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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Roscommon => Topic started by: RoserAncestors on Friday 23 February 18 16:11 GMT (UK)
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Hi there, is there any way of telling which British army units might have been stationed in Elphin, Roscommon, in 1920?
I am investigating the marriage of James Heath, full age, soldier, residence Elphin, father George Heath builder & Sarah Madden, full age age, residence Clooncullaan, father Thomas Madden carpenter. The marriage was at the Catholic Church at Strokestown on 5 Nov 1920.
From a son's Australian marriage certificate I know that James' full name was James Joseph Heath. I found a medal card of a James Joseph Heath as attached but I couldn't find a service record and suspect it may have been among those destroyed in the Second World War.
I've done a lot of research on the couple so I don't really need any help other than to find out what British army units were stationed there (if I can).
Many thanks if anyone can help.
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If he was serving in 1920, his records will still be with the Ministry of Defence.
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
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LINK (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1920/09281/5360489.pdf) to Irish Civil Marraige certificate
Have you contacted the church directly?
Their records won't be online yet but they may hold more information
LINK (http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1008.pdf)
Statement of Intelligence Officer, 2nd Batt'n. North Roscommon Brigade from the period that refers to the Police Barracks and Black & Tans in Elphin and surrounding areas
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Thanks Shaun, that's really helpful, I'll investigate that.
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Maybe ask here??
http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/index.html home page of the Bureau of Military History 1913-1921 (BMH) Collection at Military Archives. This is a joint initative of Military Archives and the National Archives
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Thanks myluck, I had the civil record but yes, that's a good idea to contact the church.
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Thanks hallmark, that looks like a really helpful site and I will explore it.
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Maybe ask here??
http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/index.html home page of the Bureau of Military History 1913-1921 (BMH) Collection at Military Archives. This is a joint initative of Military Archives and the National Archives
This site is not for people who served in in the British Army, you need the one ShaunJ posted.
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Thanks Jebber. I think I've located the birth registration for the man I think was the James Heath who married Sarah Madden and I've just ordered it to get his birth date. Then I think I'll have all the information I need to order the British military file.
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Maybe ask here??
http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/index.html home page of the Bureau of Military History 1913-1921 (BMH) Collection at Military Archives. This is a joint initative of Military Archives and the National Archives
This site is not for people who served in in the British Army, you need the one ShaunJ posted.
One only needs to find out what Units were in Elphin!
Why should one ask if they know?
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I am trying to work out if the James Heath who married Sarah Madden was a man whose birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1898 in Chelsea London as James Ridgway to an unmarried mother (no mother's maiden name recorded on the GRO indexes). I'm pretty sure his mother was an Ellen Ridgway who married a George Heath on 25 Dec 1899 at St Jude Kensal Green. James then appears as James Heath in the 1901 and 1911 census. He dies as James Heath on 9 Feb 1932 aged 33 in Kensington with the informant being G Heath father. Prior to that he appeared in electoral rolls with a Sarah Heath from 1926.
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Have you searched in Kew?
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I've searched the National Archives website but I'm actually in Australia so I can't search any physical records in London unfortunately.
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Have you tried posting that image on Great War Forum??
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/
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Thank you Hallmark, I will try that.
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I was going to say as he married in 1920 he would probably have been in the last regiment on the list on the card which I think is the London Regiment but the second one on the list is the MGC.
The Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915 and disbanded in 1922 so it's possible he could still have been in that and the MGC was in Ireland in 1920 because Private WR Rodgers of the MGC was shot in Limerick in 1920.
http://www.cairogang.com/soldiers-killed/rodgers2/rodgers.html
But than I wonder if he was still in the Army in 1920 would his medal card be online, maybe this card belongs to someone else.
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Thanks Sinann, yes I can't be sure that the medal card is his, it just had the same full name and place (ie Middlesex/London). I'm going to try and order his military file from the Ministry of Defence as per Jebber's hint once I get his birth date from his birth certificate, although I think I need his service number which may complicate things if that medal card isn't his.
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The question of service number often crops up on the Armed Forces board
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=777701.msg6315260#msg6315260
You don't need it but you do need his death cert.
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Thanks Sinann, I already have his death certificate so that's good.