Thomas BROCK

[paul1947]

I am trying to find some info re Thomas Brock. He was born c1871 whereabounts unknown.

He married my Gt Aunt Emma Maud Cross on 02 Nov 1910 at the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity , Folkestone , Kent.

He was , at that time , stationed at Shornclife and all I know is that he was a soldier aged 39.

The 1911 census has his wife as a visitor on the night of Apr 2nd 1911 when the return was done for the census.

Is there any site I can go to in order to find out exactly who he was and his service record?

the marriage cert states that his father Robert's occupation was to do with a Livery Stable - somewhere!!

Any assistance greatly appreciated.

Paul

[Isobelruss]

1871

Robert Brock 35 job master? b Upper Langford Somerset
Hannah 28 wife b Ibstone Oxon
Robert 2mths son b Marylebone
Thomas 2mths son b ditto
5 Cornwall Terrace Mews Marylebone

Dont know what his occupation means but he is surrounded by coachmen,grooms and a cab proprietor!
RG10 177 fol 57 p 10

[Isobelruss]

The above Thomas is a butchers assistant aged 20 living with his widowed mother on 1901

[km1971]

Hi Paul

Service papers are filed according to date of discharge. If he was discharged by 31 Dec 1913 at the latest, his papers, if they survive, will be in series WO97 in Kew. these are original documents, although Findmypast are digitizing them and will put them online by 2011.

If he was discharged between 1914 and 1920 they will already have been put online by Ancestry either in the pensions files or 'WW1' service records. The latter are the infamous 'burnt' documents, so called because only about 30% survived WW2 bombing, and most of these were charred.

If he was discharged before WW1 and re-enlisted during WW1 there should be two sets, one in each group. The second set will refer to his first period of service, as new recruits were asked 'have you served previously?'.

According to the August 1914 Army List (the closest I have) there were one cavalry regiment, three infantry regiments, plus RA and RE in Shorncliffe. So you need to do a little more research. Getting a certificate for the birth of a child as soon after the wedding as possible might give more clues. There are two on FreeBMD in 1911 of a child called Brock with mother's maiden name Cross. If you specify the father's name you will get half your money back if it does not match.

Ken

[neil1821]

So at the moment you have a name and an approximate date of birth? 
You're going to need a bit more to find his military records. Thomas Brock, while not exactly a common name, is common enough that you'll find several of the same name.

Do you have him in any census returns?
Birth certificates of any children?
If you can find a place of birth that would help.
Also do you have any later reference to him after WW1 (can we assume he survived that war?)

He was a soldier in 1910, so it's probably reasonable to assume he had some role in WW1, even if he was discharged sometime soon after 1910 and later re-enlisted.
 A quick scan of the WW1 MICs shows 21 Thomas Brock's and a few more T Brock's (maybe 25 in all). Not as bad as it could have been!! 
So it's feasible that you could work your way through all those 25 and eliminate several (eg if they were casualties, or by age if their service records are on Ancestry). You could narrow it down to a shortlist I'm sure.

[neil1821]

Bit more on those WW1 MICs, if we eliminate all the Thomas Brock's with a middle name or initial, we're down to 14 possibles.

Even better! 

[paul1947]

Neil,

I have now found that Thomas Brock , in the 1911 census, was located Romney Marsh and was the Sqn Sgt Maj of the 11th Hussars. Service number unknown at this time.

Paul

[neil1821]

This is the only WW1 match by name and regiment.
Not sure why no rank is given though

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=1619932&queryType=1&resultcount=21

[paul1947]

Neil,
How do I go about finding his service record now ?

Paul