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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: jeffH on Sunday 08 June 08 03:48 BST (UK)
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I've been unable to find a MIC for my great-grandfather.
William James Harries
R4/106395
Sergeant, Army Service Corp
Fortunately I was able to find his service records on Ancestry just as my subscription was running out.
I've tried every possible search combination at DocumentsOnline and the few I found that looked promising turned into dead ends. I'm hoping someone may have better luck at this than I did. Perhaps some MICs were not imaged by the NA and have been or will be imaged by Ancestry. Could someone with access to Ancestry attempt to find this MIC for me?
Thank You
Jeff
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Hi Jeff
Can you say how you found his records on Ancestry, and whether they are pension or service records?
The main NA MIC site does not list anyone with that number, so either he had another number or he did not go overseas.
If you have his service records they should give his medal entitlement. They should also give details of any overseas service. If they do not then he did not earn medals for WW1.
Ken
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I've been unable to find a MIC for my great-grandfather.
William James Harries
R4/106395
Sergeant, Army Service Corp
Fortunately I was able to find his service records on Ancestry just as my subscription was running out.
I've tried every possible search combination at DocumentsOnline and the few I found that looked promising turned into dead ends. I'm hoping someone may have better luck at this than I did. Perhaps some MICs were not imaged by the NA and have been or will be imaged by Ancestry. Could someone with access to Ancestry attempt to find this MIC for me?
Thank You
Jeff
Hi Jeff !
I wonder if maybe you have a typo or something ... I can't even find your William's service records on Ancestry !! ::) ::) ... and I've been looking for a while !!
As Ken says - let us know what you found on the records and maybe somebody can help you ! :)
( I tried William James Harris but there's loads of them !! ::) )
Annie :)
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Hi Jef
Is this Him ? he's a Pt though not Sergt
Regards
Iria
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Thanks Iria, that one does look promising doesn't it. Unfortunately the "J" in that names is a "John". I had someone look at the medal rolls for that one. At the time, it was the closest match I could find.
I've also checked a number of "Harris" leads as Annie had pointed out and there were a couple that looked like mine but again, when I checked the medal rolls (or in one case, the pension records) it was obvious that it wasn't my Harries.
The records I have are pension records. The duplicate copy of his Attestation form says nothing about a previous number or service before the war started. He enlisted 1 May 1915 at Ormskirk and was assigned to the ASC Remount Division. He remained with the remounts until 11 Jan 1920. There is a casualty form in his records (Form B 103) that gives an account of where and when he was stationed and when he was promoted. But it says nothing of overseas service. On a disability form he even claimed he was in England the entire time.
Even if he didn't go overseas, he should have been entitled to a BWM and Vic (I believe). But what I really want to find is evidence of a Star. In post war pictures of him in uniform I can easily make out the trio. And he used to say he did go to France for a time.
Thanks everyone for looking...
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Even if he didn't go overseas, he should have been entitled to a BWM and Vic (I believe).
No, you had to leave the UK. Here is a link to the NA page that explains the requirements - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp.
And like Annie I cannot find him on Ancestry.
Ken
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If he stayed in til 1920 is it at the NA or with MOD Records?
cant find it on the Ancestry pensions :(
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There are no MICs for the numbers immediately either side of R4/106395. (I tried 106380 to 106410)
I also checked CWGC and there are a total of six casualties in the series R4/106***, only one is pre-Armistice (Sept 1918). One is France, two Greece, the remaining three are UK.
Phil
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I'm starting to believe that he never went to France, despite what he may have been telling other members of the family. Someone once suggested to me that the bars on his uniform may be fake. It would certainly explain why a MIC can't be found. And after inspecting his pension records again and realizing there is nothing in them about serving in France or any other overseas location, I'm starting to think this may have been the case.
The attached photo was taken after his service with the Canadian Veteran Guard during WW2.
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Where was he born Jeff ? ... did he have any brothers that served ??
Annie :)
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He was born in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire 17 March 1883. He had two sisters, no brothers. His younger sister Evelyn served with the Red Cross in Cardiff although the Red Cross has no record of her.
He was definitely someone who was willing to do whatever it took to make ends meet. He emigrated to Canada twice, looking for a better life. I know for certain he joined the Canadian Veteran Guards during WW2 because the pay was good, he got to travel and would end up with a pension. And I've always believed he went home to serve during the first world war for similar reasons.
Jeff
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I know you're probably fed up with me asking questions Jeff ... but could you tell me where you found great-grandfather's papers on Ancestry ? ... how did they spell his name exactly ?
Initials ... full name ? ... because I can't find him !!
It occured to me that he may have joined up in Canada ... did he ??
Annie :)
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Hi Annie
I have just found him on A *******
His number is 106935 at least that is what it says there.
Just a small sample.
Sandy
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I said 106395 didn't I. And here I am looking right at the form with the number 106935 on it. My appologies. Thanks for the correction Sandy.
I have a total of 18 pages in the file.
Jeff
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Hi Jeff
But is it him. :)
No need for apologies.
Sandy
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Thank goodness ... I've been going through every Harries one at a time in case he was mixed up with someone else !! ................ :) :) :)
Thanks Sandy ... you've saved my eyesight !! :D
Good good good ...NOW maybe we can find him ... god love him !! :)
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And to answer Sandy's last post, yes, that is him. Thanks for clearing that up for me ;)
Jeff
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Hi Jeff
No, he did not go abroad. After enlisting in Cardiff he served at Shirehampton (Bristol) and Ormskirk (Lancashire).
Here is a link to the Remounts Service - http://www.1914-1918.net/remounts.html
Ken