John Davies, RAVC - Woolwich

[Guest Jan Harvey]

I wonder if anyone can help me - I am trying to find information about which battalion/division my grandfather would have been attached to. I am interested in what happened to him during the war. He served with the RAVC based in Woolwich. I know he was at the front line and was very badly gassed. My information taken from pictures he took, was that he was treated at No. 3 General Hospital at Roderbirken which appears to mean from the list on the website that would have been after March 1919. Were the hospitals linked to particular battalion/divisions? He then, I think, came back to England as there are also pictures taken in London TB Ward, Bermondsey Hospital and a lot of pictures at Salterley Grange near Cheltenham. He was finally honourably discharged on 19th December 1919 although the pictures at Salterley Grange are 1920 and 1921. I think he was in hospital for approx 2 years. However, his chest never recovered and he died in 1938. I have tried looking for his service records at the PRO but with no success.

Has anyone got any advice?

Jan Harvey

Worcestershire, UK

[delta]

Hi Jan and welcome to the Forum; you are in good company with your first post as looking for informaion about loved ones is often the first step on a voyage of discovery. We will try to help but it is sometimes the first steps which are the slowest.

I don't suppose you have access to his medals?

Stephen

[SteveE]

Hi Jan and welcome to the forum.

There are 16 John Davies' with an AVC link in the NA MIC's online, a link to them is Here

The MIC's are the best starting point if you can identify your man, do you know his AVC service number?

Apart from telling you which medals your grandfather was awarded the downloaded card will give other information, including a list of Army Medal Office reference numbers which can be translated using books held at the NA, Kew (note not online) into entries in the actual Medal Roll's themselves.

These Medal Rolls would be the place to see if his units are identified although I'm not sure exactly what the AVC rolls contain with regards this information. If they are similar to other 'Corps' rolls then the chances are not as good as if he was with an infantry regiment for example.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[Guest Jan Harvey]

Hi Steve and thank you for replying to my query. Thank you for the link to the medal cards - I knew his AVC service number and have downloaded the relevant record. It certainly gives me a lead and reassurance that he exists in records somewhere - I will have to take another trip to the PRO in the near future to look at the medal rolls.

Thanks again.

Jan

Hi Jan and welcome to the forum.

There are 16 John Davies' with an AVC link in the NA MIC's online, a link to them is Here

The MIC's are the best starting point if you can identify your man, do you know his AVC service number?

Apart from telling you which medals your grandfather was awarded the downloaded card will give other information, including a list of Army Medal Office reference numbers which can be translated using books held at the NA, Kew (note not online) into entries in the actual Medal Roll's themselves.

These Medal Rolls would be the place to see if his units are identified although I'm not sure exactly what the AVC rolls contain with regards this information. If they are similar to other 'Corps' rolls then the chances are not as good as if he was with an infantry regiment for example.

Hope this helps.

Steve