Trying to trace James Wright - RAMC WW1

[toysandboats]

I have a photo of my grandfather, James Wright, in a WW1 RAMC uniform but I am unable to find any military record of him.
I believe that he served only within the UK and that he may well have been a conscientious objector.
He was born on 17 Jan 1884 and died on 15 Feb 1942.
I would appreciate any guidance or help to find out more about him.

Thank you, David Ward

[jds1949]

If he did not serve abroad in a theatre of war then he is very unlikely to have a Medal Index card and as 60% of the service records were destroyed in the Blitz, the chances of his records surviving are slim. However there are one or two places where it might be worth looking:

1. local papers - these regularly carried coverage of the men in the locality who served
2. local library - local history society - search for parish magazines, collections of letters, local firms' lists of men who served
3. official documents - absent voters' lists - if your man had any children born in the war years his service details may be on the certificate

good hunting,

jds1949

[neil1821]

Any other clues in the photo, ie rank or other insignia?

[toysandboats]

JDS1949, thank you for confirming what I suspected! I have hunted through all of the records I can find on Ancestry and wondered if I was missing something obvious - their search engine is not the most helpful I have encountered.
He lived in Lymington in Hampshire just before and after WW1 and was a salesman and then the district superintendent for the Prudential Assurance Company there. They have told me that they have no records surviving.

He had two children, one born in 1911 (my mother) and a son born in 1914. His wife died in 1915, following complications after the second birth. The children were then brought up by their great aunt - their father's aunt.

Absent voters lists is a good idea, I'd not heard of them before and will try that route.

Neil1821, there are no badges of rank, he was probably a private - or the RAMC equivalent (orderly?).
He had no medical background (insurance salesman!) so it was an odd choice of regiment, unless he was a CO.
The uniform shows the Serpent buckle on the belt, a red cross badge on his arm and a metal RAMC badge on the shoulder. The photo was probably taken just as he joined up.

Thank you both for your interest

David

[jds1949]

David,

just a further thought - although your man was an insurance salesman he may well have had medical experience. I have a number of men that I have researched who were members of the St John Ambulance before the war and ended up in the RAMC; remember that these were the years when most men had some kind of interest outside of the home, the Territorial Army, the local cycling club, the local walking club, untold numbers of societies for this and that, the list is practically endless.

You might also find this of interest:

http://www.ramc-ww1.com/index.html

jds1949

[toysandboats]

Thanks for that, I have a far better understanding of the RAMC having read the site
David

[PK2]

One of mine had his occupation as Insurance Agent and only two years older than yours. I looked at the address on his marriage and found his AVR this gave me the evidence I needed but was also able to find him in the RAMC on the 1901 Census and obtained his BOER War papers. Which does not help you I know but you could see what addresses are listed in your family's history, marriage, 1911 Census etc. and see if you can find on the electoral rolls 1917-1918. This will give you his army no. and confirm his medals and service.
Hope this helps a bit.
Good luck

[toysandboats]

I know where he was living when he married in 1910 and he was in the same house in 1911 and 1914 for the births of his two children and the death of his wife in 1915.
I suspect that he only served for a relatively short while (2 or 3 years) and that his service was in hospitals in the UK hence there are no medals. It also now seems likely that his records were destroyed so the Absent Voters List seems to be my only way forward at present and I will visit Hampshire Record Office soon.
However, asking this question has given me a way forward and I'm thankful to RCers for that!

David

[PK2]

Dear David

If he was in the RAMC in 1914 at the outbreak of the War its possible his service is recorded on the child born 1914 certificate of birth depending on when in relation to the War, but that's expensive so perhaps the best bet after all is the AVR.
If you live some distance from the Record Office you could try for a look up in the Hampshire Record Office  here on RC or the Great War Forum, I have been helped there but not in relation to the Hampshire area and if you do not know about it I will post the link. There is also a site accessible on GW Forum for brief listings of RAMC men but this is far from complete.
I have no idea where the recruitment for this Unit may have taken place but hopefully someone on the forum may know. Unfortunately the details are too brief, even his first name is only initialised but here its is:
RAMC profile of: 
J WRIGHT  Unit:  141st Field Ambulance the link has been given below.

Good luck David
Pat