Author Topic: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records  (Read 712 times)

Offline PedroDino

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Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« on: Monday 29 March 21 20:45 BST (UK) »
Hey everyone!

I've been doing some family History for my Dad's side of the family and would love if there was any help in getting access to the military records of one of my ancestors.

Daniel McPhail B.1889 Govan, Glasgow
Joined the 26th Foot, Scottish rifles in 1907 with the service number 6491. Listed on his Attestation Papers are the names of his father (John McPhail) and his brothers Duncan and Collin. I would love to know if he served in the first world war and if so where he saw action.

He left the Army and moved to Greenisland, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland in the 20's. In WW2 he was called up into the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers where he was a Serjeant and had the service number 24510. Sadly he died shortly after coming home in 1945 and is buried in Newtownabbey, if family stories are to be believed he may have lost an arm in the war?  Again, I would love to know whether or not he saw action and where he saw action.

This seems like a great community and any help would be much appreciated and mean the world to my dad and his family.

Offline Kiltaglassan

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #1 on: Monday 29 March 21 21:10 BST (UK) »

Welcome to RootsChat  :)

Service records for all personnel serving after 1920 are still with the MOD.
See: https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records

You'll need a Death Certificate, a Date of Birth OR a Service Number, and a fee of £30.

There is currently a long wait for records.


Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

Offline PedroDino

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #2 on: Monday 29 March 21 21:20 BST (UK) »
That's great to know! I didn't realise that the details were still being held by the MOD even though the serviceperson is long gone. Is there a similar source for First World War records? I am still VERY new to this whole family research thing lol. 

Online ShaunJ

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #3 on: Monday 29 March 21 23:26 BST (UK) »
Quote
Joined the 26th Foot, Scottish rifles in 1907 with the service number 6491

Served for 13 days in a militia battalion in 1907. Bought his discharge:  https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO96%2F0497%2F174%2F001&parentid=GBM%2FWO96%2F497%2F1318309
UK Census info. Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline scotmum

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 30 March 21 00:27 BST (UK) »
If he did lose an arm, it would seem it didn't stop him cutting the grass in front of his house with a scythe on the day he died or having recent to then been examined for a job at the railway. Both these were reported at an inquest into his death. No mention whether or not he only had one arm.

Apparently he was highly respected in Greenisland and his funeral at Carnmoney cemetery was attended by a large gathering of friends.
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Offline PedroDino

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 30 March 21 17:14 BST (UK) »
If he did lose an arm, it would seem it didn't stop him cutting the grass in front of his house with a scythe on the day he died or having recent to then been examined for a job at the railway. Both these were reported at an inquest into his death. No mention whether or not he only had one arm.

Apparently he was highly respected in Greenisland and his funeral at Carnmoney cemetery was attended by a large gathering of friends.

Wow! That's amazing, where did you find this?

 
Quote
Joined the 26th Foot, Scottish rifles in 1907 with the service number 6491

Served for 13 days in a militia battalion in 1907. Bought his discharge:  https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO96%2F0497%2F174%2F001&parentid=GBM%2FWO96%2F497%2F1318309

Why would someone serve for only 13 days? I am not familiar with buying a discharge either, why would someone do that? Also - let me know if it's not allowed, but I can't get access to that record you linked, would somone be able to send it to me?

Online ShaunJ

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 30 March 21 17:53 BST (UK) »
Quote
Why would someone serve for only 13 days? I am not familiar with buying a discharge either, why would someone do that?

Presumably he had second thoughts about the militia commitment and bought himself out.

Oddly, when he attested (for 3 Battalion Scottish Rifles) he declared that he was serving with 1st Volunteer Battalion, HLI.
UK Census info. Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Online ShaunJ

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 30 March 21 18:06 BST (UK) »
One of the public trees on Ancestry identifies your Daniel McPhail as a soldier who served in the Scottish Rifles, number 10290. From the Silver War Badge Roll, he enlisted in November 1908 and was discharged with wounds in July 1915. There is a surviving medical record which shows that he had been wounded in the left arm and leg. Fold 5 has a pension index card (which I haven't seen) which apparently records that he was residing in "Belfort".
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Offline markw78

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Re: Daniel McPhail: Scottish Rifles WW1, REME WW2 - war records
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 30 March 21 18:17 BST (UK) »
PedroDino
Just in case you don't have here is his medal card..  10290...

Good Luck with your research .
Regards
Mark W

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