George Vincent Burrows - Eastlingham RFA

[jbml]

I've just stumbled upon this in relation to a Google search:-

George Vincent Burrows, male, b. 1892 Stratford, Essex

Enlisted in the Eastlingham RFA, age 17, in 1909. Regimental Number 470. Other regimental Number 582

I cannot get any more from this hit because it is all behind a paywall - but this IS my great grandfather (no doubt about that; and I had no idea he was in the territorials as early as 1909. Neither has his one surviving daughter, to whom I have spoken a number of times about his service in the Great War, and she is very vague).

Before I go payin gto get behind this paywall, I wonder if anyone with access to forces records could have a quick peep and let me know what I'll find there, and whether it's worth my while spending money to have a look at it.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance on this one.


Edited to add: if anyone can tell me anything about the Eastlingham RFA this in itself would be helpful. The Royal Firld Artillery existed befween 1899 and 1924; but I can find nothing connecting it with "Eastlingham"!!

[ShaunJ]

Not Eastlingham but East Anglian. You can view his TA papers on FindMyPast.  Maybe wait for their next £1 offer?

[km1971]

Findmypast usually have a 14 day free offer available.

He was discharged in 1913. It looks as if it comes from 'WW1' records. So maybe a miss-file.

It does not appear to give next of kin details.

Ken

[ShaunJ]

Next of kin is simply "father, Cobbold Rd"

[jbml]

Ahhhhh ... East Anglian!! Yes, that makes sense.

The Cobbold Road address fits too. My great aunt Shirley (his daughter) has an old photo showing four of his younger sisters, with the following manuscript information on the back: "Circa 1909. Grace, Ivy, Floss + Edie. Gordon House, 16 Cobbold Road, Leytonstone, London E11. Rented at 12/6 per week from Mr DANIELS. Licensee of off licence."

Discharged in 1913? I wonder why. Thank you all very much for your help on this one.

[jim1]

Discharged in 1913? I wonder why

According to his record he'd completed his 4 year engagement.
He was clerk at a railway co. in civvy street.
He was a driver in the 2nd. Brigade E. Anglian R.F.A. ammo column.

[jbml]

Yep - railway clerk fits what I know about him from elsewhere.

4 year term of engagement also fits.

Driver in the ammunition column ... that's very interesting. Would that have been horse transport or motor transport? Anyone know?

[jim1]

More likely motor transport later, early on probably horse.
I noticed he'd crossed out his home address & inserted a new one in Forest Gate. So sometime during his 4 years he moved.
Also what might be of interest is that the RFA couldn't embody him at the outbreak of war because the regs. stated that a TF soldier could only be embodied up to 1 year after his completion of service. As he completed in Feb. 1913 his 1 year would have been up 5 months before the war started.
What do you have that says he served in WW1 ?

[jbml]

What was the address in Forest Gate? Was it 23 Tylney Road, by any chance?

My great aunt (who was his youngest, not born until 1935) says that he served in the "reserve forces" in WWI, but she is unclear what that actually means, and so am I.

She has a postcard which he wrote, showing the horse lines at Lydd Camp, and apologizing that you can't see him because when the photo was taken he was at the end of the line. So he certainly saw SOME sort of service in the Great War. but I don't think he saw action in France. (Children born in 1914 Q1, 1916 Q4 and 1918 Q4 also kinda suggests that he probably wasn't in the trenches ... )

Just wondering now, though, whether that postcard might have been sent when he was in the TA?? Will need to have another look at it, and see if there's a legible postmark ...