Walter Miles

[jonmiles]

I am a new searcher on this site since trying to trace my family tree and although I have a few facts there are so many avenues that I do not know even exist!

Like many families who lived in East London during the last war we lost a lot of family records such as photo's etc when bombed out; in fact the only item saved was my grandfathers ceremonial sash when he was a member of the London Carmens Trade Union - photo attached. I do not know why he was awarded this sash which is heavy dark blue velvet with silver wire forming the words and tassels.

My father joined the 7th Dragoon Guards for the First World War but I understand that many of the army records were destoyed by fire in the 2nd World War bombing of London. Again I have no real information about him apart from his service number although it shows him with 5 different army numbers, why would that be?

Any help would really be terrific.

Jon

[gortonboy]

hi,,,welcome to the forum....Can u post what info you have,,,,such as when and where your father was born,,those service numbers,,,,,,,and include as much other information as u know......we will try our best to help you   

[jonmiles]

Thanks for the welcome.

Father. James Alfred Miles...........although I have seen it Alfred J Miles
Born Hornden on the Hill (Essex) on 22 December 1899.
Service numbers are D/25405 - G/72528 - 419257 - D/31762. Why so many service numbers?

Jon

[gortonboy]

the simple answer is,,,he was in different regiments,,,,his medal index card result shows

Description Medal card of Miles, Alfred J
Corps Regiment No Rank
Hertfordshire Yeomanry D/25405 Private
The Queen's Regiment G/72528 Private
Labour Corps 419257 Private
Corps of Dragoons D/31762 Private
 
Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/13 

[keyboard86]

Hi is this then his family in 1901:-

Walter Miles 37 occ Carter on Farm b Laindon essex
Nelly 34 b Laindon
Evan 16 b Ockendon
Walter 15 b Ockendon
Ernest 12 b Ockendon
Samuel 9 b Bulvan
George 7 b Bulvan
JAMES 1 b Bulvan
Residing at Orsett Road, Horndon on the Hill, Essex
Census Ref RG13/1613/20/12
Keyboard86

[gortonboy]

Marriages Sep 1884 
~~~~~~~~
 
   
Markham  Nelly Elizabeth     Rochford  4a 399   
Miles  Walter     Rochford  4a 399

[jonmiles]

Guys

Thanks, all that you have wrtitten is correct; Walter Miles was my grandfather and the details of his family are what I have although I did not know he lived in Orsett Road, just that his father was a farm labourer, Nelly Markham his mother's maiden name.
Great Work. Do you have the photo of his sash that I tried to attach from the London Carmens Trade Union?

My father James Alfred; I understand now that he was in different regiments for the war, he did tell me that he was in India and Belgium with the Dragoons; you have 'Date 1914 - 1920'.....does that mean he served for that length of time or is that just how the records are laid out?
What other records would there be of him and where I could I see them?

Jon

[jonmiles]

Guys

The army Labour Battalion, what was that?
Had my father been, er, naughty?
It is possible to say how long he spent in these variuos sections of the army?

Jon

[gortonboy]

the labour corp

Formed in January 1917, the Corps grew to some 389,900 men (more than 10% of the total size of the Army) by the Armistice. Of this total, around 175,000 were working in the United Kingdom and the rest in the theatres of war. The Corps was manned by officers and other ranks who had been medically rated below the "A1" condition needed for front line service. Many were returned wounded. Labour Corps units were often deployed for work within range of the enemy guns, sometimes for lengthy periods. In April 1917, a number of infantry battalions were transferred to the Corps. The Labour Corps absorbed the 28 ASC Labour Companies between February and June 1917. Labour Corps Area Employment Companies were formed in 1917 for salvage work, absorbing the Divisional Salvage Companies. In the crises of March and April 1918 on the Western Front, Labour Corps units were used as emergency infantry. The Corps always suffered from its treatment as something of a second class organisation: for example, the men who died are commemorated under their original regiment, with Labour Corps being secondary. Researching men of the Corps is made extra difficult by this, as is the fact that few records remain of the daily activities and locations of Corps units.