Looking for military information for great-grandad

[andy_]

Hi guys. This is my first post here as I have only recently begun searching for information on my family tree. The posts I have read on this forum are so helpful! I hope I can contribute myself with time.

I am having trouble finding information about the chap in the two attached photographs. He was my Great-Grandfather and his name is 'Benjamin Gilbert Mason', born around November 1887. From my estimates from other personal photos of him, I think the pictures were taken around 1915 and as you can see he is in uniform.

Sadly, these are the only two pictures of him in uniform that I have. I cannot find any information about his military career (or even if he had much of one!) on Ancestry, FindmyPast or Forces War Records. Perhaps im not searching in the correct way.

He did survive the war but sadly he died in a motorbike accident in his hometown in 1935. While his given name was Benjamin Gilbert Mason, I am told that he referred to himself as Gilbert most of the time, not sure if this would be the same on any military records...

The photographs are decent quality, but without a cap or any other obvious markings I can't identify which regiment he may have served with etc. His hometown was Blackburn, Lancashire.

If you can give me any hints or point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

Andy

[josey]

Welcome to rootschat  pleased you found us.

You'll get a lot of friendly help here & pointers in the right direction(s). I do know that a fair number of WW1 soldiers' records were destroyed at some stage, so you may be one of the unlucky ones.

One of the military experts will be along soon, I am sure; they may require a scan at high resolution of one of the buttons.

ADDED: There are medal cards on ancestry for several Gilbert Masons.

[MaxD]

Welcome too from me.

I'm sure you are searching the right way but, as you may have read more than once here, if his records were among the 70% that did not survive the WW2 fire then you wouldn't find them anyway.
The only identifiable Benjamin G Mason turns out to be Benjamin George from London, there don't seem to be any identifiable Gilberts or Benjamins.  There are a number of medal cards in those two names but that type of record has no personal info.  As you say, his uniform gives no clues, his buttons are likely to be the General Service buttons worn by almost everyone at that time..

A route you could try is the absent voters list, taking a punt on him having been away from home  and listed in 1918.  Guidance here http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/finding-soldiers-through-the-1918-absent-voters-lists/  (The ones reproduced on Findmypast do not include Blackburn to save you looking there).

Did he marry or have children in the war years?  Certificates may have his regiment and number.

maxD

[josey]

I can't find reference to him in the archived newspapers from Lancashire on findmypast under either name.

ADDED: From what I presume is your well documented tree on ancestry, andy_, also from freebmd looks like there was only 1 child, born in 1913, so before Benjamin Gilbert's army service.

[Jebber]

There are records on Findmypast for a Benjamin Mason from Burnley in the East Lancs, born at the right time, there is no middle name, but it is not unusual for it not to be used.

Could that be him?

Addendum.

Sorry, it looks as if that man was medically discharged after only 32 day.

[josey]

That COULD be the first here:
Births Mar 1887   
Mason    Benjamin        Burnley    8e   174    
Births Mar 1888   
MASON    Benjamin Gilbert        Blackburn    8e   357

[Jebber]

It looks as if his records were among those lost in WW2.

[andy_]

Wow thank you for all the replies so fast!

Yes I do believe that his records must have been among those destroyed! I feel fortunate enough that one of my other great grandfathers so called 'burnt records' are available, and contains a large amount of valuable information about him and his family.

Benjamin Gilbert did in fact (as pointed out by josey) marry and had one child (my granddad) born in 1913 before the war.

As for the person born in Burnley, I dont think that could be him since all three of the census records he is listed on show him as born in Blackburn, along with his mother and all siblings so unless a mistake could have been made somewhere?

I guess I am lucky to even have the information that I do about him, since neither my dad or aunt had any idea how he died, as it happened long before even they were born. My sudden interest in him came about when I first saw his photograph - since he bears a remarkable resemblance to myself (minus the mustache!) and I got a very bizarre feeling when I saw him! So much that upon finding his story in the newspaper archives got me quite upset. I have attached them if by chance there is anyone in the future searching for him!

Thanks guys!