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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Jadea55 on Thursday 20 May 21 17:03 BST (UK)
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I'm in urgent need of help with some WW1 information on my great grandfather, we know next to nothing on his wartime history. My grandpa is now 94 years old and I would love to give him any new information on his father, we would especially love to know what medals he received.
We are trying to find his regiment number, I have narrowed it down to a few I think it might be.
Is there a way of searching a regiment number and finding information on the soldier?
His name is Duncan McPherson from Scotland born in 1892 and we have no other information about his wartime but a photo. In the photo (I believe) he is wearing a corporal uniform from the Royal Engineers/Army Service Corps.
The only information I can find with with his name and this title is an acting lance corporal and a second (lance) corporal.
We have been told to look at the absentee voters list but I don't know where to find this.
If there is a specialist that could help us we would be happy to go down that avenue, we have tried a few but we haven't had any luck.
My grandfather is an amazing man who also served in WW2 and is still active in his local RSL, any help at all would be greatly appreciated!
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Over 60% of WW1 service records were burnt during the WW2 blitz. Those that survived are on Ancestry or FindMyPast or other subscription sites
The Medal Roll Index has over 30 entries for his name. Did he have a middle name?
If you have a photo of him in uniform then you could post it here for identification
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Hi
Perhaps also where he was born in Scotland and possible next of kin (parents or wife) If you have a possible army number that can be searched on subscription sites.
Cathy
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Hi
Perhaps also where he was born in Scotland and possible next of kin (parents or wife) If you have a possible army number that can be searched on subscription sites.
Cathy
As Cathy has posted, details about his place of birth and family can possibly help in answering you post. Also, if you provide the service numbers that you have found, this would narrow the search.
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There's a photo of a Corporal D McPherson of the ASC in the Western Mail of 28 December 1915. Front row, 3rd from left:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000104%2f19151228%2f164&stringtohighlight=corporal%20mcpherson
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(https://scontent.fper5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/103303189_2573630226232082_5795782295374031431_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=hDjk-ow-xfkAX89FyfJ&_nc_ht=scontent.fper5-1.fna&oh=c79774811dc87b40d55090ec5f91fcb6&oe=60DA9275)
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I just posted a photo of him, it's the only one we have of him in uniform!
He was born 14/03/1892 in Sleat, Invernesshire, Scotland
His parents were Alexander and Mary McPherson
This was an email I sent to my grandpa outlining what I had found
The only Corporal Duncan McPherson I can find was in the Kings own Scottish Borders, which was involved in combat.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5119/images/41629_612057_10626-00191?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=247722de21ebe0db4dc2f578a00b218b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=XyP262&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1136320
Acting Sargent Duncan McPherson (somehow went from private to acting Sargent) Same as above this is from Argyll and Sutherland Highlands which was a combat regiment.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5119/images/41629_626640_11782-00186?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=247722de21ebe0db4dc2f578a00b218b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=XyP263&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1950585
The 2 below links is the closest match I can find to Duncan with the information I have.
Closest match so far Royal Engineers 424023 he was a second (lance) Corporal
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5119/images/41806_636897_11443-00044?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=042a6eda1ffd888a6a1e84d42858e99b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=XyP260&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1137172
But was also an acting Corporal which would have meant he wore a Corporals uniform.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5119/images/41629_625537_9487-00235?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=042a6eda1ffd888a6a1e84d42858e99b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=XyP260&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1136316
The documents I have gone through show all Duncan McPhersons that served in WW1, I have mainly been looking at the Royal Engineers which were a part of the Army Service Corps
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There's a photo of a Corporal D McPherson of the ASC in the Western Mail of 28 December 1915. Front row, 3rd from left:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000104%2f19151228%2f164&stringtohighlight=corporal%20mcpherson
Oh that is very interesting, I hadn't looked much on Find my past!
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Hi
Perhaps also where he was born in Scotland and possible next of kin (parents or wife) If you have a possible army number that can be searched on subscription sites.
Cathy
As Cathy has posted, details about his place of birth and family can possibly help in answering you post. Also, if you provide the service numbers that you have found, this would narrow the search.
I have posted the information that I have found, I'm not sure how to go about verifying any of it though. :(
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Well ignore everything I have just said, I have just discovered his last name was spelt MacPherson not McPherson, the documents my mum send me had the last name spelt wrong :-[
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The cap badge in the photograph is a bit 'fuzzy' but it looks like the Army Service Corps badge.
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looking at the Royal Engineers which were a part of the Army Service Corps
Your man is definitely ASC.
The RE was a completely different Regt. & not part of the ASC.
RE cap badge:
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looking at the Royal Engineers which were a part of the Army Service Corps
Your man is definitely ASC.
The RE was a completely different Regt. & not part of the ASC.
RE cap badge:
Oh perfect, thank you for clarifying that I didn't realise they had two different badges.