Robert Stevens/Seale

[BettyBoops]

G'day, We're (other Rootschatters and I) are trying to trace my father's beginnings.(Australia Rootschat - Robert Stevens-Photographer)  In Australia and NZ he was known as Robert Stevens, and a Rootschatter tracked down a family in the Bengal presidency by the name of Seale, which very closely matched the background of Robert.
I have enlistment numbers of 37837/8 for Robert and Colin Seale, sons of Walter and Kathleen Seale. The enlistment document is the only record we have for Robert. Would the boys (as we have a keen interest in the travels of both) have been called up for WW1, and would you be able to add any suggestions as to how to trace these fellows? We've been through FIBIS, FindMyPast and even tried various papers. We are not even sure if they were still in India when WW1 broke out. Tis a mystery. Cheers Betty

[crisane]

Just to put some background to this. Robert Henry Searle enlisted at Allahabad 26 July 1905. He was 19 years and 3 months old. He enlisted in the 19th Battery, Royal Field Artillery after serving in the Allahabad Rifle volunteers.
He purchased his discharge on 13 Feb 1907

[BettyBoops]

That's correct. What happened after that Betty

[crisane]

There is a Medal Roll Index card for an R Seale of the 9th Battalion Royal Field Artillery regimental number 46101.
Members of the armed forces in WW1 did not always keep the same regimental number so if Robert decided to rejoin the army he could have been given a different service number. But there is nothing to say this is your bloke unless his service record was one of the ones that survived the bombing/fire of WW11

[jim1]

There is a Medal Roll Index card for an R Seale of the 9th Battalion Royal Field Artillery regimental number 46101.

This man was Richard.

[sparrett]

Is this item about that Richard SEALE, Jim?

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19150629.2.104?query=r  seale

Sue

[jim1]

46101 Richard Seale was RFA.
The invalided R. Seale was Infantry.

[cupoflife]

Can Rootschatters make a critical assessment of these two Army records please, to compare, confirm and comment as something does not seem right.

Robert Henry SEALE Number 37837
Colin SEALE Number 37838

Need to confirm exact details in Army records as we only have bits and pieces so far, from a very long thread http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=764635.0) but I understand that:
Colin SEALE Army record has Walter (father), Kate/Kathleen (mother) and (sisters) Sheila and Hilda....NO Robert
Robert Henry SEALE Army record has Walter (father) and Kate/Kathleen (mother) ...NO Colin?
Consecutive enlistment 37837 and 37838
Colin's record has written in red "Duplicate"... Wondering what exactly "Duplicate" is referring to?
Same enlistment date 26 July 1905
Both enlisted in Allahabad
Both purchased discharge in 1907

We have birth/baptism record for Colin SEALE with parents Walter and Kathleen
We do NOT yet have birth/baptism record for Robert SEALE with parents Walter and Kathleen
On both sisters marriages (Sheila and Hilda) the witnesses are Walter, Kathleen and Colin....NO Robert.
One would expect brothers to be noted on each others Army record? especially both having enlisted on the same day.

Adding: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=764635.0

I've just had a good look at the army records of both boys. They both left under Article 1142 on the 13 Feb 1907. They are 2 separate forms filled out by the same officers on each form.
Betty

Cheers 
CoL

[BettyBoops]

Thanks CoL. I must learn to share more information. Robert had no sign of a Kiwi accent, but a definite Indian accent. My husband and parent-in-laws met him and confirm this.
Not knowing what happened after our sighting of our (possible) Robert, via the army record 1905-1907, and we've clutched at many straws along this journey, who's to say he wasn't in NZ at the time of the outbreak of WW1 and for whatever reason chose not to go back to India. Long winded I know.
My interest is aroused in the R Seale, from Infantry, who was injured in the leg. Is it easy/possible to track down a background to this person? My father had suffered a leg injury and had the slightest of limps. Passed off as "shrapnel wound". Thanks, Jim1 (and other elves).  Betty