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Purely out of interest......my maternal great grandfather, a Sherwood Forester, was 39 years old when he volunteered in 1914. He was 'too old' at the time but lied about his age. He was in the first Battle at Ypres and got shot up in his left arm and was subsequently medically discharged. My paternal Grandfather, was just 18 when he subsequently volunteered in 1914, was a machine gunner (trained at Belton Camp in my home town of Grantham ) and went overseas too. I believe that the powers that be turned a blind eye to their age discretions. Once conscription came in in 1916, they relaxed the rules on age, increasing it to mid 40s and allowing  much younger lads to enlist. Our boys were so patriotic initially, many thought it would be over quickly. My Grandfather went through the whole lot and survived until the 1970s. However, he did suffer the effects of the mustard gas which may have contributed to his later ill health. The only time he spoke about the war was to my dad, when he joined up for National Service. During that one time conversation he told my dad that when he was firing the vickers machine gun across the trenches, he asked his superior if he could 'shoot at the Gerrys' from the knees down as he was feeling really sick of all the body parts flying all over the place' he was subsequently given a stiff telling off! The hell they must have gone through. I am so proud of both of them.

thank you to you both - i will go there and see what i can find

angela

hello

you could try www.mod.uk where there is information and forms available to obtain his records.  There is a fee of £30 per record and you must provide a death certificate.  There is a 'next of kin' form available to fill in on the website in PDF format.  If you are not next of kin there is a general enquirer form.  The MOD are still custodians of WW2 service records although some sites will have 1939-1945 roll of honours - but your father survived the war and therefore this may be the only route available for the time being (until passed on to National Archives)

Hope this helps

Angela

Albert and Cecelia Henson 1911 Census 33 Broomhill Road Mansfield.  Post WW1 and on discharge from the war Albert & cecelia lived at 61 Brownlow Road Mansfield. At some point they moved to Deerdale Lane Bilsthorpe on a smallholding type property belonging the Forestry Commission - Albert working as a Ranger.  I would like to know (aside from Nottingham Archives) which Library I would likely find old electoral records up to 1947? When Albert died in 1947 Cecelia had to vacate the property and until her death lived at Pembroke Street Mansfield before it was pulled down for regeneration.

Can anyone help as I am on the last leg of my family history story.

Thank you in anticipation

Angela

Dear, Dear Adrian,

Thank you so much for that information - I am relatively new to military research and although subscribe to Ancestry, just could not make a connection.  My mother adored her late grandfather as I loved my own grandfather, who fought in Ypres too - obviously my paternal grandfather, unlike my mother's grandfather, was only 18 when he enlisted in the Rifle Brigade/Machine Gun Corps.  I haven't to date found his enlistment as he was a 'taylor' from Durham and like the name 'Henson' is rife in their particular birthplaces!

Everything tallies up brilliantly - my great grandfather on my mother's side eventually became a forest ranger and did not return to mining.  My grandfather on my father's side returned to mining in Durham County.

The fact that they both served their country in WW1 and survived beyond it is remarkable - given the losses incurred.  My own grandfather suffered severe mustard gassing but survived and lived until 1974.  Great grandfather Henson lived up to 1947!

I work in a public library and find history fascinating - particularly WW1/2 - now I can say I had kin who experienced it. 

Thank you so very much

Angela