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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Luzzu on Wednesday 28 October 20 11:35 GMT (UK)
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Looking for help in dating and identifying the uniform this soldier is wearing in the hope that I can identify the soldier. Thank you.
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Possibly Lancashire Fusiliers.
The only other bits of information are that he has 1 wound stripe
& is wearing the pre 1916 pattern tunic.
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Thank you.
One of the possible candidates is Charles Anthony Smith, service number 25678,"B" Coy. 2nd Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers who died on 11 October 1917, age 23. His brother Roland also fought in WW1 but I don't know which regiment and he survived but was disabled because he had a false leg.
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Sounds a good fit.
Forgot to mention wound stripes were introduced in July 1916 so this was taken after that date.
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Perfect. Thank you.
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What do you know about Roland?
Does he have a middle name?
What's his DOB?
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I know a little bit.
His name is Roland Bagshaw Smith. He married Annie Maud Elias on 28th Aug 1912 in Caenarvonshire, Wales. They had a son, Frederick William Smith who was born in 1913 - the son was in the RAF in WW2 and got shot down but I can't find him on the CWGC. I suppose its possible to get shot down and survive.
So back to Roland, he was born in 1886 and in 1939 he was living at West Street, Alderley Edge, Cheshire recorded as a disabled serviceman. It is known in the family he had a prosthetic leg.
His service record is on Ancestry but my sub expired yesterday. Will be renewing it later today.
His parents were Frederick Septimus Bagshaw and Mary Ann. The whole family became Smiths when they moved from Staffordshire to Cheshire (apparently to avoid gambling debts). Some of their children were registered as Bagshaws but by the time they got married they were Smiths and the younger ones were given Bagshaw as a middle name and Smith as a surname.
There was another brother who I think served in WW1 - Frederick born 1881 but I can't find a service record for him. He married Daisy Snow in 1912. She is on the 1939 census as a widow. I have found a possible for Frederick in 1939 in the County Mental Hospital, Chester - right age and occupation (dairyman) and a possible death 1948. Not sure getting the death certificate will give me confirmation as the informant will be hospital superintendent.
The fourth brother was Robert Ralph Bagshaw/Smith - I haven't started researching him yet. If he went to WW1 he survived as he died in 1965.
Sorry. Probably have given you more information than you asked for but its better to have too much. :)
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Rowland Smith, 112399, Royal Garrison Artillery. Service records on Ancestry
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1219/images/30600_193360-00601
and FindMyPast
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F007329133%2F00606&parentid=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7329133%2F26%2F606
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Attested 27/6/16 & discharged 24/2/19.
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Thanks again. Is there anyway I can find out about Frederick. I couldn't see a service record for him and I think he was in mental hospital in 1939.
"There was another brother who I think served in WW1 - Frederick born 1881 but I can't find a service record for him. He married Daisy Snow in 1912. She is on the 1939 census as a widow. I have found a possible for Frederick in 1939 in the County Mental Hospital, Chester - right age and occupation (dairyman) and a possible death 1948. Not sure getting the death certificate will give me confirmation as the informant will be hospital superintendent."
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Just to skip back to Rowland.
He was in 215 Bty. RGA but unfortunately their war diary only goes up to March 1917
your man was wounded in July 1917.
However his Brigade (93rd) does cover that period & is downloadable at TNA for £3.50.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01pzm/