East Surrey Regiment

[lgardner2000]

Hello.
I am trying to look for any information on two family members that i believe were in the east surrey regiment.

The first is my gt gt granduncle who is George J Beeches born 1890 Hammersmith
(he was born James G, but all records i have found now show George J). In the 1911 census it says he was a Private 2BN The East Surrey Regiment in Bhamo, Burma.

And the second is my gt gt grandfather John Beeches born 1883 Hammersmith.  I have been informed that he joined the army, (his records are on ancestry) and they show he was in the east surrey regiment, however i am unable to read alot of the infomation. Records show he was in the 4th BN East Surrey Regiment. I know he went to India, and that in 1910 he was in Plymouth. And in 1911 he married Bessie Thomas in Plymouth.

Any information about these men would be great.

thanks
Lisa

[km1971]

Hi Lisa

John would not have been in the 4th Battalion in India. They stayed at home during WW1, and before WW1 they were Militia/Special Reserve and barred by law from serving abroad.

On Ancestry there is a John Beeches who enlisted in the Royal Engineers in September 1915, He states 12 years previous experience with the East Surrey Regiment. He was discharged from the 2nd Battalion in June 1914. Ancestry incorrectly call them WW1 Service Records, when they are in fact for men discharged 1914 to 1920 (inclusive). So if his papers covering his period in the East Surreys are not on Ancestry they were lost during WW2 bombing.

Ken

[lgardner2000]

yes those are his records i believe. Just was unable to read alot of the writing, and i didnt understand what i could read.

Are these records available anywhere to see?

Thanks

[km1971]

Are these records available anywhere to see?

Hi Lisa

Not that I know of. The ones on Ancestry are scans of the microfilms in Kew - series WO363 (the burnt documents) and WO364 (the 'pension' files). I doubt that the NA will let you see the originals. They may have been destroyed by now, after being microfilmed 5 - 10 years ago. But there is no harm in asking.

You should try and find someone with an A3 black and white printer. If you print at that size you should read a lot more. If you can crop the images first to remove most of the wasted space they will be even bigger.

Ken

[Martin Family]

Hi
I am looking for any details on Peter Robert Martin as a Private in The East Surrey Regiment in Liverpool in 1929 is Number is 6136737.

Thank You
Cheryl

[km1971]

Hi Cheryl

The records of men serving after 1920 are classed as private. Near relatives can order them from the MOD.

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

If his spouse is still alive they are free. Otherwise they charge £30. You will have to supply a copy of his death certificate if he did not die while serving.

Ken

[Martin Family]

Hi Ken

Thank you for the information.

I have got his marriage certificate for 1929 and he was a private in east surrey regiment and he was 27 yrs old.

Thanks

Cheryl