WW1 Army Service Records - National Archives

[jimbohodge]

Hi,

I have been interested now for a long time in my Great Granfather's life in the Army - and would love to find out as much as possible for my Grandmother (His Daughter) who is still alive today and it would be great for her.

I had been asking some questions on another Topic i started entitled 'WW1 Burma???' and got some very positive and informative responses.

Now i geuss what everybody wants when rsearching a Military ancestor is to find his Service Records. I understand that there is limited chance of them being found.

I cannot currently get to Kew to have look, and when looking for Researchers, they seem to be charging quite a lot of money, which to be honest, i don't have.

I was wondering whether anybody could help me out on this?
Does anybody know any cheap army ancestor researchers who would still get the job done?
OR is there any chance of anybody having a look for me when visiting the archives themself?
Of course, i would be willig to pay for all copies made if found, but i cannot pay much more than that at the moment.

Hope somebody can help.

Jim

[nanny jan]

Hi Jim,

You might find some help at the Great War Forum......along the lines of  "Anyone going to Kew?"

I not only got advice about my gtgrandfather and his son in WW1 but got in contact with one of my mum's cousins cousins!

Good luck,

Nanny Jan

[Bill749]

Hi Jim

Do you have details of his rank, service number and the unit he served in?  Did he serve before WW1 or did he only serve during WW1?

The reason for these questions is that, if he was an officer and not a common soldier, or if he served before WW1 and was recalled from the reserve, his records are much more likely to have survived.

Also, if you know the details of the units he served with, it would be worth consulting the war diaries for these units to find out more about where he may have served.

Unfortunately, all of this is at Kew, and researching it could take several hours.  I will be going to Kew to do some research of my own in September - if I have time to spare, I could possibly have a look for you if you can give me enough detail to track him down quickly.

Regards, Bill

[jimbohodge]

Hi Bill,

I was told he was a Sergeant and served in WW1

I now feel, along with a few other rootschatters, that he more than likely joined the army prior to 1914, possibly as early as 1910.

I know he was promoted to a higher rank than a normal Private, whether being a Sergeant was true, i don't know.
I have heard that 'Officer's records' have nearly all survived - at what rank are you clased as an 'Officer'?

According to my grandmother, he was then demoted from his position as 'Sergeant'. Would this have an affect on his service records survival?

Is it also true, like you suggested that if you joined the army prior to 1914, then there is more chance of record survival? Why was this?

Sorry to ask so many questions

Jim

[Bill749]

Hi Jim

The records of "other ranks" who served in WW1 were at the War Office when it was burnt down in 1940, so the majority were lost.  However, the records of officers and of those who had been transferred to the Reserve List before WW1 were apparently housed elsewhere and were therefore not affected.

Promotions were usually "gazetted" - that is, reported in the London Gazette, so it is worth searching their on-line archives for any trace of a promotion beyond the rank of sergeant.

He may, like one of my family, have been demoted at some point for being a naughty boy - only his service records would give you the details.  This shouldn't affect the survival of his records if he was discharged before 1914 and recalled or reenlisted.

If he did serve before 1914, it may increase the chances of finding his records, even if he was not demobbed and recalled, but I'm not sure about that.

Did he survive the war?  If not, you should be able to find details on the CWGC website.

I'm not really sure what rank you would have to be in order for your records to have survived.

Regards, Bill

[jimbohodge]

Hi,

Apparenlty he was demoted after he stuck his bayonet in a german soldier, and just stood there as he couldnt manage to take it out again.

Wold this really have warranted a demotion?

Thnkfully he did survive the war - otherwise i geuss i wouldn't be here today! 

[Bill749]

Perhaps they thought he was not a very good example to the men under his command!
 
Regards, Bill

[jimbohodge]

Hi,

I just ran his name through the Londn Gazettes online Archive for the WW1 period, i got 1 result:

Indian Army
1st June, 1914
Promotins - Captains to be Majors
Charles Frederick Woodward, 54th Sikhs

His real name was 'Frederick Charles Woodward', and with the link to the 'Far East' i was given, that could be the promotion that my grandmother was talking about?

Do you think this could be him?

Jim

[Bill749]

Hi Jim

Could well be - have you got his birth/baptism records?   I have a case where someone was registered as Edward Albert and baptised Albert Edward - he was always known in the family as Bert, but his military records show him by his birth name.

If he had the rank of Major, he should appear in the Army List and his service records should almost certainly have survived.  He may well be mentioned in the war diaries as well, if you can find them for this regiment.

It really would be worth the effort of trying to get a day at Kew - you could reap huge rewards!

A search of the WW1 medal card index at the NA produces 1 record for Charles Frederick Woodward and 1 for Frederick Charles:

Medal card of Woodward, Charles Frederick
Corps Regiment No Rank
London Regiment 1379 Lance Corporal
London Regiment 630242 Company Serjeant Major
Royal Fusiliers  Second Lieutenant

Medal card of Woodward, Frederick Charles
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Field Artillery  Second Lieutenant
Royal Field Artillery  Lieutenant and Captain

Regards, Bill