Enlistment

[ger_g]

HI folks - I may be being thick (!) but I have a Wallace Evans born 1872 in Ross, Herefordshire. He moved to Northampton between 1891 and 1899. I've recently acquired some photos of him in his Army uniform from my cousin - should I go looking in the Herefs or Northants regiments, or could it be either of them? I can't see his record on the British Army WW1 pension records, although his brother Alfred of Ross is there (1/1st Herefs).

Thanks very much for your time,

Ger

PS He definitely made it through the war.

[SPotter]

Ger,

Unfortunately the answer could be either or neither. A pre-war enlistment gave the choice of enlisting for a specific Regiment or Corps, or for General Service, whereby the man would be assigned to wherever there was a need. During the course of the Great War this situation rapidly changed, with the exception of the formation of the 'Pals' Battns, and men were enlisted into any Regiment, not necessarily their local one. On arrival at the dispersal camp in France, they were just as likely to change again, to wherever the need was greatest.

Regards

Steve

[dorrie]

Try looking on National Archive records this may help. If you have photos look at badges that may be available to help. Post the photos if the badges are visible somebody may be able to helpPictures off badges attached

Cheers

Tim

[stevem49]

If he was in the Army pre WW1 then his Army records may be at National Archives.

My own Gt Grandfather joined up in Derbyshire but was in a Scottish Regiment before moving to the King's Own.

Many of my 9th Bn SF in WW1 travelled from all over the UK to join up in Derbyshire.

I would check NA first for his Army records and also check the 1891 and 1901 census to locate him. He may also have been in the Army during the Boer War.

stevem

[SPotter]

Another quick comment,

Particularly in the first few weeks of the war, the fervent rush to join the first 100,000 found some men - particularly from the North - on holiday in the south coast resorts, and enlist wherever they happened to be.

Regards

Steve

[ger_g]

Thanks so much folks! So he's a needle in a haystack... but thanks very much for the starting points. Anyone for a game of "Where's Wally..?" Are there indexes for Boer War servicemen?

Thanks again

Ger