James Forrest Lancs Fusiliers

[Neon_strobelight]

Can anyone help just help me put the final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together of my Great Great Uncle, James Forrest. He joined up 2nd oct 1916 when he was 18yrs,3 months which I understand was under the legal age you could be sent abroad?

He seems to have 3 roll numbers, 62640, 183922, 32549 and was in he Royal Artillery and the Lancs Fus.

I also see he was a Gun, Junnes? and driver. He was also refused gunner due to being uneducated.

He was wounded twice, once by boyonet to the chest and later by a bullet in his leg. I can only find reference to the gun shot wound.

Can anyone just help me put everything together as I'm getting a bit bogged down?

Thank you.

[philipsearching]

He seems to have 3 roll numbers, 62640, 183922, 32549 and was in he Royal Artillery and the Lancs Fus.

Could you let us know the source of this information?  I would think it quite unusual to transfer between the artillery and a line regiment.

Philip

[Neon_strobelight]

Just by trying to make sense of his army records on ancestry.

[philipsearching]

Just by trying to make sense of his army records on ancestry.

Ah!  It has been known for records for two men to be accidentally combined (by the War Ministry/MoD)

[Neon_strobelight]

Ah right, I wonder if someone ŵould be kind enough to take a look and help me untangle it?

[MaxD]

He was called up in October 1916 age 18 yrs 3 months and sent to the Royal Artillery Depot for training – first number 62640
He went then to 74 Training Reserve Battalion in November, this was a young soldiers battalion, under age for overseas service.  Next number 183922.
In Feb 1917 he transferred to the Lancashire Fusiliers and received number 32549 with which he served overseas with 15th Battalion (not yet 19 but rules did get bent!)  returning home in Feb 1918.

MaxD

[Neon_strobelight]

Thanks Maxd, that's really helpful.