dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Grandfather John Thomas Robbins, corporal in Royal Garrison Artillery, Regiment No. 185671. Trying to find any information during the war and afterwards. Have been unable to track him... I believe his family was living in Hertfordshire County at the time of World War 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Your Grandfather apparently has two Medal Index Cards on the NA website. The first one, Here, suggests he was Royal Field Artillery not Royal Garrison Artillery but......... His second one, Here, suggests Royal Garrison Artillery not Royal Field Artillery. The second one is interesting because it is for the award of a Gallantry Medal, either the MM or DCM. Not sure which at the moment. Hope this helps Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Your Grandfather apparently has two Medal Index Cards on the NA website. The first one, Here, suggests he was Royal Field Artillery not Royal Garrison Artillery but......... His second one, Here, suggests Royal Garrison Artillery not Royal Field Artillery. The second one is interesting because it is for the award of a Gallantry Medal, either the MM or DCM. Not sure which at the moment. Hope this helps Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 If you download the two cards (costs £3.50 for each) it will detail a number of things about your Grandfather's military service. Downloading the first one will basically give you his Campaign Medal entitlement, his Regiments/Corps and Service Numbers with each and (if before 1st Jan 1916) the date of his entry into a theatre of war and which theatre of war. Downloading the second will give you details of which Gallantry Medal he was awarded and the Date of it's entry in the London Gazette. If it's a DCM then there is a good chance that there will be a citation in the London Gazette detailing why he was awarded it, sadly the MM carries no such citation. I've checked the London Gazette online and I can't find the relevant entry although it's there somewhere, I just can't find it at the moment , downloading the card will help in that it will give us a date to work on. Hope this helps Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Steve: on my copy of the first medal card date of Gazette is No 59 Registered Paper is 68/121/794 Schedule Number is 227483 Corps is RGA 102nd Siege Bty Can you help me understand this numbers and if they can help me find more information about him. Doris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Doris Gazette No.59 gives us a date for the Gazette of either 11 February or 13 March 1919. I'll have a look to see what I can find. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 It's good and not so good news I'm afraid, I've found the entry for the Gallantry Medal but it's for the Military Medal which doesn't carry a citation in the Gazette so we don't know what it was awarded for specifically. The London Gazette #31227, dated 13 Mar 1919. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the undermentioned Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men: — ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY. 185671 Cpl. Robbins, J. T., 102nd Siege By. (Kensal Rise). Link to the Gazette is Here Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 It's good and not so good news I'm afraid, I've found the entry for the Gallantry Medal but it's for the Military Medal which doesn't carry a citation in the Gazette so we don't know what it was awarded for specifically. The London Gazette #31227, dated 13 Mar 1919. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the undermentioned Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men: — ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY. 185671 Cpl. Robbins, J. T., 102nd Siege By. (Kensal Rise). Link to the Gazette is Here Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Thank you, THANK YOU STEVE. I really appreciate all your help and information so quickly. Can you point the best way or place to find out more information on the other medal card... I have searched the National Archives for service records several times and have come up with nothing. Is it posssible they have added more information in the last couple of months, as I had only found the one medal card at that time. THANK YOU AGAIN. IT IS EXTREMELY APPRECIATED AND MEANS SO MUCH TO ME AND MY FAMILY . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Doris No problem, glad to be able to help. I have searched the National Archives for service records several times and have come up with nothing. Service records are not available online, the one's that survive (about 30%) are held on microfilm and are only viewable at the NA, Kew. Can you point the best way or place to find out more information on the other medal card The Medal Index Card you have entered details for on this thread is for the Gallantry Medal which really only points you to the London Gazette entry which you now have. The MM didn't come with a Gazetted Citation but there are still other ways to find out what it was awarded for. As it mentions 102 Siege Battery RGA, you could try the War Diary (that particular Battery is in NA ref: WO95/227 and covers the period May 1916 to Feb 1918), some diaries are available to download online but I don't know about this one. The other alternative is Local Newspapers, again rarely available online but the Gazette mentioned his 'hometown' of Kensal Rise so the local library could be worth contacting. Have you downloaded the other Medal Index Card? This other card will hopefully give you some additional details as mentioned previously. If you post the details then I, or someone else on the forum, can help you interpret them. Hope this helps. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Doris No problem, glad to be able to help. Service records are not available online, the one's that survive (about 30%) are held on microfilm and are only viewable at the NA, Kew. The Medal Index Card you have entered details for on this thread is for the Gallantry Medal which really only points you to the London Gazette entry which you now have. The MM didn't come with a Gazetted Citation but there are still other ways to find out what it was awarded for. As it mentions 102 Siege Battery RGA, you could try the War Diary (that particular Battery is in NA ref: WO95/227 and covers the period May 1916 to Feb 1918), some diaries are available to download online but I don't know about this one. The other alternative is Local Newspapers, again rarely available online but the Gazette mentioned his 'hometown' of Kensal Rise so the local library could be worth contacting. Have you downloaded the other Medal Index Card? This other card will hopefully give you some additional details as mentioned previously. If you post the details then I, or someone else on the forum, can help you interpret them. Hope this helps. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Steve I have downloaded the second medal card. It appears to have two cards. If I am reading one of them right , one of them is for discharge. I am going to try to attachment them with this reply, so you can look at them yourself for me. Doris P.S. File is too large to attach. I am relatively new at this computer stuff, so bare with me. I will sent it to you by e-mail. O.K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Doris I've sent you an email with my address, if you send me the files I'll see what I can do. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 14 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 March , 2006 Can anyone help.... Thanks to much help by Steve E, I have found several medal cards for John T. Robbins. The orginal medal card which I found several months ago, believing to be my grandfather, may not be so. The second medal card linked to the same John T. Robbins gives his hometown as Kensal Rise. Can anyone tell me where this is. I know for sure that they were in Hertfordshire County. Married in Bishops Stortford, lived in Edmonton, and my father was born in Bishops Stortford in 1908. Doris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 14 March , 2006 Share Posted 14 March , 2006 Kensal Rise is in North West London (Brent District Council these days). About half way between Central London and Wembley Stadium. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 14 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 March , 2006 Is this area near Rutland, Oakham in particular. My grandfather was born there. But if he inlisted after marriage , would that area of Hertfordshire not be listed as his hometown... Doris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 14 March , 2006 Share Posted 14 March , 2006 Doris Kensal Rise, as Stebie's already pointed out is in North West London, as is Edmonton although more North London (the two are, very roughly, about 15 miles apart). Edmonton is about 30 miles from Bishops Stortford. Oakham in Rutland is, in UK terms , nowhere near (being about 80 miles from Bishops Stortford) Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisj7 Posted 14 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 March , 2006 Steve E. Thanks again. I have been saying that alot. I know I must seem very stupid but for some reason I believed Hertfordshire County to be North East of London. Now that I know different , It is possible then that my grandfather could have Kinsel Rise listed as his home town. Doris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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