Genealogy Chat

Could anyone tell me the best way of finding out further info about a relation?I know his name and 'private number' and the fact that in 1918 he was at the Southern Command Labour Centre, Fovant,Salisbury.Beyond that, I know nothing.The info I have was obtained from records of an affiliation order.I am assuming that he was in the army, from his 'private number.'I would be grateful for any suggestions.I am not the next of kin.Thankyou.

Have you tried on National Archives to see if he has a medals card? Any records, if they still exist, would be at Kew. Currently ancestry are beginning to produce WW1 Pensions records on their site. I think they have only got to the initial B though! But what is it you want to find out about him?

As I am related to him , it would be nice to know something about him.I have only his name; no d of b or county or even country of origin, although he was probably British.I know he was posted to Winchester Camp ?1917/1918 and was at Salisbury at the end of 1918.I am not sure now whether the private no quoted to me, is in fact a telephone number or his army service number.That is all.He failed to keep up with the affiliation order payments.I suppose that I would like to follow all possible leads.If they don't give me any further information, then so be it!I have tried A2A, with no results.Perhaps visiting Kew is my only option.Thanks so much for your advice.

Hi I have seen several people refer to 'private numbers' for soldiers. Isn't it just that in online records for soldiers the table often first shows rank, for example, 'Private' ,and then on the line below his service 'number'? eg: SMITH, Thomas Regiment, Corps etc.: Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) Battalion etc.: 9th Battalion. Surname: Smith Forename(s): Thomas Initials: T Birthplace: Edinburgh Enlisted: Hounslow Residence: Edinburgh Rank: PRIVATE Number: 3600 Date died: 07 July 1916 How died: Killed in action Theatre of war: France & Flanders Denis

I think youll find that is his army number - very few people had telephones back then. So you found nothing on the National Archives Documents online for medals cards? Where does he fit into your tree as there must be another way of tracing him through the census or whatever? If you put ALL the details you do know on here people could try to help you.

Thanks to both of you. I went back to the archives for another look and have found him.I will need to study the documents more in order to make complete sense of them.They are rather difficult to read.can I use the information for further investigation? Henry Scott Percival is the person concerned.He had a daughter Dorothy May 4/1/1918 in Bath by Ethel Hemmings nee Brokenshire b1886 Cornwall.Ethel had 5 children, the 5th being Dorothy.Apart from what I have written already, I know nothing about Henry.I think he was married with child/children. Thanks again.

Annabel, If you google the long long trail, and scroll down their home page under 'shortcuts' on right hand side, it gives great info on reading medal index cards. The card should tell you what regiment he served with ... usually top right hand corner. Hope this helps. Laura.

Thanks Laura,will do.

That's a really interesting site with a lot of infomation.Unfortunately my relative was in the Army Service Corps and then the Labour Corps.As I am not the nearest kin alive, presumably I can't research him further from army service records.Permission from next of kin would be impossible. I can't find him anywhere else with certainty, as I don't know where he was born,d of b, or the names of any of his other close relatives.Am I now at a dead end?

Annabel, My best advice would be 2 post a thread on the great war forum. It's attached to long long trail, or u can google 'great war forum'. Some extremely knowledgeable peeps willing to help - just like here. Give them as much info as u can. May take longer to get a reply than on this site, but usually worth the wait. Good luck. Laura.

Thanks Laura, I will do that in due course!

Annabel, No, you are not at a 'dead end' - well, providing he left the army before 1921. WW1 Soldiers' Records are held at Kew and anyone can access them on microfilm. They are organised alphabetically by surname in two main groups - one set is kind of 'normal' the other is what survives of the 'burnt documents' which were damaged, ironically, by an incendiary bomb in WW2. There is a reasonable chance of you finding your man there - not definite, but certainly reasonable. For soldiers who continued in military service beyond 1921, you would need the authorisation of the next-of-kin to obtain his records and the process is a little more complicated - and lengthy. Good luck & kind regards Annie

Thanks Annie.He was discharged in 1919, so it looks as if Kew would be worth a visit.Thanks for the encouragement!