Hounslow - Royal Fusiliers - Recruitment

[glturner]

Hi,

My wife's great uncle enrolled on 9th (or 7th ) September 1914 at Houslow into the 1st Battation of the Royal Fusiliers. We are pretty sure that he entered the 1st Battalion but other records might suggest that it could have been the 11th Battalion.

Our main uncertainty is over the recruiting facility at Hounslow. Was it an Army base or did the regiment use the local Town Hall, or even some mobile recruiting centre? Any information would be useful, especially any photographs of the Recruitment Centre.

Lastly, would there be any surviving recruitment records for the Royal Fusiliers? We have checked the National Archives at Kew and believe that this soldier's service record was destroyed in WW2.

Thanks, Geoff.

[SteveE]

Geoff

Hounslow was the location of the Royal Fusiliers' Regimental Depot.

As for any service details you could try the Royal Fusiliers' Museum at:

ARCHIVES

RHQ

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

HM The Tower of London

Hope this helps.

Steve

[mickgall]

Hi Geof

there is a cavalry barracks at Hounslow, which is out West Hounslow way. The TA drill hall used to be in Hanworth Rd, which is a bit closer to the town centre than the barracks are.

There is a book-A History of Army in Hounslow; by Barry Raymond which is published locally, the local history studies library may be able to supply a copy

0845 456 2800

Mick

[Retrac]

Hi

First the bad news. I've tried the R Fus Museum at the Tower for service Records, they don't have any. With regard to the 1st or 11th Btn try to get hold of acopy of O'Neill's R Fus Regimental History. From memory the 11th was created as a sister battalion to the 10th (Stockbrokers) in Eastern Division. It began to enlist in late August/early September so the dates are about right. The 1st Bn was already serving and so unless a Special Reserve soldier it is unlikely that a new recruit would be sent immediately to join. Of course he may have been transferred later. Do you have a name and service number from his Medal Index Card?

David

[Paul Reed]

If he served right through the war with the Royal Fusiliers, then normally his dates of overseas service are shown on his medal roll in WO329 at the National Archives. This information is not online, so it means a visit.

[Retrac]

Hi again

Just looked at the Long Long Trail - army - regiments - R Fus webpages. 11th R Fus was raised in Hounslow 6th Sept 1914 and joined 18th Eastern Div. Recruitment always took a few days to raise the required number (about a week in the case of 10th R Fus). The 1st Bn was in Kinsale as part of 17th Brigade 6 Div at the start of the war but moved on 10th September to France. Personally I'd say the 11th is most likely.

His MiC would probably give the date of his first entry into Theatre of War but Paul is right that the full roll gives more detail

David

[glturner]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all your comments. Just a few more details. My wife's great uncle was called Frederick William Bailey, and, according to his Medal Index card he enrolled in the 1st Royal Fusiliers on 7/9/1914 at Hounslow.

His number as a private was L/9205. I'm still not entriely sure whether he joined the 1st or the 11th battalion (which was recruiting at the time). Any other comments would be welcome.

Thanks, Geoff

[Retrac]

Geoff

I've found the MiC for a Frederick William Barker L/9204 (not 9205) 1st R Fus, he then goes on to join the Army Cyclist Corps apparently with 2 numbers but more likely a mis-translation (1260 and 1269) and he finishes up in the Tank Corps. Is this the right person? It is just possible that R Fus listed recruits in alphabetical order and there were 2 Frederick William Barkers, but I can't find an obvious 9205.

The L prefix indicates that he was a Regular soldier. The system was L = Regular; SR = Special Reserve, called back to the Colours in the event of hostilities after previous service as a Regular; GS = General Service, Home Counties War Time enlistment.

How have you confirmed that he signed on at Houslow in early September? Have you sent for the medal record (a download at £3.50 from Kew) as that should given the length of his service and the dates show when he first went overseas, it is then possible to match this with unit movements.

It now looks unlikely that he was 11th R Fus, unless there has been a mistake in transcribing his record onto the website, but the medal record card should sort this out, or as Paul said earlier a trip to Kew to look at the medal roll would possibly give even more.

Good luck

David

[glturner]

David, thanks for your last reply. Yes, you're right , he was L/9204 (not 5, my error). However, his name is Bailey, not Barker.

We have his Medal Index card although most of it is unintelligable to us. You seem to be reading the same details on your MIC card.

On the MIC card, under 'Remarks' it looks like Trans 2.12.14 - I take this to be his transfer to the Army Cyclist Corps. Under 'Date of Entry' the date is 7(or9) .9.14 - which we assume is date of enrolment in the 1st Royal Fusiliers - or could it be the date of entry into the theatre of war (France). I can't see any other dates on the MIC.

We once had the Medal Award sheet (but promptly lost it at the National Archives) but luckily we made a note of what it said. It read 'France, Name:Bailey FW, Rank:Sgt., Corps, Army Cyclist Corps, Reg. No. 1269, Gazette 11.10.16.(this doesn't tell us any more) , Reg Paper 68/121/57 (I don't know the meaning of this - any ideas?).

Thanks for all your help.

Geoff

[Retrac]

The date of entry, if low down on the left, is the date of entering a theatre of war. There would then be a number in brackets which, if (1) means France. So that was the date on which his unit arrived in France. In British Regiments 1914-18 it says 1st R Fus 4.8.14 Kinsale 17th Bde 6Div; Aug 1914 Cambridge; Sept 1914 landed at St Nazaire; 14.10.15 Bde to 24th Div; 11.11.18 17 Bde 24 Div France, Baval. If you look on the Long Trail site find the 6th and 24th Divs it will give you greater detail of where he went.

It now looks as though he was Regular who was serving pre-1914

Good hunting

David