Royal Irish Regiment/DCLI

[Johnrbee]

Trying to get more detail of 16156 Pte Joseph Cooze enlistment into 2 RIR  9 December 1915 so I can find out where he originated from.  I know he was with 63 Div RMLI in May 1918 and ended up in 10 DCLI with regimental number 35870, but cannot seem to access his attestation details.  Any ideas?

[MaxD]

There is a pension ledger entry for him on discharge 24 Apr 1919.  It is on the Fold3 element of Ancestry to which I don't have access. https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61588&h=619820&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=dVB2335&_phstart=successSource
It has the place of residence as Bridgwater.  His service record does not appear to have survived.

MaxD

He served first with the DCLI, he was discharged from the R Irish Regt.

[Johnrbee]

Thank You Max.  I hadn't realised he had joined DCLI first.

[MaxD]

Digging a bit deeper, I find a number of 10 DCLI men who were transferred to 2 R Irish.  Their service numbers are all together denoting a batch transfer all at the same time.  That won't answer the where did he come from question but will add a little if I can determine what the transfer was about and when.  I'll see what I can find out.

MaxD

[MaxD]

A few more snippets having looked at near service numbers and having taken advice from them as knows!

He was almost certainly, given his enlistment date and looking at other enlistments, a Derby Scheme man, enlisting in the DCLI in Dec 1915 and then waiting to be called forward for overseas service. 
Most likely to have gone with a draft to France in early 1917 first to an Infantry Base Depot and then, probably in about July 1917,  sent not to 10 DCLI but as reinforcements to 2 R Irish in readiness for operations in mid August.  This change of regiment on the way was common, reinforcements were sent where needed as the operations demanded.  The time between enlistment and deployment overseas was also not unusual.

The pension place of residence would seem to link with the Joseph J Cooze of Bridgwater, son of Henry and Mary born 1882 - is that who you are looking for?

MaxD

[Johnrbee]

Thanks for your help again Max.  I feel a trip to Bodmin coming on!