Private John Hone, 1st Royal Warwicks

[Mark Hone]

My great-uncle John Hone, who was killed on 24th October 1918 was recalled as a reservist at the outbreak of war. I would like to find out more about his pre-war service but have only the odd family legend to go on. He was certainly in India for part of the time but I do not know if he served in the South African War. I am pretty certain from research I carried out a few years ago that his wartime service record does not survive but I wonder what material about his earlier career I might be able to obtain. I have never tried to research a pre-war soldier and do not have easy access to Kew.

[Coldstreamer]

papers prior to 1913 are held at the NA

[chris basey]

Mark

I researched a man who enlisted in 1877, retired in 1904 and then re-joined in 1914 to serve through till 1919. Records for ALL his service were in one file at NA.

[Nick Thornicroft]

Mark

The 1st Royal Warwicks served in the Sudan in 1897/8 before spending the next fourteen years in India, part of which was spent on the North West Frontier. It set sail for the UK in December, 1912.

The 2nd Royal Warwicks served in the Boer War 1899-1901, Bermuda 1901/2, followed by Malta until the outbreak of the First World War. Pte. G.T. Thornicroft (see below) was a Boer War veteran, so it is possible your great-uncle was also. Maybe some kind soul can look up the Warwicks' medal roll at the NA for you?

Nick

[Terry_Reeves]

Mark

If his wartime record has not survived then neither have his pre-war papers. Normally you would have to look in WO 97 for a pre-war soldier, however his papers would only be there if he had completed all of his service, including his reserve commitment by 1913. Those whose service went past that date and into WW1 would have been held in those records pertaining to WW1.

TR

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for the replies. Terry-that's what I feared, although I couldn't be sure because I've never seen a pre-war regular's service record. The Medal Roll appears to be the answer. I've always assumed that he was 1st Battalion pre-war as family legends focus on India (indeed a wooden box he brought back survived until recently). Although he joined as a boy soldier he would have been a bit young for the Sudan campaign, although again family legend did mention 'Egypt'.