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Hi
I am hoping some wise owl may be able to enlighten me.

My Great Grand Uncle Charles James Nugent b 1884 London served as a private with the Northumberland Fusiliers. This info is from the National Roll of the Great War. His service record doesn't seem to have survived, although I have found his medal index card.

The info from the National Roll of the Great War states he joined in 1916 and fought at Arras & Ypres but shortly afterward became ill and was invalided home to hospital. On recovery was "retained at various home stations on important duties"

I am wondering exactly what does that mean?

I have found a record on FindMyPast of a C J Nugent enlisting in the Royal Air Force in 1917 and serving as a steward/batman.
Also the London Electoral Roll for 1918 has him listed as an Absent voter, although there are no details about any force he maybe serving in.

There is no indication other than a coincidence of initials to say this might be my Gt grand uncle in the RAF but was hoping someone may know if it was a common occurrence that a soldier unfit for active service was transferred/volunteered to serve in the RAF instead?

I've spent ages trying to work out a puzzle. I think I've solved it but but would really like a second opinion please.

Thomas Middleton, widower, married Elizabeth Packer, both of full age on 15th July 1846 in Ospringe Kent. Their marriage record is on FindMyPast.

Elizabeth's father is listed as Edward Packer, Basket Maker and the witnesses were Edward Packer & Jane Packer.

I have two possible candidates on my tree for Elizabeth Packer....
1) Elizabeth Catherine Packer b 1816  Faversham d/o James Packer & Esther Lucas
2) Eliza Packer born about 1819 Faversham d/o Edward Packer & Sarah Brown Cleaveland

It would appear from the cert that it must be Eliza number 2....now here comes the BUT....

I found a newspaper clipping from the BMD section that states Eliza Packer second daughter of Edward Packer of Faversham married William Bailey in India 18 Sep 1849.
Eliza Packer was the 2nd daughter of Edward Packer.
Elizabeth Catherine Packer was the 4th daughter of James Packer plus she had a brother called Edward married to a Jane and a sister Emma Jane who always went by her middle name.

From info I found on Google Books, William Bailey was a Baptist Missionary. The info mainly consisted of letters he had written, in one of which he mentions that his wife's sister Miss Agnes Packer was to join them in India to serve as a missionary and school teacher. Eliza Packer did have a younger sister called Agnes but Elizabeth Catherine Packer did not.

Thomas Middleton did not die until 1878 and is found living with his wife Elizabeth on the 1851/61/71 census in Hougham and later Dover, Kent.
 William & Eliza Bailey are presumably still in India as William dies there in 1880.

Elizabeth Middleton nee Packer died in 1888. Her probate listed under the name Elizabeth Middleton  mentions a man by the surname Hearn. I am not too certain who he is but possibly a relation of the husband of Thomas & Elizabeth's younger daughter. The only corresponding death for that year is listed as Elizabeth Catherine Middleton but I don't have the cert as this is not my direct line.

Apologies for the length but my question is do you think I am correct in thinking that the woman Thomas Middleton married was infact Elizabeth Catherine Packer, meaning that the name of her father listed on the marriage certificate is an error and really should have read James Packer?
James and Edward Packer were brothers.

Don't you just wish sometimes that someone from every family would take up the challenge of researching their family history!!! 

Crazily there are three of us descended from my Great Grandfather Thomas Frederick Nugent all busily scratching away at the family history, yet he had 3 siblings, all of whom had children, grand children and so on, but not one of them seems to have taken up the cause.

Wonder what it is that makes so many of us in one branch keen on the past yet all the others apparently not care less?.....unless they are doing it in secret

Is it possible to make this picture any clearer?
Thanks very much
MOIRA