RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: betton39 on Wednesday 19 December 18 15:33 GMT (UK)
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I'm hoping someone can help me find out about my great grandfathers ww1 service.
He was born Fred Rodgers on the 1st of July 1886. In Eastwood, Rotherham South Yorkshire.
I know he served in the war , I have seen a photo of him in his uniform. Wearing some form of grenade cap badge and stripes on his arm. I could be wrong but the word "sapper" has been mentioned.
For nigh on 20 years I've had no luck.
Can anyone help me Please?
I once wrote to the guards museum , and although they were not supposed to tell me anything , the major accidently wrote in fountain pen at the bottom " 20561!"... so if this is the service no. It would make him a Sergt in the RGA he did stay after the war in the clean up campaign. But this is all I know demobbed January 1919.
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Can we see the photo?
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There are Great War medal cards for Royal Engineers but none identifiable to someone from Rotherham. Sapper is the private soldier rank in the RE but he has perhaps been promoted - where are the stripes, upper arm or lower arm and how many and what size are they, covering half the arm or smaller? What was his headdress? Are there any medal ribbons to be seen? Clarification would help give clues to whether he served on into the 1920s or longer. Best of all, can you post the photo? (Crossed with you jim1)
MaxD
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It might be worth mentioning that neither the RA or RE had flaming grenade cap badges, however they both had flaming grenade collar dogs.
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20561 F Rodgers was not a sergeant - just a gunner per his MIC.
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The Roll says he was.
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How curious!
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Is this the Fred Rodgers who married Severina Durrans in 1915? The marriage certificate might give an indication of his regiment if he was in the army by then.
Fred Rodgers 20561 disembarked on 25 September 1914.
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His BW & V card has him as Sgt.
His 14 Star Roll has him as Gnr. Also on the BW & V MIC & Roll he's Fred. Rodger (minus the S)
On the 14 Star Roll he's Fred. Rodgers.
Clear as mud aint it.
It also says he was in the 5th. (S) Bty. at embarkation. S of course being siege.
War diary:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n67/
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Oh crickey!... I'm all confused.... major Horne, years ago at the grenadier guards museum told me that was his service number... now I'm not sure.. he was married in 1908. By the time war broke out he had 3 children, 1 on the way. My grandpa Leslie in 1915. His wife was Elsie. I've taken his photo to try and share it about 15 flipping times now. I'm in bits!!!!
He was born Fred.
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What does it say in those diaries Jim? So close and so far away!. If you could pm me your email . I could possibly send you the photo that way???
On the back of the photo it said demobilised from duty 19th January 1919......
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Where did the service number come from?
The grenade badge was worn on certain types of headdress by both RE and RA but not until after the Great War as far as I am aware, hence my mentioning he may have served on after the war.
Awaiting the photo!
MaxD
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It was a cap on the photo... with a thin leather strap above the peak.. he's wearing what I think is the bog standard field bandaged putees mid calf. His tunic has 4 pockets. With bog standard belt . And it lo,oks like he's got pips.
The number came from a major horn at the grenadier guards museum years ago... he could have been wrong
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Our friend has offered to send me the pic direct , back soon hopefully.
MaxD
PS Beginning to suspect that sapper was not relevant, begins to sound like Grenadier Guards.
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He has stared at me from a frame for the past 25 years. Dad told me about the grenadier guards connection, but I could never find anything.
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The photo is a must have.
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Photo now to hand (it needed shrinking a little to meet the size allowance). Blurred in original!
As suspected, a Lance Corporal Grenadier Guards. The things on the shoulder are the brass shoulder title GG and the Grenade.
Can't find a service record or medal card though as Rodger or Rodgers even with aniother (later) regiment- wonder did he serve overseas? Others may have more luck.
MaxD
Need to work on the pic!
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This was taken c.1916 -7in a studio, as I have a family photo taken on the same day and my grandpa looks like a toddler.
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Slightly less blurred image.
MaxD
Shoulder titles at link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=grenadier+guards+shoulder+titles&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=1FHw8T5aPEYnvM%253A%252CDgfmCSsOY22hbM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kSQsOfB-05wM_LtBFNgYa6OJLo7xA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_scPm36zfAhVSzqQKHQ9yCucQ9QEwA3oECAYQCg#imgrc=1FHw8T5aPEYnvM:
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I'm really unsure.... Fred Rodgers married Elsie Hague 1908. My Fred enlisted in about 1915... And finished service 19th January 1919. He was a grenadier guard. When I wrote to birdcage walk. The archivist capt.Horne did mention that service no!!!.
Can anything else be found out about him?
Of 25 yrs later I'm still no wiser of what he did in the war or when.
The only photo I have of him is at the beginning of the thread.
Thank you so much.xxx
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He was born Fred Rodgers on the 1st of July 1886. In Eastwood, Rotherham South Yorkshire.
Fold3 have this record (with image) but its for a RN chap:
UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
Name: Frederick Rodgers
Residence Place: Eastwood View Rotherham
Service Number: 72/5393
Corps, Regiment or Unit: Abbe Smn., R.N.
The image indicates his address was 35 Foljambe Road, Eastwood View.
Discharge date: 3 February 1919 Served on HMS Victory VI
UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972
Name: Frederick Rodgers
Medal or Award: Star, Victory Medal, British War Medal
Service Year: 1914-1920
Service Location: Europe
Campaign or Service: World War I
Service Number: T Z/5393
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At the time of ww1 he was living in whiston, nr. Rotherham
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The Royal Navy man was born 4 February 1894. Mother Mary.