Mavvi Posted 23 October , 2006 Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Hello everyone, Some of you may remember I made a previous post trying to find out about my great-great-grandfather Samuel Thomas Henry Ashby who I knew fought in the War, but didn't know any details other than rumours, etc. Now I have more, but I still cannot find his medal card. I turn to you guys for assistance! His name was Samuel Thomas Henry Ashby. He was a 'Serjeant, R.F.A.' which I assume is the Royal Field Artillery. I found this detail on his sons birth certificate from 1917; the letters are either R.F.A or, more unlikely, R.G.A. A medical paper written about him after the war, in 1921, says he was a Sergeant-cook who fought in France, but not in the east (Gallipoli?). The medical paper doesn't mention his regiment. With all this info he should be relatively easy to find. But I can't. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 23 October , 2006 Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Mavvi Are you sure it's RFA? There is a medal index card for 506 Sgt S Ashby, Royal Flying Corps. RFA and RFC can look similar in the great handwriting guessing game. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 23 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2006 It is certainly an R then another letter, most likely an F, then certainly an A. The RFC guy is Sydney Ashby. I did originally think it may be my grt-grt grandfather when I saw it was S Ashby. I was imagining him cooking Biggles his dinner. But alas, it was not to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 23 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2006 I have added a shot of the birth certificate, so you can see for yourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 23 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Is it a possibility that he enlisted under a false name? This is the only thing I can think of at the moment. But I cannot think why he would do it. Unless it was something to do with his age. He was 42 when the war began. He has never used a false name on any other documents. Looks like I have stumped everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 30 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2006 I have just discovered a couple of photographs of Samuel T H Ashby. The quality is not the best, but if anyone can garner any information I would be most grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 30 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2006 And the other photograph shows him on a horse. Any help or general guesswork, etc, welcome! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 Mavvi, is it a trick of the light or is there a crest above his stripes and more on his lower arm, possibly a BSM? Can the photograph be improved? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 31 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Thanks for the reply, Paul. I have tried improving them, but they are not particularly good copies. It does look like some sort of crest above his stripes, though. I'll have to get in touch with my grandad as he has all the photos. Hopefully I can get a better close up on here. I was starting to think it was just a family myth about him being in the army, but now we have photos, birth certificates and medical documents that prove it. Just no medal card for him! Also, would a sergeant ride a horse? Or could this help identify or confirm that he was in the artillery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Yes, and definitely Artillery, the photographs will prove beyond a doubt and possibly offer more information so I hope you can get some good resolution scans rather than a photocopy. A blow up of the arm markings should also assist. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 31 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Thanks for the confirmation. It's nice to get some things down for certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Is it possible that Restaurant Cook was his pre-war job? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Above the Sergeants stripes there will be a gun. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 I thought that Restaurant Cook might have been his pre war occupation as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 31 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2006 You are right; his pre-war occupation was restaurant cook. However, he was employed as a 'sergeant-cook' in the army. I'm not certain that this would appear on his medal card. More likely to just say 'sergeant.' The medical paper concerning him says he was a sergeant-cook, and that he spent a lot of time cutting up meat. They thought this may be where he caught the unknown-disease. John: - The gun above his Sergeants stripes - I'm guessing that is to signify that he is in the artillery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 The giveaway for the artillery is his cap badge. Even in bad definition the triangular shape is enough to distinguish it from almost every other badge. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavvi Posted 1 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2006 Some further info. I have lots apart from his service number, etc! When he became ill in February 1918, he was treated at a dressing station - and then sent to the 2nd Canadian Hospital, at Le Treport. Then after a few months was sent to Norwich (not sure why Norwich as he lived in London, but may be a clue as to which artillery unit he was with) in June 1918. I'm guessing it was normal to share hospitals with our allies. Or is it odd for an English soldier to be sent to a Canadian hospital? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 1 November , 2006 Share Posted 1 November , 2006 There are plenty of medal cards for Serjeant Cook (as a rank not a name) Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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