The family confirmed the following:
Enquires in the past have been under name ‘Stanley’
(* his real name may have been Bridge, in 1939 census Preston)
Said he was in the Queens 4th Hussars and served in France and Gallipoli when Churchill was there. He knew Winston Churchill (son visited Chartwell with him on more than one occasion and met the man himself). * no ‘Stanley’ records found connecting to that regiment *
After he died the family came across an old blazer with a Royal Army Ordnance Corps cloth badge on (WW1). Found a Stanley in records that is/was a possibilty but not sure - details sparse.
Churchill had an AOC driver in gallipoli. His father was very prominent in the local Branch of the British Legion, on committees, frequent quest at Mess Nights at when the 5th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers where stationed there in the 1960's, “on many occasions officers and senior NCO's came to our house for dinner.”
We know 4th Hussars were stationed in Ireland (1920s) and India which would fit with his story (spoke several indian languages, knew a lot about Ireland etc.)
But if not 4th Hussars, what else?
He had medals from WW1 but these were sold. Wife got rid of all his documents.