Looking for information on my grandfather

[jpanichol]

I am looking for information on my grandfather who I believe joined the Royal Artillery or possibly the Royal Garrison Artillery. However I am not sure when he joined (I think it was around 1930) and left (I think it was around 1937). He was posted to Hong Kong and left the arm to join the Hong Kong police. I have checked the forces war records and cannot find his name (John Bell Nichol) around the right timescale.

I have a pay slip relating to remuneration for time when he was a POW which states that he was a sergeant prior to the H-K police. I also have a number which might be a service number 21921/6 but it might be a
H-K Police number.

Is there anything else I can do prior to requesting his records from the government. I'd rather have an idea prior to making the application.

Thanks in advance for any help given.

Paul..

[christanel]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums Paul

I am not quite sure what you mean when you ask "Is there anything else I can do prior to requesting his records from the government."

If you are referring to his time in the army then you do need his service record and unfortunately they are still held by the MoD and not available online. This 'sticky' explains and gives some helpful links. You will need your grandfather's death certificate and 30 pounds.

If you wish to pursue your family tree further back then you have come to the right place! If you are only seeing the military forums with green bars, because you came here from FWR, go to the bottom left of the page, click on the arrow next to the box with FWR in it and then British-Genealogy. You will then see us in our full glory

Christina

[jpanichol]

Hi Christina, thanks for the reply.

I am pretty sure that he was in the army but I only have a record of his service in the H-K police. When I searched the forces war record site I could not find his name. Would that mean he was not in the forces or is the site limited in content. Not sure I want to spend £30 and wait months only to find he was not in the army.

[simmo1]

Hi

Information after WW1 is not available on all sites unless they died or were awarded a gallantry award, you wont find anything in FWR as it is limited in content.
As for the number you have, not it is not RA, this is the service number range for post WW1 to WW2 for RA - Royal Artillery (Field, Coastal & Anti-Aircraft) 721001 - 1842000 and 11000001 - 11500000
The only way to find out is to apply for service records, or wait until around 2020 when they are released!

regards

Robert

[christanel]

This thread is locked see this thread for more recent information and please post any replies there.
https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...r-Far-East-PoW
Christina