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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: dillonking on Thursday 24 November 11 17:07 GMT (UK)
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My great uncle was killed in 1914 in the Great War. I have his medal card, battallion and unit and the place where he enlisted.
What I wanted to know is whether I could access his full record from the day of enlistment. Did they fill in a form giving their height and other personal details?
He enlisted in Dublin but where did the battallion do its training and for how long before being posted overseas?
He served in France & Flanders but I wonder where exactly.
Does anyone know how I can access this information?
Thanking you in advance. I did try a RDF forum but it isn't working properly and I couldn't get it to accept my membership.
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your post might do better on the Armed Forces board here on RootChat - that's where the experts in all matters Military hang out...
will I move your post there ? Done
Shane
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http://www.cwgc.org/
You could try a search, and also post his details here.
PM
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If he was in the 2nd Battalion he was in the 10th Infantry Brigade. Other Regiments in it were 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment,1st Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Their Movements during August to November 1914 in France are in a short book called" A Brigade of The Old Army" written by Lieut.-General Sir Aylmer Haldane. It was published by the Naval and Military Press so perhaps if you contact them they will assist.
Baird
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Okay Shane that might help. Thread Moved to Armed Forces
Thank you for your post Past Magic; your link is very good and that is where I found his cemetery but it does not give detailed records.
Thank you for your suggestion Baird. I shall look into it too. He was indeed in the
2nd Battallion so I can add 10th Infantry too.
Thanks to all for your speedy responses. Much appreciated.
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If you send me his date of death I can maybe forward some info.
Baird
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I have sent you a PM Baird and many thanks for any help you might be able to give me.
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About two thirds of WW1 service records were destroyed by bombing in 1940. Only the 2nd Battalion were in France in 1914 - http://www.1914-1918.net/dubs.htm
If you click on 4th Division (top right) you will get an idea of the battles he took part in. You can then follow each one until his death. The National Archives are digitising the WW1 war diaries - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/british-army-war-diaries-1914-1918.htm - however rank and file are rarely mentioned. But again it will give background such as if they were in the front line. If not he may have been carrying supplies, or was hit by a stray shell behind the lines.
If his record has not survived you should at least be able to discover when his number was issued by asking on the Great War Forum. As he died in1914 he must have had pre war experience.
Ken
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Here are my unedited notes on 2nd RDF at retreat at Mons which will show you what was happening to the battalion
Click here (http://dublin-fusiliers.com/battaliions/2-batt/campaigns/1914-retreat-mons.html)
But as others have said, you will get a lot more help if you post the details that you have on his name, etc.
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Do you have same for 14th / 15thOctober 1916?
I would appreciate a copy.
Slainte,
Baird
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If by that you mean 2RDF they were not involved in heavy fighting till a couple of weeks after that
These are sparse notes for Oct 1916 for 2 rdf - click here (http://dublin-fusiliers.com/battaliions/2-batt/campaigns/1916-oct-9.html)
Afraid I am away now till New Year
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Thank you Corisande. My great uncle was the James King from Clarence Street who died on the 27th August 1914 at Le Cateau.
He was a member of the 2nd Bn and his number was 11396.
I was wondering where I might find his enrollment record with personal details on it.
Long shot
I have just found the record of James cousin and my great cousin Charles Sweeney who was in the King's Liverpool Regiment. He died from wounds he received at Ypres in September 1917. I have not yet read the account of the battle. He had a son William who was born in February 1915 and I wonder if there are any of his descendants looking for information about him too. I found out quite a few things about him but I don't have details of height, etc.
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Hello
There is a book called "The Old Toughs" which is the nick name of 2nd RDF.
The regimental depot was in Naas, Co. Kildare (where recruits were generally trained for this regiment)
This book details the arrival of 2nd RDF in Gravesend (Kent) about 1911 and then their service at the Western Front during 1914/18, ending with the disbandment of the regiment in 1921. Soldiers who died are individually detailed.
I believe the book was compiled and published on behalf of the RDF assoc., it will tell you a lot about the conditions and locations your ancestor served in.
Regards
Billy
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Thank you Irish Warrior I will have to try and find a copy of that book. I don't think my great uncle could have been in the 2nd bn by 1911 as he would have been only 15 or 16 then. He was still at home with his brothers and sister in 1911, according to the census anyway.
Do you know at what age they were allowed to join up?
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Dear Dillonking
More info. on the RDF book...
"The Old Toughs" from Milton (The Barracks in Gravesend) to Mons and the Western Front 1911-1918.
There are no reference numbers on this book as it was commissioned by Patrick Hogarty (Oct 2000) of The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association.
The 2nd RDF had the "honour" of being the first in action in the retreat from Mons where on the 27th August 1914 their fatalities were 1 officer and 26 other ranks (all are detailed, including your uncle, in the book)
Sorry about lack of info. age of joining he may have added a few!
You should be able to find the RDF website and source the book.
Billy
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The book is sold out and there are no plans to reprint it fro the moment. Patrick Hogarty is now deceased. There are copies of the Blue Caps but you have to write to the family.
I'm sorry the book can't be bought for the moment. Oh well.
Thanks anyway Billy