Closed - What can you tell me about this Army man

[km1971]

Beat me to it Ady.

The SWB roll says he was aged 34 years and 26 days on his discharge on 18 March 1918. So he was born February 1884.

The 1911 census has him as 27 - so again born in 1883-1884, rather than 1885.

Have you found him in 1901? There are several possibilities including one with an elder sister born in India. So he may have had a military father.

Ken

[barryd]

Is the elder sister named?  She may be traceable in India,  Everything is going well except for the uniform! I was in Johannesburg in the winter. It was a year when the Springbok Fountain froze. It can get quite cold!

[lowanslow]

also spotted another grimes along side John in the census,

Name: John Mathew Grimes Birth: Sep 1885  - Dublin South

Name: John Grimes Age in 1911: 27 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884 Relation to Head: Corporal Birth Place: Dublin, St Patricks, Ireland County/Island: Military Country: England Marital Status: Single Registration District Number: 641 ED, institution, or vessel: India

There is also a Patrick Grimes could be a brother/relative ??

Name: Patrick Grimes Age in 1911: 19 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1892  Private Birth Place: Dublin, St Patricks, Ireland County/Island: Military Country: England Marital Status: Single Registration District Number: 641 ED, institution, or vessel: India

[irish2gen]

Hi,

I believe that my gr uncle gave a different age.  I definitely think he is  "6811 SGT J Grimes Depot Leinster Regiment discharged with Silver War Badge
Enlisted Nov 1902 Disch March 1918

His address is given as Returned Irish Ex Army Club
Rathmills Co Dublin"

His family lived near Rathmines, Dublin so it sounds like a fit. In the 1901 census, he 15 and lived at home. He married Bridgid/Bridget Curran in 1915.

Supposedly he taught gymnastics overseas. He received several medals and his father was Patrick Grimes a career Army man - 1859-1884.  There was no elder sister in born in India. He had an elder sister born in Bermuda.

He had a brother in the same regiment - Leinster Regiment # 9033.

Does this help?

This man sounds like he is my gr uncle. Where can I found the information you gave me?

Very exciting!!

Toni

[irish2gen]

Patrick Grimes was John's brother.

Medal Card for Patrick Grimes 1914-1918:

Leinster Reg 9033  Lance Corporal

Labour Corps 515946 Lance Corporal

Leinster Reg 7177237 Lance Corporal

I do not understand the numbers.

Any information on these brothers would be greatly appreciated. I could find their army records on FindMyPast. I did find their father's army records (1859-18874).

Thank you so much.

Toni

[irish2gen]

Hi Again,

I just thought of something. Did it name his wife on the discharge papers? As mentioned prior, it was Brigidet Curran.

Thanks a bunch.

[km1971]

Hi Toni

His record will not be on FindMyPast. You could only get a pension if you were 30 or over - service before 18 did not count and you had to serve 12 years. FindMyPast only have records for men discharged before the end of 1913. 1914 to 1920 are on Ancestry - if they survived the WW2 blitz.

btw ...that last number is seven digits so an unique army (as opposed to regimental) number, issued in 1920 or later. If he was serving after 1920 his record will be with the MOD.

Ken

[irish2gen]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for that info on service times etc.  I did not know any of that.

Also now I know why I cannot find my relatives on ancestry.uk. The documents must have been destroyed

Could you please tell me what 'SWB roll' and 'MOD' stand for?

Also, Patrick did stay in service. He actually was a piper in the British Army Band overseas (Punjabi) and retired a batman with the RAF.

John did leave the service and went back to Dublin after the war. So I still think he is the man that Ady referred to in his post.

Toni

[mmm45]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_War_Badge

Toni
SWB Silver War Badge explained above.
MOD is the British Ministry Of Defence where post 1922 service  Army records are still held
As Ken says only about 30% of WW1 records survive.
If Patrick served in RAF theres chance his record survives but the records are held at Kew and not downloadable yet.

Ady