Fathers service with 60th Rifles KRRC

[Jeff. Smith]

Hi
This is my first foray into the world of RootsChat, I am looking for advice or information reference my father Charles Pretoria Smith Born St. Pancras Middlesex 1900. He told Me when I was living at home That he served in the 60th London Rifles KRRC at the later stages of WW1 and also in Quetta and the Khyber Pass. As Yet I have been unable to trace any service History for him.It is possible That he may have enlisted under his brothers name,the reason that this is possible comes from a story he told me when I was in my teens, that story is as follows.
 
During the course If the war my father signed on as a boy on a Thames Barge plying between London and the French Channel Ports on  one these trips being unhappy with his treatment he jumped ship whilst in France with no money to return to England. Out of what I assume was desperation he handed himself in to the Military posing as his brother who was an absentee.
 
What I don't know is whether he carried on the false identity and completed his service as his brother or admitted his deception, nor do I know which of his brothers he claimed to be.In light of the knowledge I now have this must have been a true act of stupidity because the possible result does not bear thinking about, nor do I know which of his many brothers he posed as all i can say is none of his brothers was executed for desertion.

Can any body offer any advice as to how I can proceed from here           

[rosie99]

Hi

Welcome to rootschat

Are you aware that around 60% of WW1 service records were destroyed or damaged in WW2.  It is quite possible that your fathers were amongst them.  Have you found your fathers brothers records

Rosie

[cath151]

Hi,
Welcome to Rootschat
Sounds like your father had an interesting early life.
Could you give us your fathers parents names, seems his mothers surname was Cook from the GRO indices. Also names of any brothers.
That would be a great help as then we can hopefully find the family and investigate further although the surname Smith makes it a little harder!
Cathy

[MaxD]

Apart from the name, the title you have for the regiment also causes a bit of difficulty.  None of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (the 60th was their pre 1881 title) battalions served in India in the Great War as far as I can determine and anyway none have "London" in their title.  The "London Rifles" could be the City of London Rifles but they also did not see service in India.  There were also a number of differently entitled battalions of the London Regiment with the word Rifles in their title, one of which was 5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade).  There was also the Rifle Brigade but no London in their titles.

Aim is not to be unhelpful but to give an idea of the haystack in which we are looking for a Smith (needle).

Onwards::  what were brother's names?  Where did the family come from - the local connection doesn't always hold good but always worth bearing in mind.  Do you know where the family was in 1918, he may have been entered on the absent voters' list?

The more info you have the better!

maxD

[jim1]

I would view the story with a great deal of scepticism. Absentees weren't shot only men deemed to have deserted in the face of the enemy (cowardice). Absentees were dealt with by their Battalion CO in the 1st. instance & maybe sent up to a GCM for trial. He would have soon been found out when put in front of his CO.
One of the first questions he would have been asked was his service number which it's highly unlikely he would have known.
So as the others have said more info needed.

[MaxD]

Jeff

On a perhaps more encouraging note, as he was born in 1900, it may well be that he served beyond 1921.  If that is the case, then his records will not be findable on line because they are still held by the Ministry of Defence. As his son you are his next of kin (even if there are other siblings), and if you have his date of birth and death certificate (and £30) you can apply for his record, process here https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records.  You do not need his regiment or his service number but you do need patience, it takes some time.  If they don't have a record they will tell you and (at least in one application I made) refund the money.

maxD