How do you begin?

[JAKnighton]

How do you begin researching the military records of your ancestors if you have no information about them in the military?

For example, my great great grandfather Robert Tweedie. I have no idea what regiment he would have served in during World War I, and there are 11 potential medal roll cards for him on Ancestry.

I know quite a lot about him outside of the war, but nothing during.

I'm just wondering if there is some kind of starting point for situations like this.

Here's what I know about him;

Robert Tweedie, son of David Tweedie and Ann Robertson.
Born on 1 Jun 1882 in Glasgow.
Married Mary Barrass McMillan in 1910 in Glasgow.
Occupation was a Carter in 1910, worked as a Coal Bag Filler later in life.
Died on 31 May 1959 in Glasgow.

[aghadowey]

Sometimes a local Roll of Honour or War Memorial will list service details- schools, churches, places of employment, town hall might have a Roll that will give a clue.

[mmm45]

There are a few you can discount if you look at ancestry records local papers may list enlistment nominals if you have access

Ady

[ev]

Not sure if you have looked at this already ?
Were any children born during WW1 , would that give the father's service details ?
 
ev

[JAKnighton]

Not sure if you have looked at this already ?
Were any children born during WW1 , would that give the father's service details ?
 
ev

There is actually a gap between my great grandfather who was born in 1912 and his brother who was born in 1918. Would the service details be on a birth certificate? I suppose I could order the certificate of the younger brother.

[Standfast]

I know you've probably done all this.
Talk to every relative you can, even of your generation, they may have been told something even the smallest bit of info will sometimes allow you to eliminate some of those on the MRI's. Most importantly have any of them got his medals ? If you can track them down you've got him.
I'm assuming you've looked for his service records and found none.
The two most likley candidates from the MIC's will be the two HLI men, it was the local regiment of Glasgow, more Glaswegians joined that regiment, than any other single unit or regiment.
There are also the Electoral rolls hopefully he may be listed as an absentee voter.
If his service records are missing you are never going to fully trace his service, but with a regimental no. you can identify the battalion he served or at least one of them. with his no. if you find it from whatever source i.e as suggested did he have children born during the war - you can identify his MIC, this will list any transfers and subsequent no.s he may have been issued.
Once you've identified him, and his regiments or units posted to you can track his movements through the regimental war diaries, and therefore the actions he took part in.
 
Hope that helps
 
Stanfast

[Standfast]

Not sure if you have looked at this already ?
Were any children born during WW1 , would that give the father's service details ?
 
ev

There is actually a gap between my great grandfather who was born in 1912 and his brother who was born in 1918. Would the service details be on a birth certificate? I suppose I could order the certificate of the younger brother.

Yes that likley would be your best bet at the moment, unless he was fully discharged this will give his occupation, almost certainly his regiment, and his service number.

[ev]

I have birth certs where the rank and regiment are given.
Might just have to keep your fingers crossed that the information is there 
Do you live in Scotland ?
If so the local Registrar will look up the details for £5(you wont get the cert. , you just copy down the details)
 
ev
 

[JAKnighton]

Thanks for all the advice, this is really helpful. Many of these things didn't occur to me, I'm completely new to military genealogy.


I don't live in Glasgow, my grandfather moved south to Peterborough in England in 1964. My access to relatives who will have that information is very limited.


The HLI is quite likely, my great grandfather joined them in World War II.


I'll order that birth certificate and see what I can find out.