Military Records - serving in Ireland 1914-1920

[HarryW]

I'm helping my brother in law piece together his family and have a problem.   My brother in law believes that his grandfather served at one stage in the Royal Artillery in WW1 and was wounded (he had a plate inserted in his skull).   As a "softer" posting once recovered, he was sent to Ireland and appears to have married in Naas, Kildare in 1920.

I've found a couple of likely candidates from attestation documents on Ancestry, but want to be able to cross reference to find whether any of them served in Ireland.   Is this possible?

Harry

[MaxD]

If the documents list the specific units he served in in the relevant period, then it may be possible to find the location of those units.  In any event, the records you have should mention his wounding and hospitalisation.

Would you like to post the names/numbers of the man?

MaxD

[aghadowey]

The 1920 marriage should be online (free) and will give his residence at the time but might also list regiment-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp

[KGarrad]

Depending on how long he served, his Service Record may still be with the MOD?
MOD usually state "for those serving after 1920".

See: https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records
You'll usually need a copy of a death certificate, and there is a fee of £30.

These service records are NOT available anywhere else!

[HarryW]

Thank you to all.   I didn't realise that there was access to original images of Irish records.   The image seems to confirm what we had assumed in that Charles James PARSONS was recruited in August 1914 at Birmingham to The Royal Horse Artillery - service number 10683.   He is shown as wounded in 1916 and discharged as medically unfit in 1918 but then was re-enlisted in 1919.   There is no mention of Ireland on the WW1 pension record.   That said, when he marries he is "gunner R.H.A and is listed as living at Newbridge Barracks.

So I think I have the right person - This is the first time I've tried to work through military records without a bit more certainty, so bear with me.

[MaxD]

His father and (presumably mother Margaret) lived at 4 Cranby Street Saltley Birmingham during
 his first spell.
When discharged in Dec 1920 there is a reference to c/o Mrs Kavanagh Main Street Killcullen Kildare which is 7 miles from Newbridge Barracks.  At the time he was serving with I Battery RHA at the Curragh.  He was at Newbridge from March 1920.

MaxD

[HarryW]

MaxD,

Thanks - There is a family story about a link to Birmingham, so I will have a look into that.   Mrs Kavanagh is likely to be his mother in law.

[MaxD]

Reviewing my earlier post, when he was discharged his wife Margaret was at Cranby Street.  His 1920 discharge was a result of the gunshot wound that he had suffered during his war service giving further trouble.

His wounding was from shell fire (the medical system didn't distinguish most of the time between gun shots and shell wounds) during the Battle of the Somme when his battery, A Battery of 50 Brigade Royal Field Artillery, was firing in support of 9 (Scottish) Division's part in the battle.  At the time they were located to the north west of Maricourt.  On the map and associated image at the link below, the battery was deployed just to the right (east) of the road number C2 seen at the top left.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=49.9857&lon=2.7907&layers=101465287&right=BingHyb

He had fought in Gallipoli in 1915 before later going to France.  His re-enlistment in 1919 was under an arrangement introduced allowing service for 2, 3 or 4  years without reserve liability.  Having been discharged as unfit in 1918 he should by rights not have been accepted for service!

HOWEVER - there is possibly something a little wrong about the marriage details.  According to his record he was married in Aston on 18 March 1918 to Maggie Clough, two children, one Lawrence born before the marriage Nov 1917 and  Charles James born Feb 1919 in Aston.

Did he marry twice or have we got the wrong man/marriage??

MaxD

[HarryW]

MaxD,

Very interesting.  I need to speak with my brother in law as we haven’t chatted since Christmas Day.  Within the family, there has been conjecture regarding a parallel family!!