R A Bandsman on mined ship during WW1

[SuziejMartin]

My Great Uncle Jack Welch was a member of the Royal Artillery Band. I have been told that he was on a ship that was mined but i can't find a record of his death. Does anyone know how I might look into this?

Thanks for your help

Susie Welsh

[Kate Wills]

Hi Suzie,

This should be your first port of call when researching a fallen serviceman

http://www.cwgc.org/debt_of_honour.asp

[SuziejMartin]

Hi Suzie,

This should be your first port of call when researching a fallen serviceman

http://www.cwgc.org/debt_of_honour.asp

Thanks Kate, I will give it a try. I don't have his service number, will this matter?

Susie

[Kate Wills]

No, although entering as many definate details as you have narrows the search.

When you find him, post the details here, and your next step will be to access his medal index card. Also, one of us will do a lookup on our Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) CDrom

[Jimothy]

Also, one of us will do a lookup on our Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) CDrom

Excuse my ignorance, but what extra information is contained on this CD ROM?

[Michael]

Susie

Any idea what ship it was? There are files at Kew that deal with Admiralty courts of enquiry. Sometimes they include casualty lists

Jimothy

Always you get theatre of war of death (or at home), cause of death (KIA, died of wounds, etc), date of death, name, rank, number. Usually you get place of enlistment, place of birth, residence, listings of previous Regiments/Corps and decorations (if there were any). The Battalion is also normally listed for infantry units.

Mick

[SuziejMartin]

Susie

Any idea what ship it was? There are files at Kew that deal with Admiralty courts of enquiry. Sometimes they include casualty lists

Jimothy

Always you get theatre of war of death (or at home), cause of death (KIA, died of wounds, etc), date of death, name, rank, number. Usually you get place of enlistment, place of birth, residence, listings of previous Regiments/Corps and decorations (if there were any). The Battalion is also normally listed for infantry units.

Mick

Susie

Any idea what ship it was? There are files at Kew that deal with Admiralty courts of enquiry. Sometimes they include casualty lists

Jimothy

Always you get theatre of war of death (or at home), cause of death (KIA, died of wounds, etc), date of death, name, rank, number. Usually you get place of enlistment, place of birth, residence, listings of previous Regiments/Corps and decorations (if there were any). The Battalion is also normally listed for infantry units.

Mick

Susie

Any idea what ship it was? There are files at Kew that deal with Admiralty courts of enquiry. Sometimes they include casualty lists

Jimothy

Always you get theatre of war of death (or at home), cause of death (KIA, died of wounds, etc), date of death, name, rank, number. Usually you get place of enlistment, place of birth, residence, listings of previous Regiments/Corps and decorations (if there were any). The Battalion is also normally listed for infantry units.

Mick

[SuziejMartin]

Thanks Kate, I will give it a try. I don't have his service number, will this matter?

Susie

Hi Kate

I have manged to find medal records which state John Welsh RGA Musician/Gunner No 3710

however I am not certain it is him. I can email a copy. His birth certificate gives his name as John Leslie Russell Welsh, he signed himself as Jack Welch when he wrote to his brother whilst touring with the Royal Artillery. He was born on 28/02/1886 at Charlton Kent. His father was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery although I don't have anymore information about him either, apart from the fact that he was a blacksmith.

The 1901 cencus shows John at age 15 in the Royal Artillery Barracks, Green Hills Schools, Repository, Gun Park and Observatory, Woolwich.

From Oct 1913 to March 1914 John/Jack was on tour in New Zealand with the Band of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

I know he died at some stage during WW1 as his widowed wife killed herself, Leaving at least 2 children as orphans. I would very much like to discover more about this sad story, I am also very proud of my Great Uncle Jack, however he died, I'd like to get to know him through his Army life.

Thanks for your time

Susie Welsh

Thanks Kate, I will give it a try. I don't have his service number, will this matter?

Susie

Hi Kate

I have manged to find medal records which state John Welsh RGA Musician/Gunner No 3710

however I am not certain it is him. I can email a copy. His birth certificate gives his name as John Leslie Russell Welsh, he signed himself as Jack Welch when he wrote to his brother whilst touring with the Royal Artillery. He was born on 28/02/1886 at Charlton Kent. His father was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery although I don't have anymore information about him either, apart from the fact that he was a blacksmith.

The 1901 cencus shows John at age 15 in the Royal Artillery Barracks, Green Hills Schools, Repository, Gun Park and Observatory, Woolwich.

From Oct 1913 to March 1914 John/Jack was on tour in New Zealand with the Band of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

I know he died at some stage during WW1 as his widowed wife killed herself, Leaving at least 2 children as orphans. I would very much like to discover more about this sad story, I am also very proud of my Great Uncle Jack, however he died, I'd like to get to know him through his Army life.

Thanks for your time

Susie Welsh