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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: mel63 on Monday 08 April 19 14:55 BST (UK)
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I am trying to trace the missing years of a relative.
Louis Victor Martin 1887-1967
He was in the Somerset light infantry,
Married in Colchester 1919
I know he was in the service before marriage but then there is an A ( which I think stands for absent ) next to his name on the 1921,22,23 census.
I know they had a daughter listed as being born 19/6/1921 in Belfast, County Antrim, so was he still in service and based over there during those years. I do know he returned at some point to Essex where he lived unti his death.
I would be grateful for any help so i can make sure I'm on the right track so to speak.
Regards Miriam
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No records online for the armed services from the early 1920 onwards so his will still be with MOD.
This is the link for obtaining UK service records:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html
You don't need his army number as long as you have his date of birth and death cert.. If your father died more than 25 yrs ago there is no problem accessing his records. Under 25 yrs it's the next of kin or by the next of kin's permission. It costs £30 and can take several months to get the documents.
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His Great War medal record is on Ancestry (if you have a subscription) and at the National Archives at:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3961647. Served in the Somerset Light Infantry and later the Gloucestershire Regiment. Ended the war as a Company Quartermaster Sergeant.
If his birth date was 6 December 1886 then he appears to have remained in the service until after 1920 as there is an entry of that name on the post 1920 records still held by the Ministry of Defence. The service number cannot be compared with the Great War one because numbers were changed post war.
Can you confirm his birth date and we can go on from there?
MaxD
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His Great War medal record is on Ancestry (if you have a subscription) and at the National Archives at:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3961647. Served in the Somerset Light Infantry and later the Gloucestershire Regiment. Ended the war as a Company Quartermaster Sergeant.
If his birth date was 6 December 1886 then he appears to have remained in the service until after 1920 as there is an entry of that name on the post 1920 records still held by the Ministry of Defence. The service number cannot be compared with the Great War one because numbers were changed post war.
Can you confirm his birth date and we can go on from there?
MaxD
I don't have his exact date of birth but i know he was born in Mile End Old Town, London, England.
He was the husband of my great aunt Lily ( nee Smith ).
I know Medals were passed down from the great war to a relative on his side of the family, sorry i can't be of more help but it sounds like the same person.
I am also trying to trace my Grandfathers service records, iv tried various sites but no luck and i contacted the force service records but they said they had no records and that i would need to contact the MOD.
I have asked on other threads but no luck.
here are his details: Garnett Jones born 11/4/1901, Hollywell, Mould, Flintshire.
PTE 1045836 in the 10th battery royal artillery, gunner.
That's the only information i have on his service records which are stated on my mothers birth certificate and my nan's marriage certificate .i thought id give it one last short before i apply to the MOD.
Thank you kindly for the help you have given me so far as they say every little help and it certainly does .
Regards Miriam
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Garnett Jones born 11/4/1901, Hollywell, Mould, Flintshire.
PTE 1045836 in the 10th battery royal artillery, gunner.
FindMyPast has a brief record of his attestation (1034856 not 1045836) in 1919, his marriage in 1928, and discharge in 1931. His MOD records will have much more information.
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Hello again Miriam
Louis Martin's birth date was given as 6 Dec 1886 in 1939, so Max is looking at the right man.
His service number on the Colchester voters list 1921 is 5662103. He's Sergeant in Somerset Light infantry through to at least 1923
Jan
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Garnett Jones born 11/4/1901, Hollywell, Mould, Flintshire.
PTE 1045836 in the 10th battery royal artillery, gunner.
FindMyPast has a brief record of his attestation (1034856 not 1045836) in 1919, his marriage in 1928, and discharge in 1931. His MOD records will have much more information.
That sounds about right as he was married briefly in 1928 ( 5-6 months, long story )
The attestation number is what was written on the marriage certificate of my nan so i don't quite know what happen there but it defo seems to be him and maybe that's why i had a problem finding him in any service records. He married my nan early 1931 so im assuming he was still in service at that point.
I wonder if he returns or was called back on the onset of WW2.
I have been researching my grandfather for a few years as i knew nothing of him neither did mum ( family secrets and lies, unfortunately ) which has been revealed for me on other threads related to family searches.
but thanks you for your help .
Regards Miriam
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Hello again Miriam
Louis Martin's birth date was given as 6 Dec 1886 in 1939, so Max is looking at the right man.
His service number on the Colchester voters list 1921 is 5662103. He's Sergeant in Somerset Light infantry through to at least 1923
Jan
That good at least i now know im on the right track there .
Thank you so much Jan you have been of great help
Regards Miriam
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His number is double confirmation that he is the LV Martin on the post 1920 listing.
You probably weren't aware that records* for that time frame onwards aren't on line which explains the difficulty you've had.
Medpat gave the link for getting service records from MOD. Shout if you need help with the form filling!
The same route applies of course to Garnett Jones who is also a post 1920 soldier.
MaxD
*Medal records for LV Martin are on line, it is the detailed service records which MOD still has and in the case of LV Martin will include his full Great War and afterwards service.
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No records online for the armed services from the early 1920 onwards so his will still be with MOD.
This is the link for obtaining UK service records:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html
You don't need his army number as long as you have his date of birth and death cert.. If your father died more than 25 yrs ago there is no problem accessing his records. Under 25 yrs it's the next of kin or by the next of kin's permission. It costs £30 and can take several months to get the documents.https://www.rootschat.com/forum/Themes/genealogy/images/bbc/shadow.gif
Thank you for your assistance and i will do so within the coming months.
Regards Miriam
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His number is double confirmation that he is the LV Martin on the post 1920 listing.
You probably weren't aware that records* for that time frame onwards aren't on line which explains the difficulty you've had.
Medpat gave the link for getting service records from MOD. Shout if you need help with the form filling!
The same route applies of course to Garnett Jones who is also a post-1920 soldier.
Thank you much appreciated and I will indeed call on you for assistance with forms if needed.
Regards Miriam
MaxD
*Medal records for LV Martin are on line, it is the detailed service records which MOD still has and in the case of LV Martin will include his full Great War and afterwards service.
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Just found this
http://www.lightinfantry.org.uk/regiments/sli/somerset_ww1.htm
which says the 1st Battalion (which Louis was in at start of WW1) was posted to Ireland in 1919
Jan
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Just found this
http://www.lightinfantry.org.uk/regiments/sli/somerset_ww1.htm
which says the 1st Battalion (which Louis was in at start of WW1) was posted to Ireland in 1919
Jan
Thanks Jan :) , now that makes sense and accounts for the missing years .
Looks like i will have to go down the route of the MOD regarding my grandfather as suggested by other so i will do that at some point .
Regards Miriam