I have been struggling to find the early military career of a great-grandfather of mine, one Thomas Henry William HICKS b.1874 - d. 1956, from Winchester, Hampshire, England.
The first evidence of his military career was previously found on the 1901 census, where he is recorded as a Colour Sergeant in the Northumberland Fusiliers, living in York Barracks with his wife and two children.
On his wedding certificate of 1898 he recorded with a civilian occupation, and again on his children's birth certificates of 1899 and 1900.
So, it has been a mystery as to how he is suddenly in the N.F in 1901, and with an elevated rank of Colour Sergeant. He must have had an earlier military career and carried the rank from that engagement. I have previously searched all the usual military sources and paid for research on his engagements with the Northumberland Fusiliers and later the Durham Light Infantry during WW1, but his previous military career has evaded discovery so far.
This week I came upon a new piece of evidence from the death certificate of his step-father in 1896. It states that Henry was the informant and of "Cambridge Barracks", Portsmouth. So, this is my first new clue as to his earlier military career.
Does anyone know which regiments were stationed at Cambridge Barracks, Portsmouth in 1896? Could it have been the Northumberland Fusiliers, or a local regiment that he may have joined at Winchester?
Any help or suggestions of where I might look will be most appreciated.
Simon
