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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

why is there no record about my grandfather


daveh55

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There are some more records for you to look through

WO 364/5275 Name: Harris, William A - Harrison, John

WO 364/5276 Name: Harrison, John - Hart, Edward W

and also the missorts for the WO 364 1st series in WO 364/4914 (these are now typed up in the 'red book' kept behing the desk in the microfilm reading room.). He is not in the other series of WO 364 missorts (WO 364/5803) available on the long long trail.

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Records would be made for him whether he went overseas or not; to be in the army you needed to sign up or make your mark; that started a soldiers file. I have seen a file for a bloke only in for a few days, closed because they rumbled that he was under age.

Per Terram

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I see that his daughter was definitely born in August 1916.

So perhaps it is as Steve has said and the 4 figure number is just not on the Index card online or has been left off the original card.

I can't think of a reason why he would not see his daughter whilst staying in this country for 6 months before the renumbering.

You say that he suffered from shell shock.

Did he serve the full wartime or might he have been discharged early on medical grounds and qualified for the SWB?

Kate

he was not discharged early in fact i think it was 1919 when he got home

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The lack of such men on SDGW probably suggests that the missing numbers were men transferred to other Regiments before they left the UK or discharged, rather than killed or discharged.

SDGW might mention some of these in the Other Notes fields.

Steve.

Steve

You might be right about the transfers to other regiments. I agree that it would be another alternative to the killed/discharged routes you suggested.

Do you know whether the South Lancs medal rolls show both numbers? It might prove an easier way of tracking the sequence.

I would be happy to have a look when next at Kew.

Mike

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Mike,

If they're anything like Northumberland Fusilier(TF) Medal Roll Books both pre and post 1917 numbers will be listed.

Going back to an earlier post there will be two of the same number for both the 4th & 5th Battalions, South Lancashires(or more depending on the number of TF Battalions in each regiment), as all those who served in TF Battalions were numbered 1 - 9999, in each individual battalion. Men posted to second and third line battalions were also numbered in sequence with the first line unit.

In May 1915 the numbering confusion was supposed to have be cleared up with the introduction of pre-fix numbers i.e. 4/**** under an Army Council Instruction. Units in Northern Command seem to have adopted this system, but others didn't, although the pre-fix should have been added to all documentation.

Graham.

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Steve

The soldier Harrison J 202280 seems very likely to me.

The pattern of the 4 figure number to 6 figure number in April 1917 would seem to fit.

While you were all answering I went off to calculate roughly what I thought his 6 figure number should be based on the 4/6 pattern in another renumbered Territorial battalion (not an exact Science but a bit of a guide) and had worked out that he should have been about 201296

Kate

"just bringing this up again, in case any new info is available".

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Dave,

As per my PM. I have looked at the MIC and Medal Roll this week at the NA.

The MIC shows that he was entitled to the British War & Victroy medals. It makes no mention of any other service numbers. The Medal Roll shows that he was serving with the 2/4th South Lancashire Regiment, so this could be your man. The only fly in the ointment is it does not list any other service number for him, but does for some other entries.

There are Four rolls of microfilm in WO363 covering John Harrison and I went through the first one, but he was not on it.

I will look at the others when I go back next week and let you know if I find anything.

Kind Regards

PAUL JOHNSON

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