smth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Chris, Thanks for that, gives me something to work on. Strange that in all the books, Histories, Nominal Rolls and material on The Rifle Brigade that I have there is just no mention of him whatsoever. I cannot even find him in the Army lists for the Rifle Brigade. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Andy, I've also found his appointment notice to the Directorate of Graves Registration, London Gazette, Issue 32198, Januuary 19, 1921, link to issue. I'll see if I can find something else. A.G's. & Q.M.G's. STAFF. Empld. under Directorate of Graves Registration & Enquiries (Cl. II.).— 1st July 1919. Temp. Lt. A. J. Fisher, Serv. Bn., Rifle Bde., from 1st July 1919 to 22nd July 1920. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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