Identity and dog tags

[Guest paultimmins76]

I have a 1906 pattern aluminium identity tag for my gt uncle, George Timmins of 1/5th PWO West Yorks, killed on 23 July 1915 near Ypres. It presents a bit of a mystery.....

George's service number was 1336 - this is corroborated by the CWGC website records and the details of the MIC records. However, the 1336 on the actual tag has been overstamped to eradicate this number and the number 1366 stamped above it. Thus we may assume that somebody got the number wrong. However, to the right hand side of the tag, somebody has engraved with their free hand the original number of 1336. This could indicate that either George engraved the number himself or that it was engraved by somebody else after his death on discovering that the number was incorrect. (I would tend to believe the former, as it is doubtful that George would not know what his service number was).

Given that soldiers were only issued with one of these tags, and that George has no known grave, it would be logical to assume that the tag was removed from his body and returned to his parents with other effects. However, it could also be the case that the tag was not used. Were soldiers required to pay for the tags? If so, it could explain why George engraved his own number on the tag rather than buy a new one.

On another track, if the 1366 number was stamped incorrectly, could it refer to another George Timmins, or soldier? If so, any ideas how I could find out who in PWO West Yorks has the 1366 service number?

And finally...... the tag has a "W" stamped above the service number. Any ideas what this means?

thanks

Paul

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

The easy way to check if or who had the numbers you want is to do a NA Medal Index Card Check: using just the number & Yorkshire,or West Yorkshire,provided the Man in question went Overseas then his Number should be there!

"W" is probably his Religion ~WesleyanClick To Search Here!