No Trace of Grandad in WW1

[Fewson Hopper]

Could somebody please assist. My Grandad William Graham Counter was born 30.5.1885 on Portland Bill Lighthouse. The 1911 Census shows him married to Eva & working as a mine carpenter in Cornwall. After the birth of 2 children he moved the family to Cheadle Cheshire, a birth cert of a son born 16.10.1916 shows him as a general labourer.
I have a book titled They Also Serve, The service record of the 39th Cheshire Home Guard. Grandad is pictured as one of HQ Platoon B Company in 1944. He is wearing 2 service ribbons & what appears to be 4 overseas service chevrons. I cannot identify his hat badge. Nobody in the family has any record of a army number or detail of any regiment he may have served with. I can't locate a medal card or service record. He never spoke of his war service. His half brother Thomas Albert Counter was killed aged 20 on12.2.1917. Can anybody point me anywhere to look next? Many thanks & regards Fewson

[SueNSW]

I'm no expert Fewsen but I understand the overseas service chevrons were awarded for each 365 day period (less a month allowed for leave) served overseas during WW1 If your man was not in the Army as of 16/10/1916 it was unlikely he would have achieved this before "normal" discharge dates in 1919

Have you found him in 1918 electoral rolls - perhaps if he had mining experience this exempted him from Army call up - or maybe his health was not good - but it doesn't explain the insignia on the WW2 photo

Would have thought by 1944 Home Guard would have had their own uniforms and cap badge - my thought was if the picture was taken early in the war perhaps it was an old "borrowed" one from WW1 (you're probably old enough to remember the BBC comedy Dad's Army and their mish mash of uniforms and weapons!)

Sorry - nothing really constructive - more musings.........

Cheers
Sue

[Fewson Hopper]

Thank you so much for the reply Sue, the thought had passed my mind that he was wearing his half brothers ribbons but he is photographed with the whole platoon including offices so he could not have done that. That would be out of character in any case. It's a very odd situation, he has noted his half brothers service information in the family bible but not his own. His health was always good.

My Dad understands that his Father was in France in WW1 but even though my Dad fought in France in WW11 his father never talked about his own experience or compared notes on places they may both been. Dad says his father was anti anti war, was it his own experience that made him that way, quite possibly.

I have not checked the electoral rolls (can't find any online) do you know if they are available to me in Sydney? Grandad lived at 14 Bank Street Cheadle from the first war until his death in 1972.

Thank you again, Fewson

[rogtut]

You could try psting it on the Long Long Trail - a website dedicated to WW1.

1914-1918.net (put www. in front)

[SueNSW]

Hi Again Fewson

I'm a bit out of my depth in most areas north of Watford (we came from darkest Essex) but it looks as if Cheshire Archives in Chester have electoral rolls from 1920 (but not online) and I'm not aware of this sort of info being available in Sydney/Australia

Maybe a specific question on the county board - or a search to see if it's been asked before might locate the earlier one - and you might find someone locally prepared to do a look up for you

Good Luck with it

Cheers
Sue

[Fewson Hopper]

Hi Sue & rogtut,

Thank you for your replies, I have taken your advice & are looking around at other forums for assistance, I realize now (after looking at other postings) that being more specific could bring better results.

In the meantime I will apply for the Home Guard record & that might give me what I'm looking for.

Thanks again & regards
Fewson.

[porkchop1]

Could somebody please assist. My Grandad William Graham Counter was born 30.5.1885 on Portland Bill Lighthouse. The 1911 Census shows him married to Eva & working as a mine carpenter in Cornwall. After the birth of 2 children he moved the family to Cheadle Cheshire, a birth cert of a son born 16.10.1916 shows him as a general labourer.
I have a book titled They Also Serve, The service record of the 39th Cheshire Home Guard. Grandad is pictured as one of HQ Platoon B Company in 1944. He is wearing 2 service ribbons & what appears to be 4 overseas service chevrons. I cannot identify his hat badge. Nobody in the family has any record of a army number or detail of any regiment he may have served with. I can't locate a medal card or service record. He never spoke of his war service. His half brother Thomas Albert Counter was killed aged 20 on12.2.1917. Can anybody point me anywhere to look next? Many thanks & regards Fewson

Hello Fewson. We have a lot in common. Your name is the same as my gt gt grandfather Fewson Hopper, born 1822 at Spurn, East Yorkshire. Your William Counter, lighthouse keeper extraordinaire, married Martha Hopper and I have the family history. Would be pleased to hear from you and I will tell you more

[Retlaw]

Could somebody please assist. My Grandad William Graham Counter was born 30.5.1885 on Portland Bill Lighthouse. The 1911 Census shows him married to Eva & working as a mine carpenter in Cornwall. After the birth of 2 children he moved the family to Cheadle Cheshire, a birth cert of a son born 16.10.1916 shows him as a general labourer.
I have a book titled They Also Serve, The service record of the 39th Cheshire Home Guard. Grandad is pictured as one of HQ Platoon B Company in 1944. He is wearing 2 service ribbons & what appears to be 4 overseas service chevrons. I cannot identify his hat badge. Nobody in the family has any record of a army number or detail of any regiment he may have served with. I can't locate a medal card or service record. He never spoke of his war service. His half brother Thomas Albert Counter was killed aged 20 on12.2.1917. Can anybody point me anywhere to look next? Many thanks & regards Fewson

Cap badges of Home Guard units, they normally wore the County badge, IE those in Lancashire wore the East Lancs badge, so if he served in Cheshire he would have the Cheshire Regmt badge in his cap. The service ribbons must be genuine, he would have soon been found out if it was otherwise, and been ordered to remove them. However he could wear a relatives ribbons, but they have to be the other breast, without a picture I can't tell.
Retlaw.

[Waitabit]

Bank Street Cheadle from the first war until his death in 1972.
have not checked the electoral rolls (can't find any online) do you know if they are available to me in Sydney? Grandad lived at 14

Fewson, I have contacted several Councils & Libraries in different Counties in England with a request for persons on electoral rolls. One was listed in the 'serving overseas' & others show who was where in a specific year.

Worth a try?

[Lone Pine]

It may also be that the records were lost in WWII a lot of them were destroyed during the bombing of London. We also have family members who served in WW1 and its a bit hit or miss whether we get the records or not.

Good luck with your search