his number indicates he attested in 1895! What was his DOB.
Looks like they were issuing odd numbers to volunteers at the outbreak of war.
So far went overseas 28/11/14 with 2nd. Batt. RMF destination France/Belgium.
At some point he was transferred into the Labour Corps with no. 174807.
Received the 15 star, BW & Victory Medals.
Went onto the Z list (reserve) 10/4/19.
He certainly did his bit.
2/RMF were on the French/Belgium border W. of Armentieres on the 4th. Dec. when he arrived as one of 178 replacements.
The Batt. received a mauling acting as a rearguard during the withdrawel from Mons & the ensuing battles of the Aisne & the Arne.
They were billeted at a farm called Clapbanck. Now the D23.
Their diary is on Ancestry if you have a sub:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01met/ If not you can download it from TNA for £3.50:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01meu/ When he was transferred is pretty impossible to say. He may have been wounded or had some underlying condition that prompted him to be re-classified less than A1 & therefore no longer fit for frontline service & was posted to the LC which was a common route.
His 6 digit no. was in a batch allocated to the 1st. Lab. Coy. of the Royal Irish Rifles who became the 320th. Lab. Coy. Labour Corps. As this wasn't one of his overseas Battalions means he was given a spare number sometime after the formation of the Labour Corps in early 1917. It doesn't necessarily mean he went into the 320th. he could have gone anywhere.
I think you're safe(ish) to say he was still in 2/RMF up to mid 1916 at least so the diary will tell you what he was involved in although unlikely to mention him by name.
Overview:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01mev/ http://www.rootschat.com/links/01mew/
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Topic: Soldier research help please (Read 350 times)