55th west lancashire division

[Stacy Storey]

Hello first time poster so bare with me lol. X

I am searching for my great grandfather. I habe come across his wedding cert that states as occupation clerk territorial association west lancashire (ex army).

My dad say he was in the army so thats a  godd start. He was wondered by mustard gas at some point and dischargered (thats from family not records) on the 39 register it says he was 80% disability so that all tallies.

Problem is i have no service number. When i search for him there isnt a single record for him -pensions absemt voters etc an i cant get the 55th west lanc division to be reconised.

ANY1 KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE 55TH OR WHERE I CAN FIND A LIST OF SERVICE MEN FOR THEM PLEASE X

[MaxD]

Welcome to Rootschat Stacey!

It would help if you gave us your great grandad's name and the date and place of his marriage would help too.  Could I ask where you found the 55th West Lancashire division?  There was indeed such a division but it had a multitude of units in it and had about 18000 men in it so there is no list.

There was also a West Lancashire Territorial Association which was not an army unit but a volunteer organisation which looked after the interests of reserves and cadets - looks like he was one of their clerks when he married.

MaxD

[KGarrad]

Possibly this, MaxD?

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/55th-west-lancashire-division/

[MaxD]

Yes that's the division - once we have the gentleman's name we may be able to find a likely candidate in one of the many units therein.  Hope he isn't Fred Smith!

MaxD

[Stacy Storey]

Oh yes that would be helpful hahaha
Frank Sutton (no intial) dob july 1897
Married on the 19jan 1921
To Annie elizabeth gorner

[jim1]

It's going to be a bit of a trawl I'm afraid, but to start off the list there is:
1) 4426 Frank Sutton, re-numbered 356060 2/10th. KLR (55/Div.)
Number indicates a Territorial with the 6 digit number given in 1917.
2) 2192 1/5th. KLR (55/Div.) re-numbered 200470.

[Stacy Storey]

Where did you find these people please then i can go have a look

[MaxD]

 356060 was born 1887 and left came from Liverpool so I don't think that is him.

Stacey The only records that have family information on them that enable you to tell the difference between one Frank Sutton and another are the enlistment and  or pension records.  70% of these were destroyed by bombing in the second war.  Those that remain can be found on a number of subscription sites such as Ancestry or Findmypast.  (The latter has free access 8-12 November as does Ancestry over this weekend).

However, a look at both sites finds no Frank Sutton with evidence that it is him.  You will find medal records, which do not have personal information for 50 Frank Suttons and 8 F Suttons, and while the regiments they belonged to can be seen, the vast majority cannot be tracked to 55th Division.

Sorry to be gloomy but the odds are always against a search without medals to look at or a service number.

MaxD

[Stacy Storey]

Thanks maxD thats what i was coming up with being anewbie thought i was missing something