WW1 query

[Gert]

Hi,
I have just received my great uncles medal card, which says he enlisted in 1915, a Sapper in the Royal Engineers aged 50

We know he was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers in 1901, have not found what happened to him between 1901 and 1936, but his children were put in a orphanage in the early 1900s, he remarried as a widower in 1936

My question is, would he have to enlist for war service if he was still in the regular army?.

Thank you for any help.

Sylvia

[neil1821]

What was his name Sylvia? And his number from the medal card?

I have the RE medal rolls from the Boer War 1899-1902 which may be worth a look, see if he's there.

The first point to note about the medal cards is that they don't give date of enlistment. I imagine you're thinking of the part that says "date of entry"? This refers to his date of entry in a theatre of war. For example, if he first saw action in France & Flanders then this would refer to the date he set foot in France.

Does it give a theatre of war, either by name or in code?

[Gert]

Hi Neil,

His name was John William Tomlinson Born 1864 in Derby, corps were R.E.  281 A.T. Co.  Reg no.  92891, rank. sapper,  It then says date of discharge 29-3-1916 and underneath enlistment 6-7-1915,  causes of discharge, a. o. 265717 and underneath , para 2 d and under that is an S.

Further down the card it says, Action taken , List R.E. 1740

We haven`t found a death for his wife nor anything on her since 1901 and this is the first sighting of John between 1901 and 1936, when he was living in back in Derby

Thank you for your help.

Sylvia

[neil1821]

To be honest Sylvia, it'd be easier if you post the card on here so we can look at it. At the moment you're describing what you think you can read, which may or may not be the correct reading 

You simply have to attach the pdf file you downloaded to a message on here.

[km1971]

Hi Sylvia

"AO 265" is Army Order 265 and could "717" be  "/17", ie Army Order 265 of 1917?

This link to the TNA gives a useful summary of medal index cards - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp. If yours is Design 3 it should confirm that he was awarded a Silver War Badge upon discharge. This was to ensure that he was not presented with a white feather once he was back in civvies. Or is "SWB" written on the card anywhere?

Regarding his service, there was obviously a break in service between the Boer War and WW1. Therefore the papers covering the first period may survive in Kew. These are original documents and are in series WO97. There are no online indexes I am afraid, and you will have to visit or employ a researcher. It should not be expensive as WO97 can be checked in about 20 minutes. If they are there you can taken you own photographs, so take a digital camera if you go yourself.

Ken

[Gert]

Will try and attach the file, his is the middle one on the left. I do know he had 3 medals, as my mum had them for a while, but i don`t know where they are now.

[Gert]

Hi Ken,

Thank you for your input, unfortunatly, i live in Australia, so can`t get there myself. I can`t a "SWB" on his card, inless its on the bottom which seems to be missing. It is a design 3 card.

Sylvia

[philipsearching]

I do know he had 3 medals, as my mum had them for a while, but i don`t know where they are now.

The three medals would almost certainly be the 1914 (or 1914-15) star, the British war medal and the victory medal

Philip

[Gert]

Thank you Philip, i do recognise those medals.

Sylvia