could my grandfather have served in the navy and army in WW1?

[philipglassfan]

hello to all. my g/father  robert bentley harrop served in the RN from 1902 to 1915 (he was a signalman).he was discharged in 1915 (he had an astigmatism).today on ancestry have found a robert bentley harrop medal roll saying he was in the 12th leicester regiment and the 8th south staffs regiment,the reason i think its him because he lived in newcastle under lyme staffs till he died in 1962.do you think it could be him? 

[Regorian]

Don't see why not.

12th(Reserve) Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment Mar 1916. In 19 Reserve Brigade. July 1916 to Newcastle on Tyne. !September1916 became 83rd Training Reserve Battalion in 19th Reserve Brigade.

8th(Service) Battalion South Staffs. Regiment. In France from 14th July 1915. Disbanded 23rd February 1918. Personnel to 2/6 and 7 South Staffs and 7 Entrenching Battalions South Staffs. Regt.

Source: British Regiments 1914 - 18 Brig. EA James OBE TD

[LizzieL]

FindMyPast has a record dated 18 Oct 1916 - 5th T R Battalion Rugeley Camp, giving a list of men transferred to 3rd Batallion Leicestershire regiment patrington.
One name is L/C 16084 R. B. Harrop.
Could this be your man?

[LizzieL]

Possibly not. Number and rank don't seem to match with medal card for Robert B Harrop

Added: looked at Ancestry and I see he did end up as L/ cpl.
I'm not certain the numbers on the FindMyPast record are soldier numbers. The list of men transferred have similar numbers almost consecutive, so they might mean something else.