how can I find more info.?

[sandie]

Hi All,

A few months ago I found the details below on the National Roll of WWI,  armed with his nos. and Regs. I looked for my grand-dad's service records, but sadly they didn't survive.  I've just been going through the info. I have and although I know I can't find anything specific about my grand-dad I thought it would be good to find out about the Regs. he was in but I don't know how/where to begin. This is what I have -
     WELCH C.H., Private Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light 
      Infantry and Sapper R.E....mobilised from reserves at
      outbreak of hostilities....served in retreat from Mons and
      battles of Le Cateau, the Marne and was wonded on the
      Aisne in September 1914.  He was invalided home,  after
      recovery sailed for Egypt in August 1915. ... he took part
      in engagement at El Fasher and was present at entry
      into Jerusalem in the Palestime campaign in December
      1917.  He was then transferred to Royal Engineers ... he
      was demobolised in July 1919.

I found his medal card so know he was also in Royal Warwickshire Reg.

If anyone could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.

Regards
Sandie

[km1971]

Hi Sandie

Can you say what the CH stood for, and give an idea of his age? Also have you found him in 1911?

The fact he was a Reservist at the start of WW1 shows he was a pre-war Regular. From his demob date he probably enlisted in 1907. Normally they could do 7 years in uniform then the final 5 years as a Reservist. But after the Boer War they introduced 9 + 3 and even 3 + 9, as they wanted to encourage men to join up to greatly increase the size of the reserve army. Reservist only had to serve two weeks a year but were paid half the basic service pay.

Is this him - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=6020346&queryType=1&resultcount=4 ?

If so, you need an expert in the Ox and Bucks and find out when 7032 was issued. My guess is that it was a few years before 1907, in which case he may have completed his '12' and was in either Section A, B or D of the Army Reserve - http://www.1914-1918.net/reserve.htm . That’s why having his age is important.

The problem with reservists is that they never seem to record it on BMDs, census etc. They just recorded their normal occupation.

Ken

[jds1949]

This page will give you a little more detail on the Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry

http://www.1914-1918.net/oxbucks.htm

jds1949

[corisande]

The trick now is to establish the battalion as well as the regiment.

You can then get the War Diary of that Battalion (provided it has survived) - from Nat Archives, and some are available on line, if not you have to go they or get someone to do it for you.

The War Diary is a day by day account of the battalion, and will detail battles, casualties and what where exactly they were every day. Though Privates are not usually mentioned by name.

The battalion is much more important than the regiment for an individual soldier.

It is also worth your while buying the medal roll entry - what you see on the Medal Card Index is just the index. The Medal Roll will give some more info.

[NDRFT]

Hi
If your search reveals he was in the 1/4th OBLI let me know as I have their diary
Nigel

[NDRFT]

This is a good site for OBLI and QOOH

http://www.sofo.org.uk/

[sandie]

Hi,

Thank you all for your replies.

Ken, yes that is him, Charles Henry Welch.  I cannot say exactly what his age is as I have been unable to find him on ANY census, which is very frustrating, nor have I been unable to locate birth details.  I do have his marriage cert. dated Dec. 1907 on which it says he is 25, so in theory he should have been born in 1882.

How/where can I purchase the medal roll entry?

 I'm now off to look at the suggested sites.  Once again, thank you all for your help.

Regards
Sandie

[corisande]

Name:     Charles Henry Welch
Year of Registration:    1881
Quarter of Registration:    Oct-Nov-Dec
District:    Birmingham (1837-1924)
County:    Warwickshire
Volume:    6d

[corisande]

I do have his marriage cert. dated Dec. 1907   

Does that say if he was in the army then ? It should give his "profession"