Walter welfare Conductor Indian Army Corp Clerks

[Girl Guide]

I did think of suggesting to Loppy about applying for Walter's service record, but I thought I would wait until we had a response.  Not had one so far.

[Andy J2022]

Going by Girl Guide's info about a birth in 1892 he would have been 28 or 29 in 1920/21 so maybe a possibility that the reference to the Somerset Light Infantry was for service in WW1 and he chose to re-enlist later?

S_L

I don't think that's the right birth. The CWGC site has his age at death as 42, meaning the date of birth of 1903 quoted elsewhere in the documents is correct. It is most unlikely that a soldier would have had his length of service extended to the age of 53 (based on the dob of 1892). Most soldiers signed on for a maximum of 22 years although this was sometimes extended in wartime.   

[Girl Guide]

If he was born in 1903 then surely he would have been too young to be in the first world war.  Only eleven in 1914 and 15 in 1918.

So if he did join the army I would have thought it would have been after the first world war.

[Girl Guide]

The only likely looking birth for a Walter Welfare around 1903 is this one:-

WELFARE, WALTER  CHARLES     SOLOMON 
GRO Reference: 1902  J Quarter in MEDWAY  Volume 02A  Page 718

The record I found stated a birth place of London and unless I'm wrong, Medway is Kent.

[Andy J2022]

If he was born in 1903 then surely he would have been too young to be in the first world war.  Only eleven in 1914 and 15 in 1918.

So if he did join the army I would have thought it would have been after the first world war.

I wasn't aware that anyone had suggested that he fought in the First World War

[Loppy01]

Thank you all for your very helpful information.I am absolutely brand new to this but very interested and particularly now I know how to apply for Grandad’s service records.
The records I have show him being baptised in St John Wapping Middlesex but on the 1911 Census his birth was St George’s of the East now known as Stepney.
As with most families there clearly some skeletons in the cupboard
I think as my Mum was definitely born in Quetta February 1931 which was 2 months before my Grandparents were married here in Somerset so wonder how or why my Grandmother was in India at that time. Again I’m not sure how I can find this information.
I have some old photo’s showing my Mum as a baby being cared for by a ayah and many of my Grandfather but none of him in uniform.
I also have some lovely old letters from my Mum to her Father written in 1943 when she was 12 and at that time the family address was: 46/2 Block, Napier Barracks, Karachi.
I believe my Grandfather was killed in a car accident just after the war ended and was always told he was driving to look at a tea plantation he was hoping to buy when the accident occurred
My next step is definitely to apply for his war records.

[Girl Guide]

It looks as though Lucy remarried after the death of Walter.

Marriages Sep 1950
Welfare    Lucy M    Chard    Taunton    7c   613
Chard    Frank    Welfare    Taunton    7c   613

[bbart]

Welcome to Rootschat, Loppy!

Walter's death, and the births/baptisms* of all 3 children are available to order through the GRO, but as they are overseas records, they are paper copies only, so they would take several weeks to arrive, and it's a slightly different (but easy!) method of ordering.

If it is something that interests you, I can post the info you need to order them.

* Although they are listed as being birth records, sometimes they are baptisms.  Often, there is very little info on them.

[Loppy01]

That would be really helpful as was unsure how to get certificates from abroad. I cannot believe how helpful people on this site are