World War One Service Records

[MaxD]

When brother James attested in Feb 1916, he gave his brother John's name and battalion (2/6th Lancashire Fusiliers) and service number 10563.  That number/regiment does not turn up a record of any kind.

At that time, 2/6th were a home service battalion and didn't go overseas until Feb 1917 so the possibility exists that John moved to another battalion or regiment entirely and would have been given a different number (although the earlier one should still turn up).  Makes it all the more difficult.

maxD

[newburychap]

It is entirely possible for a man to have served in the army in WW1 and left no offical trace.  The most comprehesive records of service are the medal rolls- but these only cover men who entered a theatre of war. If a man was not an officer and served only in the UK (no medal roll entry), survived the war (no CWGC or Soldiers' Effect entry), remained fit (no SWB or pension record), and his records went up in smoke in 1940 (no service record) then you are very unlikely to find any army record that proves he served. I suspect this applies to many thousands of men.

However, you might find them mentioned in a local paper or the 1918 electoral roll (either in special Absent Voters List or marked 'NM' in the main roll).