Bemidee
15-05-2009, 4:23 PM
William James WARD was a Corporal in the 2nd DRG stationed at Canterbury when he married in 1893.
In 1894 when his son was born he was a Sergeant stationed in Rawal Pindi, India.
Theses are the only records that can be traced.
In 1896 when his daughter was born he is in London using the surname FINCH and apparently no longer in the army. Another child was born in 1898.
In 1900 when a further child was born he is back in the 2nd Dragoon Guards under the name Finch and has been promoted to a Sergeant Major thus negating the idea that he had gone awol or discharged from the army between 1894 and 1896.
A professional researcher has checked WO363/364/97/76/10 in both names but can find no trace of service records after the birth of his son in India.
I think the Boer War was from about 1898 till 1902 which could explain why he returned to the army between 1898 and 1903 when yet another child is born when he is again in "civvy street".
On the 1901 census his wife, Annie Eliza Finch, is shown as "Head", "living on husband's means" - could he have been in South Africa at this time? Does anyone know how I can find out? Surely his service records must be somewhere?
William James Finch died in 1911 aged 47 years and, as far as his family were concerned they were all Finchs. From our knowledge of the family and details on BMD certificates etc. it is certain that Ward and Finch were the same man.
I know that the 2nd DRG merged with the 1st DRG in 1959 .
Any information, help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou, from Bemidee.
In 1894 when his son was born he was a Sergeant stationed in Rawal Pindi, India.
Theses are the only records that can be traced.
In 1896 when his daughter was born he is in London using the surname FINCH and apparently no longer in the army. Another child was born in 1898.
In 1900 when a further child was born he is back in the 2nd Dragoon Guards under the name Finch and has been promoted to a Sergeant Major thus negating the idea that he had gone awol or discharged from the army between 1894 and 1896.
A professional researcher has checked WO363/364/97/76/10 in both names but can find no trace of service records after the birth of his son in India.
I think the Boer War was from about 1898 till 1902 which could explain why he returned to the army between 1898 and 1903 when yet another child is born when he is again in "civvy street".
On the 1901 census his wife, Annie Eliza Finch, is shown as "Head", "living on husband's means" - could he have been in South Africa at this time? Does anyone know how I can find out? Surely his service records must be somewhere?
William James Finch died in 1911 aged 47 years and, as far as his family were concerned they were all Finchs. From our knowledge of the family and details on BMD certificates etc. it is certain that Ward and Finch were the same man.
I know that the 2nd DRG merged with the 1st DRG in 1959 .
Any information, help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou, from Bemidee.