Can I find a War Diary from a Regimental Number? - CLOSED

[howellbp]

Hi all.

My maternal grandfather Cyril James Henry Wray served as a Private in the Royal Army Service Corps in WW1.

Is it possible to ascertain his Regiment from his Regimental Number (A/360374)?

I know from the "National Roll of the Great War" that he served at the Somme, Aberville, Amiens, Dieppe and other places but would like to get a bit more detail from the War Diaries - for which I need his Regiment.

Many thanks.

[km1971]

ASC is his regiment/corps. It is his company within the ASC you need. The National Archives has this link about the digitization of WW1 war diaries – http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=13155&SearchInit=4&SearchType=6&CATREF=wo95 - if you search the NA Catalogue for army service corps in WO95 you will see the extent of the ASC coverage. It may not be complete.

A six-digit number suggests he joined in 1917 or later. I do not know if they had a central numbering system or if you can discover a man’s company from his number. If you get no joy here I suggest you put a question on the Great War Forum. On their sister site it has this link showing the extent of the ASC - http://www.1914-1918.net/asc.htm

Clutching at straws - if he was over 21 in 1918 and you have a family address, you could look in the electoral rolls. It may record his ASC company.

Ken

[forester]

The "A" prefix denotes that he was a Special Reservist (Horse Transport).

What is on his medal index card? Was he awarded one of the Stars? If so, there should be a date of entry and theatre of war on the card. That may help to narrow it down a bit, but without a surviving service record, it won't be possible to be specific.

Phil

[Redroger]

[quote author=km1971 link=topic=567700.msg4200330#msg4200330 date=1321957513

Clutching at straws - if he was over 21 in 1918 and you have a family address, you could look in the electoral rolls. It may record his ASC company.

Ken

I accidentally discovered that all men who fought in WW1 were allowedc to vote in the 1918 election, not just those over 21.

[howellbp]

Thanks for your help Ken.

Bryan

[forester]

Bryan,

Ignore my earlier comment. The "A" prefix was used again and the numbers similar to Cyril's appear to be used for the Canteens section.

If I remember rightly, there are quite a few surviving service records for Canteens men on Ancestry, so if you can find a service number close to Cyril's you should be able to get an idea of his enlistment date.

Phil

[howellbp]

Thank you all for your replies.

Bryan