Private John Thomas Trim-Gallipolli

[shirley11]

My Great Grandfather John Thomas Trim Born 1877 in Balham, London was in the RASC then transferred to the Labour Corps in WW1. This would make him 38 years old, was that quite old to be serving? On his mic it says he served in Gallipolli. His Regtl Nos were 15363 & 303629 respectively & his date of entry was 28.9.1915. His service & pension record would appear to be missing & I have read the extract from the 29th Divisional Train on Ancestry.
Is there any way of finding out what unit or division he was in or indeed any more about him? 
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Shirley

[km1971]

Hi Shirley

Having two 'corps' rather than much smaller infantry battalions will make this a mammoth task. The Labour Corps was not created until the start of 1917. So he went to the Balkans with the ASC - Royal was not added until late in 1918. There were 325,000 in the ASC at its peak. Normally their numbers have a prefix that gives a start as to which branch he was in.

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-army-service-corps-in-the-first-world-war/

If you check out 1914-1918.net you may find which divisions were in the Balkan theatre, and which divisional ASC were present. They all did similar work. But the lack of a prefix may hinder further progress.

You could ask on the Great War Forum for an expert in the respective numbers to tell you when they were issued.

Mid 40s was the upper age limit. Also, in his case, the fact he was earmarked for the Class Z Reserve at the end of the war, shows he was still fit. They were created in case fighting started again. Men were sent home but had to be ready to return if fight recommenced.

As he was old enough to vote you should check out the electoral roll for his home address (if you have it). It may give more information.

Ken

[jim1]

Not what you asked for but the prefix "SS" indicates he was recruited into the ASC because of a particular skill or trade.

[km1971]

Shirley

Also, the MIC stays he served in the Balkans, not Gallipoli. His first station was probably Mudros on Lemnos. But this was the staging point for the Salonika expedition (from October 1915) as well as for the Dardanelles. He may also have stayed on Lemnos.

Ken

[km1971]

Thanks Jim. Following the link it appears SS in the ASC meant 'Supply Special'. Again someone on the GWF may be able to tell you more.

Ken

[jim1]

His 15 Star Roll states 18th. Lab. Coy.
Found this snippet:
The 18th Labour Company of the Army Service Corps were en route to Mudros on the Isle of Lemnos when their troopship  Royal Edward was sunk by a German torpedo on 13th August 1915.

The Royal Edward had set sail from Avonmouth and made her first landfall at Alexandria, where she collected fresh supplies and more troops.  As she picked her way through the Dodecanese Islands she was attacked by U-14 and sank, with great loss of life, 6 miles west of Kandelioussa Island in the Gulf of Kos.
The majority of the 18th Labour Company was from Cornwall, but there are some men from London and the surrounding counties. They are generally mature men, aged between 30 and 60. Many of them are married with large families to support. Some are former soldiers, who, no longer fit for active duty, were assigned to a service corps.

Most of the men died when the ship sank and their bodies were never found. Others survived the sinking only to die from the effects of exposure or from wounds a few days later. In a very few cases bodies were recovered by Allied ships and taken to Alexandria for burial. Some men came through this ordeal only to die at Gallipoli within a few months.

Your man must have been part of a new draft of men as replacements.

The NA has the war diary for the 18th. but it doesn't mention the Balkans so not 100% it will add anything.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01h99/ 

[jim1]

Is this now completed.

[shirley11]

Yes, I think it is. Thank you very much again for all the information, I do appreciate it.

Regards,
Shirley