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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: mandyweller on Sunday 14 November 10 19:39 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I have found my great Grand dad's army record on Ancestry but it is really difficult to read the history of service. Has anyone got any advice that may help. I have tried to attach the file but can't seem to manage to get it right can't get it to 500KB .... ???
His name was William Bickley army number 12011 began service with Royal Artillery 14/11/1895 I think that before that he may have been with Shropshire Light Infantry He was wounded in 1898 and served in France in 1914 but there are a few things that don't add up so I would really like to know a bit more ???
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Hi mandyweller, welcome to Rootschat,
I have found his records on ancestry...if I can help, I will but I'm no expert. What are we looking for?
Jean
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You are very kind thank you.
On the WW1 pension record I am trying to work out on the military history page where he was posted as its all a bit blurry until France in 1914 also think he was wounded in the "eyebrow ? & something else 1898 any ideas on the next of kin - sister ? noted that has been crossed out would be great think it says 23 oakley street chelsea but can't make the name out have searched the address but can't find a bickley mentioned on the census.
Any help is really appreciated Thanks
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Hello Mandy and welcome to Rootschat.
I think the wounds are:
Wound of eyebrow (on duty)
Contusion Right Knee
His next of kin, his sister, was originally shown as Miss A Bickley, 28 Oakley Street, Chelsea, London, but it has subsequently been amended to 8 Whitby Road, Cheriton (I think) Road, Nr Folkstone, Kent.
GS
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Ah, I have just noticed a note on the left-hand side saying "Wife with husband" so perhaps sister married and they have not shown her married name. Would explain why you can't find her on the census!
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Thank you thats a great help there is so much to learn making sense of it all. I don't think he did anything amazing but it all helps to put the bits together.
Thanks again
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Beat me to it greensleeves....
He was home Nov 96-Dec 96
India? 98
Home 98-14 15yrs
France 1914-15
Home 1918-1919
His wife and children are listed, do you have those?
Jean
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Thank you, yes I have wife & children & I have managed to cross reference them all, (with a bit of help from my mum who luckly can remember some of them but she never knew her grandfather. India sounds quite promising & I am going to try to find out where in france that he was I know he was in the 104th Field artillary so off I go
Thanks so much for your help ;)
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104th (CIV) Brigade RFA was attached to 23rd Division in WW1 - http://www.1914-1918.net/23div.htm
Here is a link describing what a brigade consisted of - http://www.1914-1918.net/whatartbrig.htm -
If you described what is written next to Shropshire Light Infantry I should be able to tell you something of his infantry service.
Ken
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Hi,
That is amazing thank you so much for the links they are really interesting I have done loads of searches and haven't found anything that good.... guess I have much to learn :)
I got the Shrophire Light infantry bit from the first page of his enlistment question 10 asks if recruit is already a member of army etc & he has answered Yes of Shropshire L I (which I have guessed to mean light Infantry ? ) Then question 16 asks if he recieved a n0tice & who gave it the answer is yes & what looks like seargent Major ???? cant read it of Shropshire L I
I wondered if he was transferring as he is noted as being 22 years old but there are no other references to anything before that I have been able to find anywhere yet
Any tips of Info would be really great as I am now facinated to find out more about where he served
Thanks again
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Hi
No he was not transferred. They would have carried on with his SLI papers. The best clue is if they give any SLI details - rank and number - on page 3. I was hoping they gave his battalion.
It sounds as if the SLI bit could be the Militia - part-time soldiers. If you cannot get to Kew you will have to wait for Findmypast to put the Militia Attestation Papers online by the end of 2011. Militia forms of that period do not give next of kin, but they give the name and address of his last employer, which you do not get in Regular paper's, plus his address which you may not have, if different from his NoK's.
Ken