Author Topic: Military History need help.  (Read 3604 times)

Offline REEDY

  • I am sorry but my email address is no longer working
  • RootsChat Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 834
    • View Profile
Military History need help.
« on: Thursday 22 April 04 00:05 BST (UK) »
My Great Great Grandfather was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers 2nd Batallion He was 958 Spencer Pryer.
During his service between 1859-1885 he served in many places including the Ashanti campaign in West Africa 1873-1874. Could anyone help me to discover a bit more about the regiment and my GG grandfather I live a long distance from the PRO so I would be unable to go.  Any help on reseaching military history would be a bonus.
Census information is Crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Brown,Jude,Hubbard,Bailey,Anderson Norfolk
Dalton,French,Elwes Lincolnshire
Reed,Mcquillan,Sullivan,Ruan Ireland
Hollingworth,Watson,Newill Leeds
English,Bryant,Powell,Lee
Beeby,Robson
Ellar,Pryer,Ingledew
Dearing,Hailer,Simpson

Offline peterbennett

  • Deceased † Rest In Peace
  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • ********
  • Posts: 3,089
  • Samuel if ever an Ag Lab looked like one it was he
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 22 April 04 10:33 BST (UK) »
Hi
You will find this site invaluable for reseach into the Victorian soldier.
You will also find Kevin very helpful with enquiry's

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/home.html

regards

peterbennett
All census look up transcriptions are Crown Copyright<br />www.NationalArchives.gov.uk <br />Cheshire BMD  www.cheshirebmd.org.uk/ <br />Cheshire Wills database http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/recordoffice/wills/Search.htm<br />Cheshire family history society  www.fhsc.org.uk/<br />Cheshire Records Office http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/Recordoffice/aboutus/recoffcontact.tm<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Bennett/,Whaley,Chesh/Lancs, Brindley Staffs

Offline REEDY

  • I am sorry but my email address is no longer working
  • RootsChat Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 834
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 22 April 04 15:00 BST (UK) »
Hi Peter Thank you for your help I will certainly give it a try.
Census information is Crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Brown,Jude,Hubbard,Bailey,Anderson Norfolk
Dalton,French,Elwes Lincolnshire
Reed,Mcquillan,Sullivan,Ruan Ireland
Hollingworth,Watson,Newill Leeds
English,Bryant,Powell,Lee
Beeby,Robson
Ellar,Pryer,Ingledew
Dearing,Hailer,Simpson

Offline MrB

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 87
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 22 April 04 16:54 BST (UK) »
This might start you off on the right track , I cannot tell you how to finish as I do not know. So until someone in the know comes along...........

Go to http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk

Click on "Use a Guided Search".

Type 'service records' in the Guided Search box and click on go.


Now the tricky bit , from the items listed select a possible for your line of enquiry. This will give you lots more reference possibilities prefixed WO.

Having noted a possibility click on Home  from the catalogue toolbar now.


 Click on Search  the catalogue and type  the surname you are looking for
 in search box no. 1

The WO reference in search box no. 3

Click on search.

Having got you this far good look. I really do not know much more.

If you get stuck email the helpline at the PRO. I did and received a reply in 30 minutes. I asked about WW1 and will paste the reply below but it does refer to WW1 and not what you are looking for.

I understand that you can order the documents on line.

I will also cross reference the above with two other recent posts on the same subject.

Good luck

Stuart



The following is courtesy of the PRO..........

 It would be useful to have as much information as possible beforehand (e.g
 whether you are searching for an officer, soldier and any names).

 Most of the soldiers records (known as the 'Burnt papers') have already
been
 microfilmed and are being made available but some (for example those
 starting with letter H are not yet available). (Ignore this)

 General Steps to search for soldiers/officers service records:

 1. Please, access PROCAT, the PRO online catalogue at
 http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk

 2. Click on USE A GUIDED SEARCH (second button, left menu) in order to
 search our information leaflets and obtain some research advice.

 3. Type 'service records' in the Guided Search box and click on GO.  From
 the list of relevant leaflets, you possibly need:

 First World War, 1914-1918: Soldiers' Papers, 1914-1920

 Follow the guidance in the separate leaflet for officers if your relative
 was an officer .

 4. Click over the underlined title of the leaflet to read it. If your
 relative survived the war you may also wish to follow the pension thread.
 Note down WO 363 for the soldiers' service records. Please, be aware that
 most of these records were destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940.

 5. Click on HOME from the catalogue toolbar now.

 6. Click on SEARCH the catalogue and type, for example:

Searchname  in search box no. 1

 WO 363 in search box no. 3

 Click on search.

 7. There are 195 catalogue references for this surname, listed by ranges
of  first names in this case.


You could scroll down and click on the next page of results until you
reach
the relevant one or click on REFINE and search for 'Searchname AND Peter', WO
363
(in order to get a shorter list of results).

 If you are searching for an uncommon surname (e.g. 'Huitson') and the
 surname is in the middle of a range you may get 0 hits.

8. If this happens to you (no hits for your surname), try a different
 search.

 9. Click on REFINE and replace a less common surname like 'Huitson' with
the
 following text:

 Hui*
 make sure that WO 363 remains in search box no. 3

 (the asterisk or star will retrieve anything that starts with 'Hui' in WO
 363)

 Make sure that WO 363 is still in search box no. 3 and click on SEARCH.
Then
 you should be able to find the relevant range of surnames (e.g. Hammer -
 Humble).

 If the surname of this person had survived, it would be find within the
 above reference

 10. You could run similar searches restricted to WO 364 (pension records -
 if he had one).

 Information on document copying is available at:
 http://www.pro.gov.uk/recordcopying/default.htm






Offline cofi

  • RootsChat Pioneer
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 24 April 04 13:01 BST (UK) »
My Great Great Grandfather was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers 2nd Batallion He was 958 Spencer Pryer.
During his service between 1859-1885 he served in many places including the Ashanti campaign in West Africa 1873-1874. Could anyone help me to discover a bit more about the regiment and my GG grandfather I live a long distance from the PRO so I would be unable to go.  Any help on reseaching military history would be a bonus.



My friend works in the RWF museum in Caernarfon castle... mind if I print this out and show him?
I may not agree what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Voltaire.

Offline peterbennett

  • Deceased † Rest In Peace
  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • ********
  • Posts: 3,089
  • Samuel if ever an Ag Lab looked like one it was he
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 24 April 04 14:49 BST (UK) »
Hi Reedy
       I am sure MrB would not mind you copying it if he does he will tell you!
       I would please ask that you spread the word as to where you obtained it i.e. ROOTSCHAT
 Regards

peterbennett
All census look up transcriptions are Crown Copyright<br />www.NationalArchives.gov.uk <br />Cheshire BMD  www.cheshirebmd.org.uk/ <br />Cheshire Wills database http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/recordoffice/wills/Search.htm<br />Cheshire family history society  www.fhsc.org.uk/<br />Cheshire Records Office http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/Recordoffice/aboutus/recoffcontact.tm<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Bennett/,Whaley,Chesh/Lancs, Brindley Staffs

Offline REEDY

  • I am sorry but my email address is no longer working
  • RootsChat Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 834
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #6 on: Monday 26 April 04 10:50 BST (UK) »
Thanks for everyones help in my military history search I will follow up all the things suggested. I would not mind if you would like to send the information to the RWF it may help me. Thanks again everyone
Census information is Crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Brown,Jude,Hubbard,Bailey,Anderson Norfolk
Dalton,French,Elwes Lincolnshire
Reed,Mcquillan,Sullivan,Ruan Ireland
Hollingworth,Watson,Newill Leeds
English,Bryant,Powell,Lee
Beeby,Robson
Ellar,Pryer,Ingledew
Dearing,Hailer,Simpson

Offline pussygalore

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 10
  • I've not edited my PROFILE yet
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #7 on: Friday 07 May 04 19:10 BST (UK) »
hi

i am having problems trying to find any information on my g-grandfather during the first world war, all i know is he was in the 6th east lancashire regiment, he went in a private and came out a sargent, but i have no number for him only his name william schofield.
could anyone tell me were to go from here.

thanks ???

Offline MrB

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 87
    • View Profile
Re:Military History need help.
« Reply #8 on: Friday 07 May 04 19:32 BST (UK) »
You will probably get his serial number from http://www.documentsonline.pro.gov.uk/default.asp but surnames beginning with S are scheduled for later this year.

Have you tried searching for absent voters plus the town he was born/reside. Sometimes you can be lucky.

Also have a luck at http://www.1914-1918.net/index.htm how to research a soldier (top left).