Author Topic: Regiments Posted in Essex in 1917?  (Read 496 times)

Offline AlexNoodle

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Regiments Posted in Essex in 1917?
« on: Friday 18 January 19 13:54 GMT (UK) »
This might be a wild stab in the dark, but I am trying to see if I can narrow down some information pertaining to my great grandfather. The back story is a little complicated - he was the father of my maternal grandmother who was born in Maldon, Essex in July 1918 - but his name was unknown until I made a discovery thanks to Ancestry DNA matches with a 2nd cousin to my Mum and have narrowed him down to one of two brothers...

1. James Brown Ferguson b. 1882 in Glasgow.
2. Frederick Hugh Georgeson Ferguson b. 1890 in Glasgow

They were both sons of Hugh Ferguson and Marion Steele Brown. Their older brother Duncan b. 1879 served in WWI and I have the details of his service record.

At the moment I am not finding anything definitive for WWI records for either of the two brothers. My grandmother was told her father was in the army, and that he was killed before he could marry her mother. I know that neither James or Frederick were killed in WWI as they both never married and died in Scotland.  I know that not all WWI records survived, so I am conscious that I might not find anything detailed. I also know that their brother Duncan couldn't have been the father as otherwise his granddaughter and my mother would be 1st cousins not 2nd cousins and would have a much higher proportion of shared DNA.

I have looked at Medal Index Cards to note down any belonging to any James B Ferguson's and and Frederick H Ferguson's and then seeing if I can narrow them down further by locating any corresponding records and proving they are not the same men and any who were killed during the war.

I could not find any for any Frederick H Ferguson's - so currently focusing on ones for James B Ferguson. The ones I could not locate a corresponding service, pension or death record for are:

James B Ferguson SN 268244 Private Royal Warwickshire Regt.
James B Ferguson SN 16520 Private Seaforth Highlanders & 548208 Private Labour Corps
James B Ferguson SN S/33088 Private Cameron Highlanders
James B Ferguson SN 2310 & 290512 Private Royal Highlanders
James B Ferguson SN 2053 Private & 250936 2nd Lt Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Just wondering if anyone knows if any of these regiments might have been posted near the Maldon area during 1917? My grandmother would have been conceived around Oct/Nov 1917.

My great grandmother would have been in Domestic Service but I know she also did things like seasonal veg picking in the fields, and potentially may have been in the Women's Land Army during the war - but not sure about this. She was born in 1884 so I am erring on the side of her having a relationship with the elder of the two brothers, but of course no idea!

I know that James Brown Ferguson was a Brushmaker by trade and his brother Frederick worked on building and repairing Sewing Machines before the war.

They are both at home in an Electoral Register of Glasgow in 1915 and James was the informant on his father's death certificate on 2nd July 1917 (lived at 36 Hayfield Street, Glasgow).

It is of course possible that none of these medal index cards belong to James Brown Ferguson and it might be possible that my grandmother's father actually wasn't a soldier, but given their occupations I can't really think of other reasons they may have come down to Maldon from Glasgow if not for some posting during the war.

Any suggestions or pointers for information that might help narrow down some information is much appreciated.

Many thanks

Alex

Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk<br />Marshall: Leeds/Silkstone/Ashton/Hyde. Griffiths: Llanrhaeder ym Mochnant/Glyn Ceiriog/Ashton. Pilley: Chelmsford/Maldon. Hallas: Ashton/Stalybridge. Large: Tarvin/Manchester/Mossley. McDonald: Ireland/Whitfield/Mossley.

Offline MaxD

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Re: Regiments Posted in Essex in 1917?
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 16 February 19 10:46 GMT (UK) »
Alex

The lack of responses may have led you to suspect that your query is almost impossible to answer (I say almost because one never knows!).

You list 5 James B Fergusons in 5 different regiments (the Labour Corps number was not allocated until mid 1918 so for this you can probably ignore that Corps).  Each of them had a number of battalions, the Warwickshires had 31 depending on how they are counted .  You could try checking each of the regiments on Longlongtrail (Royal Warwickshire here as a starter https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-warwickshire-regiment/ ) to see if Essex is mentioned in the short description of each.
However, if you, for example find that (fictitious) 99th Battalion Argylls was in Essex in 1917, without a service record there would be no proof that your man was with them.

I am not sure that military records are the way to go.  Newspapers local to Maldon at the relevant may mention Scottish regiments?  Hospitals in the area produce a couple of hits on a very quick search. 

Can't think of any other routes to a solution I'm afraid.

I presume your grandmother's birth certificate has no clues?


MaxD

I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia

Offline AlexNoodle

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Re: Regiments Posted in Essex in 1917?
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 16 February 19 10:57 GMT (UK) »
Thanks MaxD - I knew it would be a tough one! Thank you for the suggestions, I will definitely look into them.

No - her birth certificate has no clues. Blank for father's name. Mother's details given and just that her occupation was House Duties and that they lived at Hall Road, Heybridge, Maldon.

Thanks again.

Alex
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk<br />Marshall: Leeds/Silkstone/Ashton/Hyde. Griffiths: Llanrhaeder ym Mochnant/Glyn Ceiriog/Ashton. Pilley: Chelmsford/Maldon. Hallas: Ashton/Stalybridge. Large: Tarvin/Manchester/Mossley. McDonald: Ireland/Whitfield/Mossley.