Suffolk Regiment

[The_Oakster]

Does any one know, other than visiting the Record Offices, how to get information on the Suffolk Regiment?

I have found out that relatives of mine were in the army. They lived around 1900 but thats all the information I have. Coming from Glemsford, I expect that they were in the Suffolk Regiment but then again....

I have no units, regi numbers, dates or anything like that.

Any ideas?

Ben

[Geoffers]

Does any one know, other than visiting the Record Offices, how to get information on the Suffolk Regiment? I have found out that relatives of mine were in the army. They lived around 1900 but thats all the information I have.
You might try the Suffolk Regiment museum at:
The Keep
Gibraltar Barracks,
Bury St.Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 1HF
Tel. 01284 752 394

But be warned, just because someone lived in a county, doesn't mean that they joined the county regiment. I would advise against putting in too much effort until you know the regiment for definite.

Did the relatives stay in long enough to serve in WW1? - if so they may appaer in the campaign medals index on the documents online sie.

Were any of the killed in WW1 so that they would appear on the CWGC site?

Have you any birth or marriage certificates relating to them/their children? These should show their rank, no. and regiment if they were in teh army at that time.

If any of them were injured and received a disability pension prior to 1914, there's a very slim chance that you might find a reference online on 'the Catalogue' on TNA's website. Enter the surname in field 1 and in the last field, enter the document class PIN71 (this holds about 5,000 such records).

The best answer is, I'm afraid to say, a visit to TNA at Kew - or if you know someone who lives nearby who can visit for you.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[sandiep]

just curious Ben have you looked on the 1901 census, if the regiment was in England at time they would be on census. if you dont have access I could look for you if you put name on here

sandie

[Londonwhay]

Gibralter Barracks are have been closed for a while. The museum exhibits are currently housed at Moyses Hall museum in Bury St Edmunds. The archives are in the Suffolk Records Office in Raingate Street Bury St Edmunds. M

regards
Glenda

[The_Oakster]

The people in question are either on the 1901 census at home or werent born then.

I have found 1 person on the medal list on the National Archives list, (the one that costs £3.50) but it has no genealogical information on it so I am not 100% sure that its him. At least I have a regi number, well, 2 in fact as he was in the Suffolk Regiment under one number then in the Ist CN BN Bedfordshire Regiment under another.

So I have some where to look when I eventually get down to Kew....if ever.

Is there a better way to find service information than paying £3.50 for each possible person and then visiting Kew or Local Record Offices, or is that as good as it gets for pre 1914 military history?

Ben

[Geoffers]

Is there a better way to find service information than paying £3.50 for each possible person and then visiting Kew or Local Record Offices, or is that as good as it gets for pre 1914 military history?
The following website has some details online for the South African War
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/home.html
But apart from that, Kew is the best answer.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Jean Ashfield]

He was in the Suffolks in the 2nd world war and was a Japanese prisoner of war in Thailand.

[ECMaitland]

For information on the various battalions of the Suffolk Regiments "The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927" by Lieut Col C C R Murphy is really interesting. It doesn't mention many soldiers by name, unless officers or winners of medals such as MC or VC, but if you know which battalion a WW1 ancestor fought in, it gives a good picture of where they would have seen active service.