Alfred Kingsley Hall, help please!

[mew64]

Hi, I wonder if anyone could help me find Alfred Kingsley Hall's WW1 service records please? I have found his Medal card on Ancestry, it gives the following information, Alfred Kingsley Hall, reg. no. 1007 1007 1st SMRE,   RAF no. 9, Edmonton ARD, London Nig.   I can't find his service record on Ancestry though.
He was born 5th October 1887 in Westbury Wiltshire, Son of Alfred Pocock Hall and Melinda Gifford (formerly Cleverley) In 1911 he was a Maltster forman, living in Fishponds, Bristol.
After the war he married Thelma Marguerite M Marsh in 1923 Bristol district.
His Son is now in his late eighties, and is desperate to find out what his Father did during the War. Like so many others Alfred would never discuss it.
Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated, many thanks.

[forester]

It looks like he was a pre-war Territorial.

He originally went overseas with 1st South Midland Field Company, Royal Engineers. They were with 27th Division.

http://www.1914-1918.net/27div.htm

There is a war diary for 1st SMRE at Kew in WO 95/2258.
This covers up to April 1915 when they left 27th Division.

He was commissioned 16th April 1916 into the RFC.

If you type his full name into the London Gazette search, there are two entries for him (including the above).

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search

Phil

[mew64]

Hi Phil,
thank you so much for the information, do you mind me asking how you found it please? I really appreciate your help.

[forester]

The hardest bit is explaining how it's done. 

Firstly, extract the meaningful info from the medal index card. There are several guides on reading the cards, including these from TNA and Long Long Trail:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp
http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/mic.htm

A low number often indicates a Territorial. Sapper (Spr) is a Royal Engineers rank. Territorial Corps were locality based, therefore SM = South Midland. You now have which unit he was with.

As he was awarded the 14/15 Star, see if the theatre and place of entry correspond with the arrival date of a Division and then check if the unit was within that Division. In your case it does, fortunately. 27th Division, 1st SMRE and 21st Dec 1914 all tally. (Long Long Trail again)

The date he was commissioned is on the card. Commissions are "gazetted".
The two entries I found, were by putting his full name in the exact search. He will have further entries, but they will be harder to find.

To find war diaries, you need the National Archives Catalogue and search within Department or Series Code WO95:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp 

I haven't touched the RAF bit, because I haven't much idea on how to. I will leave that to Kyt or one of the others.

Phil

[Pete Keane]

Cant help much with this other than that it was No.9 Aircraft Repair Depot, Edmonton, North London.

Good luck

Pete

[mew64]

Wow, I didn't expect so much help, thank you so much for explaining things so well, this has given me a really good starting point, Alfred's Son will be 88 soon, and the only thing he wants for his Birthday is information about his Father, so I'm very grateful for all of the advise and assistance.