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  1. #1
    bluebells
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    Default Unit/Army Number

    Hi all, I hope someone can put me in the right direction,I've just joined this site and would like to know how I go about finding my grandfather or great grandfather's army unit/number.
    Many Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
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    It depends what sort of dates you're talking about.

    If you tell us everything you know about him, we'll explain how to go about it. But why do you want to know his number? Is that what you really want to know? Or perhaps what you really want to get hold of is something like his service record.

  3. #3
    bluebells
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    Hi Peter, thanks for getting back to me, all I know that he was in the WW1 and would love to find out more about his time there I am told he was a POW all I have is his name as my father has passed and don't know how to go about finding some info.

    I was told he was POW in(Russia) not sure if this is right

  4. #4
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    What was his name and when and where was he born?

  5. #5
    bluebells
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    Peter his name is Donald Smith DOB 8/9/1894 Leith Scotland.
    Many Thanks

  6. #6
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    Was his address 260 Bonnington Road, Leith? And was his father Donald Smith of Wick? Perhaps not from what you say.

    Here's some light reading -

    https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/r...rafter1913.htm

    There are pages and pages of Donald Smiths in WW1

  7. #7
    bluebells
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    Hi Peter my that was fast how do you do it :-) I'm not sure what his address was in Leith but yes his father was Donald smith and they moved to Wick (roadside Reiss)

  8. #8
    bluebells
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Goodey View Post
    It depends what sort of dates you're talking about.

    If you tell us everything you know about him, we'll explain how to go about it. But why do you want to know his number? Is that what you really want to know? Or perhaps what you really want to get hold of is something like his service record.
    My great grandfather Donald Smith(b.8/9/1894 Leith d.25/10/1967 Wick) was in WW1 and was POW (he didn't get home till a few months after the war had ended) this is all I know and as it's 100 year anniversary this year I thought it would be great to find out about his time in the war. Any suggestions on how I go about this would be greatly received.
    Many Thanks bluebells

  9. #9
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    Wick (roadside Reiss)
    Excellent

    You're very lucky - most Great War service records were lost but Donald Smith's seems to have survived. and the record is online on Ancestry. You could sign up for a try-for-free sub or you may have free access at your local library (you don't say where you are so you'll have to check that for yourself).

    The database is called "British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920". The original National Archives series is WO 363 popularly known as the "burnt documents".

    Bear in mind these papers were rescued from fire and flood and the indexing may be a bit shaky.

    I found your man by going to the relevant database and entering Donald Smith born 1894 living Leith.

    Good luck

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