RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: lec88 on Tuesday 07 March 17 13:58 GMT (UK)
-
Hello!
I am very new to this site, and I am trying to find information on my great grandfather's service in WWI. His full name was Albert Joseph Whitehead Bridges (1889-1968) and he was from Stone, Dartford, Kent.
From family stories I know that he served in the British Army in WWI, and that he served in India and Mesopotamia.
I would love to learn more about Albert's war experience but I don't have any information about which regiment he served with, any identification numbers, etc!
Does anyone know of specific regiments that served in India/Mesopotamia in WWI? Specifically ones that may have recruited from Dartford/Kent?
Literally any responses / information would be so helpful! :) I would love to learn how I can find out more information with my limited facts! Thank you, have a great afternoon!!
Laura
-
I'm working on possibles
How about one with d o b slighly out (3 yrs\)with parents Albert and Mary, siblings Percy, Frederick and Bertha and from 14 Bethel Cottages, Queens Road, Maidstone
edit: He is an Albert James Bridges. No Whitehead.
Doh. I have just seen it's Joseph. Sorry about that.
-
Oh wow - thank you so much for taking a look! I really appreciate it!!
My Albert's parents were William Bridges (1841-1899) and Hannah Bridges (1854-1917). He was born on 24 November 1889 in Stone, Dartford, Kent.
I'm not sure if he would of used either of his middle names (Joseph Whitehead) or if he would have just been registered as Albert Bridges.
Thank you so much again!!
-
Sorry, false alarm. I was working on a James and then spotted it was Joseph. I'll post if I find anything with the correct name. Sorry.
-
Albert was a Gunner in the RFA no. 207439.
Awarded the British War & Victory Medals so served overseas after 1915.
-
Have you looked for a WW1 Service Record?
(Bearing in mind that some two-thirds were destroyed in a WW2 bombing raid!)
Available on Ancestry and FindMyPast.
But you should be able to find a Medal Index Card?
On Ancestry or The National Archives:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-medal-index-cards-1914-1920/
It's worth noting that conscripts were assigned to whatever Regiment needed numbers, and not necessarily those associated with their home county.
My Uncle, from Bath, was in the Welsh Regiment!
<posts crossed! Well found, jim1!>
-
OK.
In the Medal Rolls there is an Albert Joseph Whitehead Bridges who was Gunner 207439 in the Royal Field Artillery.
The Rolls do not indicate which battery he was with.
Unfortunately his personal papers do not seem to have survived.
If you are confident that there are no two with the same full name then this is your man. You have the family lore that he served India/Mespot. You now know he was a Gunner in the RFA
Here's a little bit about what the RFA was
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-royal-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/
-
Numbers around his are shown enlisting/called up Jan/Feb 1917.
-
Oh wow - thank you so much everyone!! You are all such talented researchers!
This is really exciting information to finally have - I can't wait to tell the rest of my family.
Thank you so much!
I've just ordered his medal card from the National Archives!
Laura
-
The problem with the RA is that it was under constant re-organisation with Batteries being broken up & re-numbered. As they fought at Brigade or Divisional level without that information you can't place where he was but there's nothing to say he wasn't in Mesopotamia.
-
In expansion of what friends have so expertly found so far:
Men of the Royal Field Artillery served in all theatres of war and there were (haven't counted them all!) 1500 or so batteries in which he might have served, many of which were in India and/or Mesopotamia (present day Iraq mostly). So as far as specific information is concerned, that is likely to be it I'm afraid.
More generally, his service in India would have been on garrison duties rather than fighting. The campaign in Mesopotamia is covered here http://www.1914-1918.net/mespot.htm. There would have been RFA units in most if not all of the 8 Indian Divisions and the one British Division that took part. That division had six RFA brigades each with 3 or 4 batteries and he could have been in any of the Indian divisions that had RFA brigades so I fear it is needle in the haystack time.
maxD