1st King's Dragoon Guards

[smsmith]

My Grandfather was in the 1st King's Dragoon Guards on the Western Front and also in the Third Afghan War - 1919.
There is a story in our family that before returning to England, he was posted to Ireland. 
Where can I find out if this is true? Could anyone please point me in the right direction?
Many thanks in advance.

[MaxD]

The regiment went to Scotland in Dec 1920 when it returned to UK, still there in 1922, didn't look any further.  Whether he was posted individually to Ireland, only his service record would show.  Have you looked for his records? If you need help, post his name and other details (place/date of birth etc).

MaxD

[smsmith]

Thanks for this.
I attach the only service record I've been able to obtain, which was from  Cardiff.  The Curator also gave me the following information

Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding the above named soldier. we have now finished the enquiry with I am afraid disappointing results. We can only confirm that he embarked for France on the 15th October 1915. We can confirm his medal entitlement and that he was Mentioned in Dispatches in 1917, but there is no other mention of him anywhere in our records here in Cardiff. We have also conducted an on-line search of WW1 pension and service records with negative results.
Curator

Also from Curator:
Surname: Smith Forename: Samuel Goodwin
Reg No: 12508 Rank: L/Cpl Serving Date: 1917 Regiment: KDG:  Information taken from medal index card
Dragoon Guards GS/12508 Private
General Service Dragoons D/14216 Private
Dragoon Guards D/14216 Sergeant
Born 1885, Stanton, Staffordshire, UK 1901 living at 43B Grosvenor Mews, London

I'm afraid the attached service record sheets are very hard to read
Thanks for for help

I see that I seem to have attached only one page of his service record - and it is very easy to read!  I can attach the other three if you would like?

[MaxD]

First thoughts.  The service record is for a 12 year engagement where he served from 1901 on 8 years with the colours (in uniform) and 4 on the reserve (back in civilian life but on reserve).  This finished in 1913.  Unless the other sheets have dates after 1913, then they don't help I'm afraid.

The information you have from Cardiff is correct and gleaned from his Great War medal record.  Some 60% of Great War service records were lost in WW2 to bombing so it would appear that his was among them.  Need just to check a list of records held by MOD that Cardiff may not have been able to check.

Back soon.

MaxD

MaxD

[smsmith]

You are right - the service record does not go beyond 1913 - mmm I wondered if the later ones were the victim of bomb damage. He first entered the Theatre of War No 1 (Western Front) on 5 October 1915.

He had three sons, born 1912, 1913 and May 1921 - the family joke was always that there was such a large gap between the second and third son because he had been sent to Ireland on his way home from India!  There are quite a few of these family stories, some of which are dubious but they always seem to have a kernel of truth in them!

[MaxD]

A small snippet.  His medal record shows he was released from the service on 8 Jan 1920. The Afghan war was officially over in August 1919 so where he went and when can't really even be guessed at!

MaxD

[smsmith]

I've just found on www.greatwarforum.org/topic/17139-1st-kings-dragoon-guards/

The KDG did not leave Afghanistan until 25 August 1919, arriving back in Risalpur on 28 August it was here (October 1919) that many soldiers of the regiment were demobilised, their release, being deferred owing to the Afghan War.
The KDG left India on January 10th 1920 going firstly to Iraq, and then to England and arriving at Redford Barracks Edinburgh Scotland January 1921.

Could this be part of the answer?
Where does it say on his medal card that he was released from the Service on 8 Jan 1920?
Where do the people on the greatwarforum find their information?  is there a KDG history somewhere?


Many thanks for your help!

[MaxD]

The release date is on the 1914 1915 Star medal roll not his card.

The Great War Forum tends to have more specialised contributors for a start.  However, look at Wikipedia for the KDG and scroll down to the references at the bottom, there are a number of histories listed.  If the link doesn't work, go to the regimental museum site.

The arrival at Redford Barracks took place over Dec 1920, first arrivals 30 Dec 1920,  and Jan 1921.

I'm not sure that what the GWF has added anything?

MaxD

PS Some of us belong to a number of related sites!

[smsmith]

Very grateful for all your help.

It seems that the Irish story was apocryphal!  It is not the first, nor I doubt it will be the last, dubious family story!

Many thanks