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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Jennarembailey on Sunday 11 February 18 11:16 GMT (UK)

Title: Service record
Post by: Jennarembailey on Sunday 11 February 18 11:16 GMT (UK)
My great grandfather was in the military but I know nothing about his service can someone point me in the right direction, he was born 1862 died 1911
I have a photo showing large group of men says’
“Royal west Surrey regiment, Privates”
Also photos of him in his uniform over many years,
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards Jenny
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: rosie99 on Sunday 11 February 18 11:34 GMT (UK)
https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/49239/Military-Records-at-Surrey-History-Centre,-Apr-09.pdf
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: MaxD on Sunday 11 February 18 11:41 GMT (UK)
Surrey do not have individual soldiers' records although other elements of the records signposted by Rosie will be of interest.  In the first instance, records of that era may be looked for on the subscription sites, could you post his name and place of birth.  Luckily there were only two battalions in that era so placing him by his children's birth places (assuming they were born while he served)may help.

MaxD
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: Jennarembailey on Sunday 11 February 18 12:30 GMT (UK)
Thank you Rosie
I will investigate the link to “Surrey”

Max,  thank you for your reply.
I have previously looked in find my past and Ancestory,  but nothing on great grandad,
All the children were born in London, some south of the city over the Thames and one in the city.
I shall work out the dates, to make sense of it. Any idea what age a man would have enlisted, and which possible “War would be involved”  I know his brother was in the Transvaal, as I have his war dairy.
Regards Jenny
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: MaxD on Sunday 11 February 18 12:50 GMT (UK)
Have you looked for him on the Anglo Boer war web site?  The 2nd Battalion West Surreys served there from 1899 and his dates make it possible.  He could have joined as a boy as early as 14 although man's service began at 18 so conflicts in the (guesswork) 1880-1905 time frame would fit, Sudan and South Africa principally.  Dates for the children would be good.

MaxD
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: Jennarembailey on Sunday 11 February 18 13:21 GMT (UK)
Married 1883 Newington
Children:-       2nd quarter 1884,         July 1885       And    February1888 all Newington
Child September 1891 London city


Found someone wrote 4th Battalion on one photo
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: MaxD on Sunday 11 February 18 15:08 GMT (UK)
Brilliant.  I should have said earlier that the West Surreys had two regular battalions.  Infantry regiments had one or two militia battalions in that time frame also so it looks as if he served in the 4th (Militia) Battalion at the time of that photo.  That battalion which, by a convoluted process following the reforms of 1881, was the 4th Militia battalion of the East Surreys having been formerly the 3rd Battalion Surrey Militia had its headquarters in Kennington Lane Southwark which would make sense of Newington births.

That doesn't get us any where near him though - can you please post his name?

MaxD
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: Jennarembailey on Monday 12 February 18 07:41 GMT (UK)
Dear max
Thank you for your reply
My great grandfather name is William Blenkinsopp Leaton born 1862 Great Boughton.
In the last 3 census lived St Paul’s Road, Newington, then Swan Lane, London City.
Regards Jenny
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: MaxD on Monday 12 February 18 10:20 GMT (UK)
The 3 census returns all have him working in a brewery which suggest strongly that he was, as the locality and the note of 4th Battalion suggest, not in one or other of the regular battalions but that he supplemented his pay with part time service in the militia.  1881 was when the great reorganisation of the militia took place and the name changes I referred to earlier so both West Surreys and East Surreys could be relevant.  Alhtough some militia went to South Africa for the Boer War, he doesn't come up in any medal list.

So the lack of military records is not surprising.  The militia were the responsibility of the county rather than the War Office so perhaps now you should follow Rosie's sign post to the Surrey record Office specifically looking for records of the Surrey militias, I'd suggest after 1881.

MaxD

Title: Re: Service record
Post by: Jennarembailey on Monday 12 February 18 11:29 GMT (UK)
Dear Max
Thank you for looking at my query for me, I did look at the Surrey site briefly but didn’t know
exactly what to look at.
William had a very good job in the brewery ultimately with a management position.
So what you suggest would fit in with his resposiblitites to his Work, family and his country.
I did check the medals some time ago and couldn’t find him either.
I will now look at what you suggest in the Surrey site.
Thank you once again.
Regards Jenny
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: Jennarembailey on Wednesday 14 February 18 10:46 GMT (UK)
Dear Max
Just an update
I found all the information I needed on the Queens royal Surrey site, linked via the Surrey
Site as suggested by Rosie and have made a document with all the information I need.

They had all the relevant uniforms which match my photos. Out of five descendants in one group photo, four matched, one was another regular army uniform.
They seemed to like their photos taken, I have about 25-30 in an old album, I have only been able to identify 7-8 persons so far.
Due to likeness of facial and body features I am grouping them into branches of the tree,
To help identify them.

I then found an on line 1907 map of south London which is interactive and found their addresses
from the census's and the Building for the Volunteers, which was 2 streets away from their homes.
Just north east of Kennington Park.

Also realised Kennington underground station (built 1890) was minutes away and may have been used for William to get to work in London City.

I want to thank you and Rosie for all your help.

Regards Jenny
Title: Re: Service record
Post by: MaxD on Wednesday 14 February 18 11:12 GMT (UK)
Delighted to hear you had such a success with the Surrey folk and salaams to Rosie for her insightful first post!

MaxD