What does this Roll Card tell you?

[Stephen Barker]

I'd be grateful if anyone can interpret this card.

East Lancs chap. Did he serve abroad? Why no ref to a date of arrival in the war zone.

If anything else strike you I'd be interested to hear your thoughts

Stephen

[Stephen Barker]

This should be better.

Stephen

[teacher]

Medal index card, number looks like new army , that is volunteer or conscript. served overseas post 1915 as no star . Discharged wounded/ill as awarded Silver wounds/war badge. Dates of enry into war theatre not usualy if ever given if outside 1914-15. Hope this helps a bit.

[Max]

Bog standard really.

[Stephen Barker]

He was a conscript. But why no overseas reference for this chap.

No such thing Max. Every roll tells its own tale to those who wish to know.

Routine for those who look at many of them.

Thanks Teach for your reply and Max for having a glance.

Stephen

[Stebie9173]

He did serve overseas, hence the Victory and BWM references, just after 1-1-1916.

The SWB Roll book at the NA should give dates of enlistment and discharge.

Steve.

[Stephen Barker]

Thyanks Steve

When was the place of service overseas omitted from the card? Also the date?

Does anyone know?

Stephen

[Max]

No such thing Max. Every roll tells its own tale to those who wish to know.

Stephen

You asked about the MIC, not the Roll entry.

As such the MIC is exactly the same as tens of hundreds of thousands of others who enlisted in 1915 but did not see overseas service until 1916, or those who were conscripted after 1915 and served overseas. I can't remember if I have ever seen a non-1914 or 1914-15 Star MIC showing date of disembarkation and theatre of war first served in. As such this information would be surplus to requirements as it did not have an impact on whether a man earned a campaign medal or not as the award of a pair usually indicates overseas service. Hence my comment "bog standard".

Andy

[Stephen Barker]

Thanks Andy,

This is the only document that the lady who sent it to me has about her uncle. Hence my wish to gain as much as possible.

You've answered my question admirably.

Thanks to all who contributed.

Thanks

Stephen

[Graham Stewart]

Not an expert on MIC's and their layout, but that's all an MIC is - an Index Card which directs you to the Medal Roll Book and the relevant Medal Roll Sheet, which in the case of Infantry unit's will give you the Battalion/s he served in. The fact that it may not have a theatre date of entry on the MIC doesn't prevent you from researching further as the SWB rolls will contain his date of enlistment, date of discharge, cause of discharge, from where discharged i.e. Depot, and whether or not he served overseas.

The bonus is finding his Service Records on the microfiche, if they survived the Blitz. Even with the above and including Battalion War Diaries, AVL's, SDGW, Enquiry Lists as well as local newspapers, you can build up a basic picture of a mans service life.

Graham.

[themonsstar]

From the SWB Roll:

34362 Pte Bridge Abel, East Lanc, Regt. SWB No 399244, Enlistment date 6th June 1916, Discharge date 14th June 1918, cause of Discharge wounds 392 XVI KR, Whether served overseas Yes 102?(this could be to days) Age 20.

[Stephen Barker]

Mons Star

Many thanks for this. You've just doubled the amount known about young Abel.

Your efforts are appreciated.

Stephen