Aliases for Irish soldiers

[Newbie2017]

Hi everyone, I am new to the whole family history search, only a month, I have found out quite a bit though in that time, but I have come across something strange with my great grandfather, it seems he join the British army in Belfast in 1885 at 18 in his own name, then when I followed his records where he served his time, he enlisted on and off, then I came across another of his records at the age of 36 he was about to use a different first name, but it was crossed off and his real first name put in. Was it a thing that Irish men used a different name outside the ranks as to hide their army background. Any info is very welcome.

[pet50ite]

Hi Newbie2017,
Welcome to Rootschat and good luck with your research.
I'm wondering whether your thread would do better on the Ireland boards. Even though I've used Rootschat for many years, I'm not sure what to do about getting it moved. Hopefully someone else will come along with more knowledge.
Pet50ite

[brigidmac]

I'm glad you posted on here first
I may not have looked at Irish board tend to look at general boards and own area only .

Have just helped someone who had something similar it's a very long complicated story and  not solved yet
I can send you the link if you want

I suggest keep it on here while you get newbie help then ask for it to be transferred
By comment to moderator ...same button as reporting abuse
 

Other posters  Irish  guy had British army records from 1908 ( I saw them on Ancxxx. Y   site)

[brigidmac]

Was his first name different too ?
The man I looked into whole family seemed to revert to mothers maiden name for a few years
Including the children !

There was some story about them having to hide ...

[aghadowey]

Hi everyone, I am new to the whole family history search, only a month, I have found out quite a bit though in that time, but I have come across something strange with my great grandfather, it seems he join the British army in Belfast in 1885 at 18 in his own name, then when I followed his records where he served his time, he enlisted on and off, then I came across another of his records at the age of 36 he was about to use a different first name, but it was crossed off and his real first name put in. Was it a thing that Irish men used a different name outside the ranks as to hide their army background. Any info is very welcome.

Welcome to Rootschat 
It's difficult to say what the reasons might have been without more details.
What do you mean "he enlisted on and off"?
Re: the record when he was age 36- perhaps he 'lowered' his age in order to re-enlist?
If you tell us what you've already found we might be able to figure this out or find more information for you.

[jim1]

Hello & welcome
Using aliases wasn't exclusive to soldiers Irish or otherwise however a common reason is that soldiers who had been discharged due to sickness or injury would often try & re-enlist using a different name.
Soldiers weren't taught a trade while on service & an Army pension wouldn't keep them out of the workhouse & if soldiering was all he knew re-enlistment would be a good option.
If the name change information you have is after he left the Army for good there's no reason why he should hide his Army background as employers were happy to have ex-military as they had a disciplined background.

[Cell]

Was his first name different too ?
The man I looked into whole family seemed to revert to mothers maiden name for a few years
Including the children !

There was some story about them having to hide ...

Hi,
I had something similar occur.  My g grandfather joined the army using his mother's maiden name.(Beside his enlistment, the records for the birth of his chldren whlst in the army states  that he is using is an alias. It also gives his real name.) In my g grandfather's case, I guess the reason my. G grandfather  used an alias to join the army was down to to his father's past.

 His father committed suicide. It was a small town,  type of place where everyone knew each other, doubled with he carried an uncommon name, so people would have known he was related to his father with the same surname. His father was also x army.

Apparently, for many years before his father comitted suicide, he was a bit of a nut job (threatened to kill his wife on many occasions, wife eventually kicked him out) . I have hard records detailing all this, statments from wife ot inquest, army records, births and not family hearsay (it was covered up in my family until I uncovered it. It all came a bit of a shock to my family)

So yes, with a surname change ,he may be hiding something, or from someone,or it may be for a perfectly good reason.

The Op's g grandfather is a first name change ,it seems (?). It could be for any numerous reasons,from something he wanted  to cover up to down to he didn't like his birth Christian name (I had an aunt who did this). He even may be using his middle name (as known by name  to family and friends)on some of the records. I have plenty of those in my family, using middle names as first names too. 

There could be any one of numerous reasons for an alias, without knowing any background or details of Newbie2017s g grandfather
Kind regards:)

Ps for the record my g grandfather who used an alias in the army was not Irish.
Please exuse  typos , I am using my phone

[Newbie2017]

Thanks folks for any insight you gave me.
I have tracked down some of my G. Granddad army records.
He joined in 1885 at 18 yrs old, short service, army no. 1154 as Patrick. Served his time. Then he's back in 1898 signing up for the militia at 30 yrs old, army no. 1060. Then I have him again aged 36 in an Extract from attestation and statement of services in 1902, this is the document that has his name Peter crossed of and Patrick put back in, it also gives me 3 army nos. 3648,4372 and 4247, it also states that he was not married, but yet on the next page it gives his wife and daughter.
Then the next record I have for him is in 1908 aged 41, signing up 6 years special reservists, this record also gives 2 army nos. 4372 and 4644, part of this record there is a form E 661, certificate to be obtained by a reservist, this one gives his age as 39. His marriage is stated in these records as 1894, yet I have found it to be in 1892, plus his wife died that same year. Any thoughts.......

[jim1]

Wasn't married when he attested in 1902 but married later that year & the marriage was included in his record at that time.
I wouldn't worry about the name correction as mistakes happened all the time.
So he's gone through the army system during the various changes that occurred at the time hence the number changes.
Special Reservists were part timers similar to the Territorials but differed in that the SR was exclusively for ex regulars.