Albert Edward Ward Royal West Kent or R.E.

[tracy21020]

I'd like to find out what my Grandfather did during the war. I have done some research myself but would like some advice on how to go further.

From the National Archives I could only find details of his underage service. He joined aged 15 the Royal West Kent Regiment (which his two older brothers were in).

RWK 1st bat. (special reserves) reg. no. 8887 21/11/1913

RWK 3rd bat (regular army) reg. no. 10368 4/5/1914

discharged for being underage 30/10/1914

Information from family

Royal Engineers sapper Albert Edward Ward WR/194761

20th Battalion The London Regiment

Enlisted 7/6/15 age 17 and 4 months (still underage I think)

Demobbed 31/3/20

Service with colours 7/6/15 to 16/7/19 (What does this mean?)

Medal Index Card

1/20 LOND R Pte ------- 4051

'' ------------------------- 631678

RE -------------------------- 551868

'' -------------------------- WR/194761

Medals

Victory RE/102 B/58 10205

British '' ''

I think the information from the family is a little muddled as the 20th London Regiment is Royal West Kent not Royal Engineers unless the information below is relevent.

I contacted Colonel Waring at Maidstone Museum and he told me that during the war some of the 20th London regiment was titled the 34th(QORWK) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers.

The last information I have is a letter from him dated 29th March 1919. The address is

WR194761 Ward A

R.O.D. R.E's

E.E.F. Egypt

He enclosed a flower that he'd picked in Jerusalem

I found out from the Royal Engineers museum that R.O.D. is the Railways Operating Division and E.E.F is the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.

So can anyone tell me was he always part of the Royal West Kent regiment or did he change to the Royal Engineers? If he did change how can I find out which regiment he was in and when it occured?

Thanks

[Terry_Reeves]

Tracy

Although he was discharged for being under age, he later joined the 1/20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath and Woolwich), a Territorial Force unit.

His medal entitlement however, was earned with the Royal Engineers. He was still to young to go abroad 1915, and therefore it is likely that he was held back until he was 19 years of age. In 1917 the Territorial Force was renumbered, and his second London Regiment number indicates that he was still with them in 1917 when that change took place. At some stage thereafter, he was transferred to the Royal Engineers ROD.

The information from Colonel Waring refers to the post war army. 34th (QORWK) AA Battalion Royal Engineers existed between 1935 and 1940.

Colour Service is the military way of saying army service. Your next step would be to visit the National Archive and see if his service record still survives.

Terry Reeves

[tracy21020]

Thank you Terry. You have made it seem a lot clearer.

I have already been to the National archives and I could only find his early records up until he was discharged for being under age.

Is there anything else I could try?

Tracy