South Lancashire Regiment + Labour Corps

[Guest buzzzb]

I am researching my family tree and came across this record for a family member. Is there any way i can find out the South Lancs battalion he belonged to.

From the national roll of the great war i know he volunteered in March 1915 and left for France in August 1915.

Also any idea what the writing in the remarks refers to?

Any help would be really appreciated

[Stebie9173]

He has a number that I would think is a volunteer at the start of the War, and consistent with the date you have.

His date of embarkation overseas (11th August 1915) doesn't really tie in with any of the movements of the battalions of the South Lancs.

http://www.1914-1918.net/southlancs.htm

Bearing in mind that his date of embarkation overseas is so near to the first Service (Wartime created) battalions - though not near enough! - I would hazard a guess that he went overseas as a reinforcement to the 2nd Battalion. The 2nd Battalion took part in several battles at Hooge in mid-1915, so we might expect to see a number of drafts of reinforcements to them around that time.

The other alternatives are a transfer to one of the Territorial battalions - either 1/4th or 1/5th.

Normally we would be able to direct you to the Medal Rolls of the battalion, but I am told most (if not all) of the Labour Corps medal rolls no longer exist.

The remarks section is abbreviated form of Class Z Reserve 4-4-1919, meaning he survived the war and was demobilised on 4-4-1919 with the obligation to return if the Armistice was broken.

The fact that he transferred to the Labour Corps probably means that he was downgraded medically (usually due to wounds, unsurprisingly) and was moved into the Labour Corps to work behind the lines.

The Labour Corps was created on 1-1-1917. I suspect some people could tell you roughly what date the number was allocated, but I would only hazard a guess as late 1917 onwards.

If his Service Records were among the lucky 25% to escape the Blitz in WW2 then you may be able to find chapetr and verse on his career. The surviving documents can be viewed on microfilm at the National Archives at Kew.

Hope this helps,

Steve.

[Guest buzzzb]

Thanks for your help. It is really appreciated.

[wulsten]

You could contact the queens lancashire regiment museum 01772 260362 email rhq.qlr@btconnect.com

The museum do conduct searches relating to enrolment, however they do charge a fee and do not at present allow private searches at tjhe museum. if you contact them they will send out various forms and leaflets.