Royal West Kent Regiment.D Company Ranikhet 1916-18

[webeyer]

Hi
I'm hoping for some help getting information about my Great Grandfather, Harry Edward James Atkins born abt 1879 in Windsor, Berkshire.
I have three postcards which he sent home from India, one of which has 'Gen view of Ranikhet' etched into the picture. (I will try to download it)
I also have a photo of him with his pals, etched into that picture it says 'Head 3=D Coys Ranikhet. On one card, it says that he served from Jan 1916 to Nov 1919.
Harry was a tailor by trade, in his obit it says that he was a Master Tailor with the Royal West Kent Regt.
I'm not sure where he would have been living when he joined the forces but I think it would probably be Farnham (Surrey)...he moved to Sevenoaks in 1925.
His next of kin would be Ellen Mary Atkins whom he married in 1899.
I really hope that someone can offer assistance, I have spent hours getting no where at all.
                            many thanks for any help or advice you can offer,
                                       Best Wishes
                                             Helga

[liverpool annie]

Hi Helga !

What terrific pictures !!  I don't know if you have Harry's medal card already ... but here it is ... maybe one of the guys can read it for you !!

Medal card of Atkins, Harry G

Royal West Kent Regiment
TF/241435
Private
Royal West Kent Regiment
TF/241435
Private
Date
1914-1920

http://www.rootschat.com/links/03bx/

The initial is wrong though .... but he's definitely a possibility !

[webeyer]

Hi!
thats so kind of you, thanks! I did trip over the medal card but having had so much trouble finding him, I assumed it was probably the wrong Medal card too!
Who would I ask for info about the card?
Thanks again,
                     Best Wishes
                             Helga

[pharmakon]

Information about the medal cards is here -
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp

That uploaded image is surely copyright.

[mmm45]

Hi Helga

The card states that his number was TF 241435 possibly joined the Territorial Force Royal West Kents.
He didnt go overseas to a war zone until 1916 as there is lack of a 1915 Star.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal which if you have will have his name and number on the rims.

He was also entitled to the Indian General Service Medal with Afghan Clasp 1919 so would have been involved in fighting the tribesmen in the Afghan Hills

The numbers next to the medal relate to the actual Rolls at Kew which MAY give you his Battalion and dates served.

Hope this helps

Ady

[mmm45]

1/4th Royal West Kents were in Afghanistan 1919.

The 5 in the Medals column with TF under it could point to 1/5th Batt??

The nearest number i could find on Soldiers Died pointed to a man with 1/5th TF in Mesopotamia in 1918 number 241474
http://www.1914-1918.net/rwk.htm

 

[webeyer]

Thank You So Much! Thats more information than I've managed to get in countless hours of mind-numbing searches!
Unfortunatly I haven't got his medals ... wish I did!
Thanks so much again,
                   Best Wishes,
                           Helga

[webeyer]

Re Copyright, I certainly hope not ... I imagined that it would be something the forces out there cobbled up for the troops?
Helga

[pharmakon]

Unless you photographed it or scanned it yourself, Ancestry hold the copyright in that particular digital representation (the scan). The cards themselves are probably crown copyright.

Personally, I'm not getting worked up about it but the management of this site seem to get excited about copyright.