1st Bn Bedfordshire Regt. Where Is This Location?

[StanleysChesterton]

Hi, I've just downloaded an image of a WW1 soldier who had joined up in 1904, so was immediately re-enlisted at the start of WW1 into the 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regiment (possibly "B" company?)

Looking at his movements it says he was:
Home 1904-1914,
France until 18/11/1914.
But what's it say next for his movements? 
The next one means Army Reserve I believe as it's after the war.

Overall, this guy's war was: 1st Bn Beds Regt; Transferred to 2nd Suffolks on 29 Dec 1916; Transferred to Labour Corps, 581.

 

He lived and was demobbed after the end of the war. 

Thank you.

[MaxD]

Puzzle.  Both 1 Bedfords and 2 Suffolks were in France throughout, Labour Corps from 1917 in all theatres.  AR would be when he went on the reserve after active service

Can you post his name a number for a look at the rest of his record for clues?

MaxD

[MaxD]

I'm reading it now as a badly written "Same".  18 Nov 14 coincides with the end of a fairly torrid time for the Bedfords near Ypres where from 7 to 18 Nov they took about 420 casualties.  A hospital stay and return to duty all in France/Flanders would make sense with his battalions.

MaxD

[StanleysChesterton]

Apologies for my tardy response/return.  My internet provider decided it was time to have a local network problem, with a 2 day fix
I'm still not entirely sure if I'm back online or not.

The chap was: Walter Charles Edwards, born 1885/Huntingdonshire.
I have three service numbers from the paperwork: 7923 original signup, then 46811 and finally (2nd Suffolks) 287085.

I downloaded it all, and there's a lot of information .... and, being new to these style of records, decided it would be a "project" to slowly unpick what he did over time, starting with understanding that first bit.

One thing that caught my eye was that it looked, to me, from the paperwork like he was originally enlisted in the "B" company and sent out - and when I looked at that, the War Diary is online and there's a note in there that some people of "B" company were those who played footie with the Germans on Xmas Day.  I figured maybe he missed that as the line of "France" ended on 18/11/14.

For the benefit of people who might read this in 10-20 years' time: This man is my gt-gt-grandmother's brother's son

[MaxD]

As is usually the case, the entirety of the record provides the answer!  It also proves me wrong!  The third line reads Home.

He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1904 on a 12 year engagement (3 years with the colours followed by 9 years reserve service).    The Statement of Services sheet tells us he was posted first to the depot (for training) on 20 Jan 04 and then, on 12 Feb 04 to the 2nd Battalion.  His 3 years were up on 17 Jan 07 so he transferred to the Army B Reserve (which is what the B means).
He was now back in civilian life but committed to recall during that 7 years reserve service and, just his luck, they gave a war and he was mobilised on 6 August 1914 to the 1st Battalion.
The next significant event, which ties in with the diary, is on the next sheet where we see Gun Shot Wound right arm – to 3 Stationary Hospital (in France) 11 Nov 1914.
We next see him posted to the Depot (ie in UK) on 19 Nov 1914, so he had 8 days in hospital.   
The next entry is a posting to 2nd Battalion Bedfords on 31 July 1915 but, and this is hidden away in the faded writing, he was “put on the books” of 2nd Battalion but remained in UK for duty with (not entirely legible) in an office job.
On 29 Dec 1916 he is transferred to 2nd Home Service Garrison Battalion Suffolk Regiment (still in UK)
On 18 Jan 1917 his 12 years he signed for originally were over but as there was a war on, he was retained – that is what the entries about the Military Service Act mean in Jan 17.
In September 1917 he was transferred to the Labour Corps and sees out his service in a couple of Labour Corps units until discharge in March 1919.
The period 29 Mar 19 to 3 Mar 1920 is a final reserve period before final discharge.

His gunshot wound is noted as a disability on discharge.

So no football and unfortunately or fortunately, a very short spell in the war in France.

MaxD

[StanleysChesterton]

You're bloomin' marvellous!  Thank you!
(unlike my Internet provider who decided to prevent me getting online again today).

It'd have taken me a long time to have unpicked the records ... and I'd have made many errors.  As my gt-gt-grandmother's brother's son, who survived.... he was "low priority, but it's nice to know - to be revisited to peck away at over the next 1-3 years ... or more".
He was the cousin of the old lady in black on the far right in my current profile image.



The whole understanding military stuff is a specialist/niche thing - and I've few people who were in WW1 at all, so these were the biggest/most comprehensive records I'd ever seen... for my (missing/disappeared) grandfather all I have is a medal card.  It's always annoying that the ones you'd most like to know about were those where there's not much of a record! 



All the best to you - and may all your genealogical mysteries be solved quickly and easily.

[MaxD]

Sometimes even a medal card can give more than it looks at first sight.  Would you like to give his name and number?

MaxD