Looking for Grandfather's WW1 record

[rhoneybun]

Hi
I'm looking for my grandfather's service record in WW1. He was a Sergeant in the Welsh Horse Yeomanry in 1915 and his name was William Guy.
I can find very little information on the Welsh Horse and the Forces War Records don't seem to have anything at all. I've already looked at the Long Long Trail and contacted the Welsh Library.
Can anyone help please?

[christanel]

Welcome to British-Genealogy forums which is where you came to from FWR who are our sponsors;
Different records are licensed to different sites and ancestry.co.uk and Findmypast hold the licenses for personal service records for WW1. Both are pay per view sites however ancestry does have a free library version so your local library may have it. ancestry are also offering free access to the Medal Roll Index Cards until the end of the year so you can look that up but it won't have an personal details- possibly just name, rank, regiment and number. medals awarded and if served overseas date of entry in to the country.
The bad news is that over 60% of WW1 records were destroyed by bombing/fire in WW11 so it is a very lucky person who finds their relatives record.

I will see if I can find anything

Christina

[christanel]

Hi
I am having trouble finding anything for a William/w/or just the surname GUY and the reason may be that the regiment was formed in 1914 and disbanded in 1917 and in between seems to have merged with at least another couple of regiments
See here

Do you have regiment number for William? Did he have a middle name?

ancestry.co.uk are offering free access to the Medal Roll Index cards until the end of the year so you can browse through them yourself to see if you can find him.

Christina

[geneius]

A bit more information about William GUY may help,

service number / date/year of birth & place

[rhoneybun]

Hi. Thanks to all for your replies.

I do have Findmypast but can't find anything there.

He is definitely just William Guy and his birth was registered in the Easthampstead registration district (although the censuses all say Winkfield, Berkshire which is a bit more specific) in Jan/Feb/Mar quarter of 1887.

I don't have a service number and only have his rank and regiment from his marriage certificate in 1915.

I have looked at the National Archives medal cards and can't find anything there either. I will look at Ancestry if it's free at the moment though just to cross check.

Thanks again

[geneius]

Is this your man?

William Guy
SPOUSE: Mary Lena Ricketts
BIRTH: abt 1886
MARRIAGE: 23 Jan 1915 - The Registry Office Chippenham
RESIDENCE: 1916 - Bath Road, Colerne Wilts

Record on ancestry under Military British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920

[rhoneybun]

Sadly, no.
He married in Lucy Ann Close in Baltonsborough, Somerset in October 1915. There seem to be hundreds of William Guy listed so its a bit like finding a needle in a haystack! I have just been browsing Ancestry and think maybe the pension records might be a good start though.
Another family story is that he was batman to Lord Kensington but I can't prove that.
Thanks again - any help is much appreciated.

[geneius]

Just lost the information I was sending you ggrh!

I can trace William GUY to 1901 in the census, his father being Henry GUY b 1856 Sherbour Dorset, he married Elizabeth LESTER 1880 Sherbourn

I looked for the Werlsh Horse Yeomanry and found this info https://www.1914-1918.net/welshhorse.htm

One thing puzzling me is the unit does not appear the be in Somerset Oct 1915 when William married Lucy Close

Lord Kensington further info here https://www.archiveswales.org.uk/anw/...=78488&expand=

Does the marriage certificate state the marriage was Banns or Licence. If the latter you need to get the document as this should state his Army details and possible service number
Who were the witnesses?

[rhoneybun]

Hi

Thanks so much for looking all that up. Yes, I've got the 1901 census and can trace his family back from there - I can't find him in 1911 though. I have looked at the Welsh Horse info and think that a trip to Wales sometime might be on the cards!

In 1915 part of the Welsh Horse was in Dorchester which isn't too far away from Baltonsborough so it's possible. One of my aunts was born in September 1916 so it seems he might have been home for Christmas too!

I've just looked at the marriage certificate and see that it was by Licence. Help me here please - I didn't know that they were available and searching the web hasn't given me any clues. They married in the Moravian Chapel and the witnesses were J Close (bride's father) and S (or possibly E) Guy (mystery).

Thanks again. Very grateful for any help.

[geneius]

Not sure where you would find the licenc, i.e GRO or the local Record Office I have alwats got mine form the latter

https://www.batharchives.co.uk/online_catalogues-1.aspx