Deciphering Royal Artillery army records

[nmcmahon]

I've just managed to track down some army records for someone I'm researching, who was in the Royal Garrison Artillery from 1894 to 1907. I am having a little trouble deciphering what the records show - sometimes I can't actually read the writing, other times I can but am now sure what the meaning is.

The person in question is John Reardon, born in December 1869 in Trincomalee in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). He joined in 1894 aged just 14. He married his wife Mary Ann "Polly" Ball in 1897 in Sheffield. They had a daughter, Norah, who was born in 1900 in Leith, Scotland. By 1901, they were living in the barracks in Scarborough, Yorkshire. By 1911, they were settled in Gosport, Hampshire, where John was teaching at the nearby military school at Fort Rowner.

I've managed to work out that he was at "Home" for nearly 6 years before going to India. I am not sure where exactly home was for him, as he was born in Ceylon. Listed in his service records as his next-of-kin is his father Patrick who a pensioner living in Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Perhaps this was "home".

I have also noted that he was given a trial and imprisoned for a number of days. I don't know what for, though. He had also gone AWOL on at least one occasion.

If anyone can help decipher anything else about the records shown below, it would help greatly.

http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%201.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%202.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%203.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%204.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%205.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%206.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%207.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%208.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%209.jpg
http://www.nmcmahon.co.uk/John%20Reardon%2010.jpg

[Greensleeves]

The first document is his discharge paper dated 14th February 1907.

Conduct: Very good.  No case of drunkenness G.T. in the whole of his service.

Special qualifications in civil life:  School teacher at Fort Rowner, Gosport for three years.

[Greensleeves]

The second appears to be another page of the first and this confirms that he has served 23 years prior to discharge.

[Greensleeves]

Not sure of the relevance of sheets 3 and 4.  Sheet 5 details his additional service over and above 21 years.

[Greensleeves]

The sixth sheet is where it starts getting really interesting, with his service record.  As you say, it seems he was on trial and imprisoned, but eventually reinstated and promoted from Bombadier to Corporal 13 May 1901.  Not all the writing is easy to read though.

[nmcmahon]

Thank you, greensleeves, that has helped clear a few bits up. I guess the details of his trial and imprisonment is not included in these documents.

[Greensleeves]

I can't see that it is, but I am assuming it was because he went AWOL ... I'll just transcribe those entries for you, which might make it clearer.

[Greensleeves]

Well, I don't think it was the AWOL since that happened 5 June 1888 whereas the entry about awaiting trial was made on 11 Aug 1889 and Tried and imprisoned was on 20 Aug 1889.  On 1st Dec 1889 he was posted so presumably whatever he did wasn't too serious.  When he finally left the services he was given what looks like an exemplary record.

[Greensleeves]

The ninth sheet says that he was born in Trincomalee, Ceylon and was enlisting  at the age of 14 years and 2 months, having previously been apprenticed as a Tailor.  He joined the Royal Artillery at Dover on 21 February 1884.