Marriage during WW1

[parcark]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if someone could help me with something that's puzzling me. One of my ancestors served in the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers from 1914-1918. I have a record of being entitled to wearing a wounding stripe on 14/05/1918. However, I have also found his marriage record for 1917 at home. I was under the impression that soldiers weren't allowed to return home to marry? Is anyone able to assist or speculate?

Thanks!

[Jebber]

Welcome to Rootschat.

Not everyone was serving abroad for the duration of the war, there are many reasons why your ancestor was in the UK at the time of his marriage. You do not say if you have the marriage certificate, if you have it what does that tell you?

You mention a wound stripe but not where you found the reference, or if the  date refers to the actual injury. Have you looked to see if his records survive? More than 60% were lost in  WW2 but those that survive are well with locating. Quite a few things for you to consider.

[parcark]

Thanks Jebber. True, I don't yet have the marriage cert, and that will be my next step, was more just curious as to if anyone had any ideas as I'm fairly new to looking in to WW1 ancestry.

The wound stripe is listed on Forces War Records (verified by the Weekly Casualty List held by NLS for May 1918), but doesn't give further info. His medal record says he served in theatre of war 2B - which I understand is the Gallipoli campaign of 15-16.

So it's possible that he could have returned home after Gallipoli then back out again to Europe later?

[AllanUK]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if someone could help me with something that's puzzling me. One of my ancestors served in the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers from 1914-1918. I have a record of being entitled to wearing a wounding stripe on 14/05/1918. However, I have also found his marriage record for 1917 at home. I was under the impression that soldiers weren't allowed to return home to marry? Is anyone able to assist or speculate?

Thanks!

Would you consider posting his name and service number -- even if his full service papers were destroyed in the WW2 fire, there is a slim chance that something survives in the medical records.

[parcark]

Hi AllanUK,

Yes of course -

Pte Harry Thornsby
serv no 10812 1/6th Lanc Fusiliers 1914
serv no 241327 1st Lanc Fusiliers 1914-1918

I have obtained this from Service Medal and Award Rolls on Ancestry, and the fact he was wounded from the NLS Weekly Casualty List from 1918.

I'm guessing that he was just allowed Leave in 1917, but was that common? Anything you can help build my experience here would be appreciated!

[jim1]

A man could request leave stating reasons but whether
marriage was enough was a matter for his CO.
I notice he has a 6 digit number against his spell in the 1st. Btn.
This is in fact his new 1/6 Btn. number.
In March 1917 all TF Btn's were re-numbered his was in a batch
allocated to the 1/6th.
In April 1918 the 1/6th. was reduced to a Cadre so this may be when he transferred.

[parcark]

A man could request leave stating reasons but whether
marriage was enough was a matter for his CO.
I notice he has a 6 digit number against his spell in the 1st. Btn.
This is in fact his new 1/6 Btn. number.
In March 1917 all TF Btn's were re-numbered his was in a batch
allocated to the 1/6th.
In April 1918 the 1/6th. was reduced to a Cadre so this may be when he transferred.

I see, thanks Jim.
I've just read up on what you've said, on lancs-fusiliers.co.uk and the Long Long trail.
So, if I'm understanding correctly - he would have been with 1st Btn in 1915 (no 10812), served in Gallipoli, then later the Somme before transf to 1/6th (no 241327)?

[parcark]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if someone could help me with something that's puzzling me. One of my ancestors served in the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers from 1914-1918. I have a record of being entitled to wearing a wounding stripe on 14/05/1918. However, I have also found his marriage record for 1917 at home. I was under the impression that soldiers weren't allowed to return home to marry? Is anyone able to assist or speculate?

Thanks!

Would you consider posting his name and service number -- even if his full service papers were destroyed in the WW2 fire, there is a slim chance that something survives in the medical records.

Hi AllanUK,

Yes of course -

Pte Harry Thornsby
serv no 10812 1/6th Lanc Fusiliers 1914
serv no 241327 1st Lanc Fusiliers 1914-1918

I have obtained this from Service Medal and Award Rolls on Ancestry, and the fact he was wounded from the NLS Weekly Casualty List from 1918.

I'm guessing that he was just allowed leave in 1917, but was that common? Anything you can help build my experience here would be appreciated!

[jim1]

Not quite. I probably confused things by mentioning his new number.
He was in the 1/6th. first up to at least the re-numbering in March 1917.
In April 1918 the 1/6th. was reduced in strength.
Looking at the 1st. Btn. diary they had an intake on 15/4/1918 of 130 men & I would suggest
one them was your man.
At this time the 1st. were at Passchendaele.