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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Cember on Tuesday 27 April 10 10:04 BST (UK)

Title: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Tuesday 27 April 10 10:04 BST (UK)
I am looking for information on George Worton
Family stories say that he served in the Boer war but so far I have been unable to confirm it.
I have been unable to find him on the 1891 or 1901 census, but he had obviously been home because he had aquired a  wife and two children. He is with his family in 1911.
I do have his service record for WW1 and a photograph of him taken c1915 in uniform. He has 4 white chevrons on the lower left arm which I believe indicate length of service.
All suggestions gratefully received.
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: gortonboy on Tuesday 27 April 10 10:16 BST (UK)
hi,,when and where was he born? ;)
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 27 April 10 10:44 BST (UK)
Is he the George Warton born around 1867 who married Ann Pagett and lived in Lye? If so his WW1 service record says that he had previously served in the Worcestershire Regiment "T of E 1902" (presumably that's  Termination of Engagement).
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Tuesday 27 April 10 11:40 BST (UK)
Shaun - Yes that him - those are the records i have but I can't see any indication on them of where he served during his previous service.
Gortonboy - c1867 and Lye Worcesterhire
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 27 April 10 12:02 BST (UK)
Soldiers' discharge papers for 1901 to 1913 are due to be released by FindMyPast within the next few weeks - with luck you may find his prior service record there
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Tuesday 27 April 10 21:59 BST (UK)
Thanks for the info ShaunJ.
I've waited a few years so I guess i can wait a  few more weeks.

I have a photo of him from 1918 with four stripes on his left cuff and some ribbons on his chest, I'm interested to see if i can find out what they were for.
cheers
John
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: km1971 on Wednesday 28 April 10 06:20 BST (UK)
Hi John

If you post a high-resolution scan of just of the medal ribbons we can confirm if they are Boer War medals or not. If you have information on his WW1 experience the rest of the photograph is not important.

If you are correct with either date of the photograph they cannot be WW1 medals, as they were not issued until a few years after the war had ended. So there is a good chance that they are Boer War medals, or one for South Africa and one for Long Service and Good Conduct. Four good conduct ‘badges’ in 1914 indicated 18 years of ‘good’ service. So for him to be time-expired in 1902 he must be getting on a bit when WW1 started.

Ken
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Wednesday 28 April 10 14:26 BST (UK)
I'll try a scan,its a postcard size with George seated and his son Alfred standing both in uniform, so gow it will turn out is uncertain
.
The actual date is written on the back (15/10/18) along with a physial description.
regards
John
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Wednesday 28 April 10 17:44 BST (UK)
i think I need a new scanner
but here goes...
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Wednesday 28 April 10 17:52 BST (UK)
One of George in his younger days with no ribbons
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: km1971 on Wednesday 28 April 10 20:18 BST (UK)
Hi John

I am confused. In his record is an acknowledgement to the 1914-1915 Star dated October 1920. He would have received pieces of ribbon to go on his second best uniform (this one), about two months before then. So that date of 1918 cannot be right. The other ribbon could be the Queen South Africa medal.

In the earlier photograph there could be a Queen South Africa ribbon hiding in the folds of the uniform. That uniform is a 1915 pattern economy tunic. But why isn’t he wearing three good conduct badges?

Ken
Title: Re: George Worton
Post by: Cember on Wednesday 28 April 10 21:15 BST (UK)
I am just as confused, :-)

 I am not sure  who wrote the descripton or the date on the back, I think it was my aunt who wrote "uncle Alf and grandad" so I can only assume it was one of Georges children who wrote  the description and date.
His son Alf, who I have cropped off the first photo, joined up in 1918 and served in the tanks.
 I  had suspected the photo was a momento of the two of them - just  in case.
Perhaps things will become clearer when more records get released,and his area of deployment confirmed.
regards
John