Royal Dublin Fusiliers - Around 1911

[Jobbru]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone could help me find information about my husbands grandfather MICHAEL FRANCIS O’BRIEN. We know he was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and was a clerk. I did find him the 1911 England and Wales census in Stanhope Lines Aldershot, Buller Barracks Area 5, Aldershot, Surrey, England. That confirmed his full name, that he was a clerk and it gave his age as 24, which was a very good help for me to find him (well who I believe to be him) on findmypast.co.uk in their army records.

Where I feel stuck is in the documents provided on that site. There is no mention of him traveling, being a clerk... or doing anything! So I’m not sure if those kind of documents exist?

The information given is:

First name(s)                 Michael
Last name                         O Brien
Birth year                         1887
Birth parish                 St Joseph
Birth town                         Dublin
Birth county                 Dublin
Birth country                 Ireland
Service number                 5884
Regiment                         Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Year                                 1904
Attestation date                 18 Mar 1904
Attestation age years         17
Attestation age months.    3
Attestation service number   5884
Attestation corps         5th Roy Dub Fusiliers
Document type                 Attestation
Series                         Wo 96 - Militia Service Records 1806-1915
Archive                         The National Archives
Archive reference         WO 96
Box                                 1235
Box record number         30
Record set                         British Army Service Records
Category                         Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory                 Regimental & Service Records
Collections from   Great Britain, UK Other

For me to really know that that is him I’d love to see records of where he’d been with his regiment and what roll he held, ie clerk.

On his assestation page is gives a discription of his appearance, some addresses (which seem to fit with our own knowledge) and other basic information.

On his statement of service page it has 3 stamps which say he was present (1904, 1905 and 1908) and in handwriting it says moved to Roy Irish Riflers in what looks like to be 1907 and nothing else.

On his Military History Sheet it just has a pencil drawn down through it as if he did nothing or went nowhere in the army. At the bottom it gives his next of kin.

I’ve tried tracking him down in that regiment (Royal Irish Riflers) but I can’t find him. There is a lad of the same age, but everything else is off. So I’m now at a roadblock and not sure where to look next!

Any help with this would be really appreciated 

[ShaunJ]

What you are looking at on FindMyPast is a militia record. He was a part time soldier at that time. The "Present" stamps indicate that he attended the 2-week annual training camps.

In the 1911 census Michael Francis O'Brien is in the regular army, in the Army Service Corps.

I will have a dig around and see what else I can find.

[hallmark]

Son of Whom?

[Jobbru]

What you are looking at on FindMyPast is a militia record. He was a part time soldier at that time. The "Present" stamps indicate that he attended the 2-week annual training camps.

In the 1911 census Michael Francis O'Brien is in the regular army, in the Army Service Corps.

I will have a dig around and see what else I can find.

Oh that’s great, thank you so much for helping! 

[Jobbru]

Son of Whom?

His father is also called Michael, the name Michael O’Brien in Ireland is like trying to find a needle in a haystack!

Edit to add: sometimes I think the above Michael I found could actually be his dad. I know from a marriage cert he (young Michael) was wed in 1929, which would have him in his 40’s getting married. I assumed he was busy with war perhaps... Also, on his marriage cert he has his fathers occupation down as clerk. 

What I do know is young Michael is Michael Francis, so hopefully his dad Michael is something else! The records hold so many unanswered questions, it’s exciting!

[Sinann]

Clerk would have been his occupation before he enlisted.

[Jobbru]

Clerk would have been his occupation before he enlisted.

Now that you say that it makes perfect sense  Also, he was 17 signing up, so shows he could be just following in his fathers footsteps, who was a clerk! Thank you for that! 

[Sinann]

Have you got his marriage cert?
Does it say if his father is living or not?
Did he marry in Ireland?

[chinapaddy]

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