Looking for details on Grandad

[knowlesfamily]

Hi
My Grandfather spoke very little of his War it was assumed it was too painful.
I am sad to say that I have nothing, not even a picture of him.
I know from my father and uncle that he served in both wars.
In the First he apparently served with the Royal Horse Artillery or simply the Royal Artillery Two answers given by two sons.
it was thought he went to France and was involved possibly at Ypres.
During the second war it was thought he stayed local and joined the RASC and was involved in security at Rolls Royce in Derby and possibly Belper. It is thought he lied about his age to enlist in WW2.
My father remembers he was put forward by his commanding officer for a MM but was mentioned in dispatches instead.
His name was
Albert Knowles
Born 18th Jan 1889
At Chesterfield in Derbyshire
I would be most grateful of any ideas from you knowledgable folk.
Regards
Malc Knowles

[themonsstar]

For your G/F to have been put in for the Military Medal (MM) he would have to have been near to or in sight of the Enemy. So its more likely he was put in for the MID, if he was in the UK during WW2.

Are you sure he was in RASC and not the LDV/Homeguard, in the last War, as it was mostly the LDV/Homeguard that did security at factories.

Also if your G/f did rejoin/called up, his service records will be with the MOD at Glasgow.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

They will  cost you £30 to see if they are there, but if they are at Glasgow you will get his WW1 & WW2 records.

Before you go paying £30, ask any of the  members on here to have a look for your G/F on Ancestry first.

[knowlesfamily]

Hi
To be honest as you can see its all a bit vague and my dad and uncle only have sketchy memories of him.
My dad seems to think he once saw his medals he thinks he had five.
Alas they are gone.
Malc

[Necromancer]

Hi Malc - Ancestry have WW1 Pension Records, but in many cases the file is far more than just pension stuff .... I have found just this morning, the wife and kids names of a Great Great Uncle ....

[Shropshire Lass]

In the First he apparently served with the Royal Horse Artillery or simply the Royal Artillery Two answers given by two sons.

From www.army.mod.uk/royalartillery/history.htm - this might explain the two names:
"On 1 July 1899, the Royal Artillery was divided into two groups: the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery comprised one group, while the coastal defence, mountain, siege and heavy batteries were split off into another group named the Royal Garrison Artillery. The three sections effectively functioned as separate corps. This arrangement lasted until 1924."

I've had a look at the Pension Records and can't find him, but some of the records are coming up blank so he may be among them.

Monica

[knowlesfamily]

Thanks Monica

[forthefamily]

Is this the family in 1891?

RG12 Piece 2760 Folio 37 Page 32
Spa Lane (back of #8)
Walter Knowles - 23 - coalminer - born Matlock Bank
Annie - 25 - wife - Chesterfield
George - 2 - son -     "
Albert - 1 - son -        "

Newf is right. Ancestry has started putting WW 1 Pension records on but they are not complete. I've found that you find the person and when you go to look there's nothing to view.  I've reported a few and hopefully they will fix them.

I understand from another post that Ancestry has a 3 day free offer at the moment. It might be worth your while to try it out

[nanny jan]

Hi,

If you are checking WW1 pensions look for someone with the same name.  I found my gtgrandpa and one of his sons (both John) sharing the same records on Ancestry!

Nanny Jan

[forthefamily]

Your right Nanny Jan I have seen that and the second record was another name - not even close to what I was looking for...and also if you are looking the records are usually more that one page. Keep paging forward to see everything