Can anyone help me find this soldier?

[GuyMassey]

I have a beautiful RFA silk postcard which I would love to get back to the descendants of Cpl W. Briggs. Sadly I can't find out about him. Can anyone help me please?

[CaroleW]

As you have his service number, have you checked the MRI index to get his full name?

[GuyMassey]

As you have his service number, have you checked the MRI index to get his full name?

Hi Carole, Thank you. I only subscribe to Ancestry and the only W. Briggs that I can find is called Waldo and he has a different service number. As this is a one off search, I don't want to be subscribing to other sites. I'm not conversant with the MRI Index and Google isn't helping me find it, a search for MRI just brings up the medical scan! Any help would be most appreciated!

[Ashtone]

It's William H Briggs. Looks like he was with several regiments below. Using Ancestry, see if you can locate his army service records (if they exist). If they do, see if if there's a home address listed for next-of-kin. You'll be able to research his family using that address. Or use his birth place details on the record.

Corps                                  Regiment No   Rank
East Lancashire Regiment   14943             Corporal
Royal Engineers                   WR33221       Corporal
Training Reserve Battalion   TR/9/33271    Corporal
Bedfordshire Regiment        202745           Corporal
Royal Engineers                   523093           Corporal

Link: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1484998

[tonepad]

The unit information given on the postcard does not seem to tie in easily with historical records available today:

112/1 Trench Mortar Battery, only found 112 Trench Mortar Battery (TMB) in the 37th Division.  The postcard has 51 Division which did have the 153 Highland Brigade, but the TMBs are numbered 417 and 153.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/37th_Division_(United_Kingdom)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/153rd_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)


8th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment was in the 37th Division.

Tony

[AllanUK]

As he entered a Theatre of War (France) on the 31 July 1915 (as per his entry in the 1914/15 Star Medal rolls) -- his service record would be under the service number 14943. A search on both Ancestry and Find My Past has drawn a blank. His record would have been one of the many that was destroyed during the bombing of London during WW2.

[jim1]

Looks a bit confusing & looks like there was an attachment to the
51st. Highland Div. as they didn't have any English Btn's. in their ranks.
112 Bde. 37th. Div. did have the 6th. Beds & 8th. E.Lancs Btn's. in theirs.
Both Divs. were in the same place at the same time & involved in the
same operations.