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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: jamajo on Sunday 15 July 07 17:48 BST (UK)

Title: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Sunday 15 July 07 17:48 BST (UK)
Today on the Berkshire forum someone posted a website about Abingdon. When i looked into WW1 records i found my grandfathers brother was also in the war. What i would like to know  is what does it mean when it gives his status as RETURNED. It states he was in the 11th battallion of the Worcestershire regiment at Salonika. Ive never heard of this place can anyone explain anything about this to me please.
                                               Regards
                                                   Sue
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: Tati on Sunday 15 July 07 18:12 BST (UK)
Hi Sue,

Any use?  :)
http://www.1914-1918.net/salonika.htm
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Sunday 15 July 07 18:31 BST (UK)
What some great reading and info from that site. I now know all about Salonika.You dont very often hear about these places or i didnt know anything about it. Hope im not showing my ignorance tati. I suppose when it says he was returned  he must have been one of the lucky ones to come home safe. Thanks for your help.
                                       regards
                                         Sue
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: manmack on Monday 16 July 07 09:53 BST (UK)
hello sue.
before the war started,many soldiers had signed up for a certain period of time,once their period of service was over they were returned home as TIME SERVED,they are no longer oblidged to carry on serving even with a war on,most re-enlisted,it also could mean he was RETURNED wounded/sick from the front
mack
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Monday 16 July 07 18:32 BST (UK)
Hello mack,
               Thanks for the info. Hope im not showing my ignorance but can you tell me something please. Could soldiers choose which regiment they went in only my grandfather was in 2/4th royal berkshire regiment and his brother was in the worcestershire regiment. Cant understand why William moved so far away from family.

                                      Sue
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: manmack on Monday 16 July 07 19:02 BST (UK)
Hello mack,
               Thanks for the info. Hope im not showing my ignorance but can you tell me something please. Could soldiers choose which regiment they went in only my grandfather was in 2/4th royal berkshire regiment and his brother was in the worcestershire regiment. Cant understand why William moved so far away from family.

                                      Sue
yes sue,in the early part of the war,a man could join any regt or corps he wanted,but later in the war when men were conscripted,they were sent anywhere,your uncles army number should be able to tell you if he was a volunteer or if he was conscripted,mack
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Tuesday 17 July 07 13:23 BST (UK)
Thanks for the info Mack.
         Can you tell me where i can get his army number from and who to ring to get his records please. Im doing my family tree for my 3 boys to give to them when they older and hopefully they will pass on to their children. The more i can piece together hopefully the more they will understand.
                                           Sue
   
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: susanemily on Tuesday 17 July 07 18:05 BST (UK)
Sue,  If he was in the Army you will need his MIC (medal index card) prior to starting out research.  or at least to get the regiment number from it.  Hopefully, he wont have too common a surname.  Also is helpful if you know where he came from (as if he joined early in the war he would have joined a "local" - to him - regiment)......  otherwise as Mack says if he was conscripted he would not have had a choice which regiment to join.

You can download it from:

 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=10&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=10&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1)           

or if you post his name (in full) here I will look it up for you as best i can.  Hope this helps.

Susan.                   
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Tuesday 17 July 07 18:16 BST (UK)
Hello Susan
                  I would be grateful if you could find out for me. His name was William Dance born in Abingdon Berkshire, address West ST Helens Street.
                                     
                                          Many thanks
                                              Sue



Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: Bryant on Friday 20 July 07 05:49 BST (UK)
Lots of William Dance's........

Just two William Dance's attached to Worcestershire Regiments........is one of them yours?

WILLIAM T DANCE.........WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT....Reg No 34842

or

WILLIAM G DANCE........1/8th WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT...Reg No 2383

Providing your William is a William ? Dance and not a ? William Dance  :o one of the above has a chance of being your man............Regiments got absorbed within Regiments during the Great War

I'm no authority on army history (I know nought) but I have obtained grandfather's army records through the Boer War & Great War and by that research alone...you learn a lot!

Bryant

Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Friday 20 July 07 10:44 BST (UK)
Thanks and Williams middle name was Thomas so i think that could be the right one. Iwill try to look into getting his card to help me more.
                                   Many thanks
                                         Sue
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: wyndham on Friday 20 July 07 20:22 BST (UK)
Sue,

If you want any details on the Worcestshire Regiment you should approach 'The Worcestershire Regiment Museum Trust'.  Their site is rhq@wfr.army.mod.uk and the Hon Archivist is a Lt Col C P Love.

He was extremely helpful when I was tracing my grandfather who served in this regiment.  He answered every question I had and provided an amazing amount of detail.

I would definitely try here first or even visit the 'Worcestershire Regiment' site which has a fantastic amount of detail.  It will probably help you and stop you going off in all directions.

Wyndham
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: jamajo on Friday 20 July 07 21:02 BST (UK)
Hi Wyndham,
                    Thanks very much and ill definately look into that. Any chance of you telling me the worcestershire regiment website please.

                                             Regards
                                                  Sue
Title: Re: What a bit of luck
Post by: wyndham on Friday 20 July 07 21:26 BST (UK)
Dear Sue,

Your wish is my command.  The site is as follows:-

http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main+inc/welcome or the easy way round is just to enter worcestershire regiment into your browser and up it will come!

A very useful part is the Forum where all kinds of questions and answers are displayed.

Anyway, give it a try.

Wyndham