soldiers

[Guest judda]

We have a bible passed down the family

It belonged to a

John William Turnbull regiment no 30666 ww1 D'coy 17th d.l.i 25th line regiment rugely 1916. (west yorkshire IF 14th regiment of the line, clipstone 1917)

regiment no 7085 or 242768

How can I find his date, place of birth and his next of kin?

We have his medal card with the numbers 0/2/104B36 and page 4605 next to victory on the medal card

there is no theatre of war listed

what does it mean

can anyone help.

Thank you

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

A name search @ the 1901 Census site might turn him up,though I suspect there will be a few & you may need to Guesstimate his age.

his number are Territorial Force ones,so would suggest 5th to 8th Battalions,no doubt the 6 figure number will give a closer definition of which of these it is.

This may also help to establish his Home area as he would probably be from the area of enlistment @ that time,putting him in West Yorkshire area.{York/Leeds/Bradford,were all HQ for these Bns}

The Reference code is for his Medal Roll Page{Held @ the NA,this might give Battalion details}

[Melui]

Use the FreeBMD website as a help. This gives you the Births Index up to 1910, not entirely complete as yet, but well on the way.

Although there were many John William Turnbull births between 1880 and 1900, there were not all that many in the Yorkshire area. I found one in 1882 and another in 1889, both in Leeds, then one in Hunslet and one in Hull both in 1894.

You could tie these births up with information from the 1901 Census, as already suggested. The two Leeds men look the most likely.

Marion

[Stebie9173]

Number 242768 is allocated to the 6th battalion.

Whether that is the 1/6th (in 49th Division in France from 1915), 2/6th (in 62nd Division in France from early 1917), or 3/6th (UK) cannot be gleaned from just the number.

His Medal Index Card has no theatre of war listed because he went overseas after 1st January 1916. Since he has a pre-renumbering number on his MIC it suggests he may have gone overseas some time during 1916, or early 1917 at the latest.

Steve.

[kevin]

Judda

There is no John William Turnbill on the Leeds absent voters list.

Regards Kevin

[sugerand]

Number 242768 is allocated to the 6th battalion.

Whether that is the 1/6th (in 49th Division in France from 1915), 2/6th (in 62nd Division in France from early 1917), or 3/6th (UK) cannot be gleaned from just the number.

His Medal Index Card has no theatre of war listed because he went overseas after 1st January 1916. Since he has a pre-renumbering number on his MIC it suggests he may have gone overseas some time during 1916, or early 1917 at the latest.

Steve.

Steve

Was it always the case that if no theatre of war was listed on a medal card, the soldier did not go overseas until 1916? My Uncle's regimental no's suggest that he was an early enlistment but I do not know this date and I have no idea when he went overseas. As he was a territorial it could have been anytime up to 1916.

Sue

[Stebie9173]

The date of entry and theatre of war were used to determine the eligiblity for the Stars medals. Why, oh why they couldn't put them on all of them is a mystery, especially as it would confirm beyond doubt if they were entitled anyway.

There is also always the danger of a 1914 or 1914-15 Star card that is not with the VM & BWM, so not ALWAYS an indication.

Early enlistment does not always mean they went overseas early. My great-uncle was in the 1st Suffolks before the War and numbered 7615 (a 1905 enlistment), as was his elder brother. Elder brother was a Mons Star man captured at Le Cateau, younger brother was suffering from pleurisy and didn't make it overseas until 1917.

The TF men were still volunteers. If they didn't sign up for overseas duty for whatever reason, they didn't have to. Until 1916, anyway.

Steve.

[sugerand]

The date of entry and theatre of war were used to determine the eligiblity for the Stars medals. Why, oh why they couldn't put them on all of them is a mystery, especially as it would confirm beyond doubt if they were entitled anyway.

There is also always the danger of a 1914 or 1914-15 Star card that is not with the VM & BWM, so not ALWAYS an indication.

Early enlistment does not always mean they went overseas early. My great-uncle was in the 1st Suffolks before the War and numbered 7615 (a 1905 enlistment), as was his elder brother. Elder brother was a Mons Star man captured at Le Cateau, younger brother was suffering from pleurisy and didn't make it overseas until 1917.

The TF men were still volunteers. If they didn't sign up for overseas duty for whatever reason, they didn't have to. Until 1916, anyway.

Steve.

Steve

Thanks for this explanation, this is all very interesting. I actually have my Great Uncle's medals ( Victory and BWM) as well as his death plaque and Leeds Rifles Cap Badge and am almost certain thre was no award of a Star Medal. Would this confirm that although he enlisted he didn't immediately go into the Theatre of War?

Sue