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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Skinniedipper on Friday 23 December 05 03:39 GMT (UK)
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Hello Everyone,
According to the marriage registration, when my ancestor, John Brown (b abt 1858 Southwick, Co Durham) married Mary Napier (b abt 1863 Halifax) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 16th July 1882 his occupation was shown as "Soldier". Can anyone give me any suggestions as to how I can find out which regiment he was with or any other info that may be available about his military service.
I have found a possible entry in the UK 1881 census (RG11/1325/123/8) which shows a John Brown (b abt 1859 Sunderland, Co Durham) as a private with the 1st Bn Grenadier Guards, stationed at Victoria Barracks in Windsor, Berkshire). Was that regiment in Canada about a year later?
Thanks,
Douglas,
Queanbeyan, Australia
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Hi Doug!
This is the movements of 1st Bn Grenadier Guards .... doesn't look like they were in Canada in 1882 but he could have moved to another regiment!!
1861.12 Canada: Montreal
1861.12 Trent Affair: Montreal
1862 Canada: Montreal
1864 England
1877 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
1881 London: Chelsea
1882 Ireland: Dublin
1885 England: Windsor
1889 London: Tower
1892 London: Chelsea
1894 London: Wellington Barracks
1897 London: Tower
1897.09 Gibraltar
1898.09 Egypt
1898.09 Sudan
1898.10 England: Windsor
1901 London: Wellington Barracks
1903 London: Chelsea
1905 London: Tower
1907 London: Wellington Barracks
1908 Aldershot
1910 London: Wellington Barracks
1911 London: Chelsea
1912 Aldershot
1914 Warley
1914.10 France and Flanders 7 Div
1915.08 France and Flanders Gds Div
1919 London: Tower
Nor the 2nd Battalion ...... !!
1877 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards
1881 England: Windsor
1882 Egypt Duke of Connaught Bde
1884 London: Tower
1885 London: Chelsea
Annie :)
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douglas,the guards dont do garrison duties overseas,they only go abroad in times of major conflict,they are the monarchs bodyguard,but if the king was touring canada at the time,then he would have a detatchment of the guards with him,mack
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Hi Doug!!
The Guards hold copies of nearly all their service records. If you contact the Grenadier Guards archives at Wellington Barracks or can arrange a visit ( a little difficult from where you are though ..... !) or request copies - they can provide attestation papers and possibly correspondence. Phone no. 020 7414 3221
Try it and see!! :)
Annie
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Thanks to Annie & Mack for your help. I'll find the address for Wellington Barracks and write to them.
Doug
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Guards Museum
Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, Westminster, SW1E 6HQ
Annie :) :)
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Hi Douglas,
Readwith interest your posting.
My g.grandmother was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia to a serving member of the Rifle Brigade and his wife in 1842.
Somewhere I have a reference to the regiments that were stationed in Nova Scotia for the whole period of the British garrison at the Citadel. Will try to find them for you.
Brian
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Annie, thanks for the address. Much appreciated.
Brian, thanks for your reply. Any help would be appreciated. I can't say for certain which regiment he served with. The 1881 census entry is only a possible based on the similarities of name, place and year of birth. His second child, John, was born in abt 1885 in Southwick, Co Durham so I imagine he was back in "Civvie Street" by then (he certainly was in December 1886 when his third child was born in Cowpen, Northumberland).
Doug
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Hi Doug,
Try this website
www.rootsweb.com/~canns/ns-armylist.doc
It gives all regiments stationed in Nova Scotia by year.
Hope you find what your looking for.
Brian
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Sorry Doug,
Just realised it does not cover your period of around 1881
Brian
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From what I understand, the british Army pulled out of Canada in 1870. The last Brit regt in Canada was "The Royal canadian Rifles", which was for soldiers close to pension.
http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/canada-military/british-in-cda/roal-cdn-rifles-1840.htm
Hope that helps.
Mike
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According to "Fortress Halifax: Portrait of a Garrison Town" by Mike Parker (Halifax, NS: Nimbus, 2004) "Britain completed its military withdrawal from Canada in 1905-06, a process that began during the Crimean War, accelerated in 1871 with the recall of remaining Imperial forces except those needed for the naval dockyards at Halifax and Esquimalt" (p. 215). By that time, in Halifax, the following were present: 5th Royal Garrison regiment, Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Army Ordnance Department. Canada took over the forces and those who wanted to stay under Canadian service could do so, says Parker.
This same author quotes the Acadian Recorder as saying that there were 436 regments in Halifax between 1783 and 1896--quite a few to choose from.
The only other info I can glean from this source is that 1) the Royal Engineers were building and repairing gun emplacements as late as 1880, but it may only have been officers who were managing local volunteers 2) the Royal Artillery were in Halifax in 1880, pictured putting on a play 3) the 97th Regiment garrisoned in Halifax of an on from 1848n to 1880 4) it was the norm to have two regiments at a time in Halifax until 1883 5) the 101st Regiment under Sir Patrick MacDoungall were in Halifax in 1882.