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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: mezentia on Thursday 07 November 24 14:27 GMT (UK)
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My Great Grandfather was Hon. Captain William Edwin Stonyer. He served in the ASC/RASC before and during WWI, in Ireland (Curragh), South Africa in the second Boer War, and China before returning to Ripon as Assistant Barracks Officer, subsequently retiring in 1923. He was promoted through various levels of Quatermaster, Staff Sergeant Major, Honorary Lieutenant and then later granted the honorary rank of Captain in 1918. I have tried requesting his records from Glasgow, but have been told they should be available at the National Archives. However, the National Archives have only his medal card. I have some details from the London Gazette, and the Army Lists, and have found numerous references via the Internet Archive website from English language newspapers published in China. Given his record I would have expected to have been able to find more details about his service, but where now to look?
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I wonder if they were destroyed?
Apparently you can download with a free Sign In, the types of records destroyed.
Records destroyed at the Army Records Centre, Arnside Street, London as a result of bombing on 8 September 1940
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6005907
Records from other sources, i.e. Pension etc.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14568
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Surname and WO search has three results
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_ep=Stonyer&_cr=WO&_dss=range&_sd=1890&_ed=1950&_ro=any&_st=adv
Only one looks to be your Medal Card?
https://www.britisharmyancestors.co.uk/british-army-soldiers/wo-363-the-burnt-documents/#:~:text=Officers%27%20papers%20were%20stored%20in,series%20WO%20363%20and%20known
Officers’ papers were stored in a part of the warehouse that was completely destroyed, but some other ranks papers were spared – estimates normally settle around 35% to 40% saved – and it is these remaining papers which today form part of the collection catalogued by The National Archives in series WO 363 and known today as ‘the burnt documents’.
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I have tried requesting his records from Glasgow, but have been told they should be available at the National Archives. However, the National Archives have only his medal card.
It is my understanding that records for service personnel who served after c1920 would have been passed to TNA. It will be a lengthy process for these records to be digitised so it is possible that his are amongst them
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My Great Grandfather was Hon. Captain William Edwin Stonyer. He served in the ASC/RASC before and during WWI, in Ireland (Curragh), South Africa in the second Boer War, and China before returning to Ripon as Assistant Barracks Officer, subsequently retiring in 1923.
Hopefully, because he was still in Service after 1920, I have heard similar to Rosie, when I enquired about inter-war Army Service records.
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Maybe I will just have to be patient. Not particularly one of my virtues :)
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Rosie99 is Correct - the Arnside Street Repository only held Army Records that were sent there of those Soldiers who left the Army prior to 1920
Those that Served after 1920 and left later their Records went to the New Storeroom that was never Blitzed in 1940
So they are now in the National Archives
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Copied from an email I have had today from TNA
Through our partnership with Ancestry, the first tranche of digitised Second World War MOD service personnel records are now available on their site. This large-scale digitisation project will take place over several years, with this first release including draft cards, medal registration, military units and memorials. From 7-13 November, Ancestry are offering free access to these collections with a simple registration.
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The MoD pdf regarding the transfer ...
"In February 2021, the Ministry of Defence began the transfer of historic service personnel records" ... "There are approximately 9.7 million records which will be transferred over the next 6 years."
The National Archives
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/our-projects/ministry-of-defence-service-records/