heeeeeelp?

[helenc]

Hi my grandad was in WW1 but i can't find out which unit he was in. His name was Alfred Ernest YORK he was born in poplar London 1885. i have looked on the NA site and found 3. one died during the war, one is unlikely and the other i paid to download but it didn't give me anymore info than what was on the screen for free. i have a pic of him in uniform but am unable to upload it as i'm in the library and it won't let me. i can e-mail it if anyone thinks they might be able to help. there is a family rumour he was in the rough riders cavalry unit but this might be a red herring and i have been unable to track down a picture of their uniform to compare them. i have tried my local reference library and the net. in the picture he is wearing a slouch hat? a hat curled up on one side but all units abroad seem to wear these. heeeelp
any help would be very much appreciated!!
helen

[Terry Reeves]

Helen

It's possible that he saw pre-war service in the 1st City of London Yeomanry (Roughriders) and then saw WW1 service with another regiment. The most likely candidate of your three is Alfred E York 615816 London Regiment who later served with the Somerset Light Infantry. The only way to confirm this is to see if his service record still survives by paying a visit to the National Archive. The front page of his attestation papers should state any pre-war service.

Terry Reeves.

[Geoffers]

Hi my grandad was in WW1 but i can't find out which unit he was in. His name was Alfred Ernest YORK
If you haven't already, do check with any family to see if they have his medals. Around the rim of one, you should find his name rank, no. and regiment.

Geoffers

[helenc]

thanks guys we believe he did have medals but due to a family rift 40yrs ago
they could be anywhere. i will try the NA but this guy 615816 i downloaded and there was nothing on their other than what was already on the screen. eg Alfred E York london regiment 615816.
will try to get there to see if i can find anything else.
thanks helen

[Geoffers]

i will try the NA but this guy 615816 i downloaded and there was nothing on their other than what was already on the screen. eg Alfred E York london regiment 615816.
There should at least be the medals he was awarded which gives some infromation (did he receive the 'Star'?), there may be a reference to 'theatre of war first served, when he enlisted, reason for discharge. You may find reference to the Silver War Badge, or if he transferred regiment/corps. They may lead you onto the war diaries on documentsonline, which won't mention him by name, but are interesting background.

Geoffers

[pwenlock]

Hi Helen

Can you email me the picture & I'll try & identify it for you & can also upload onto this query for other posters to view

Yours aye
Paul

[keith9351]

Paul
If you do manage to see the photo here is some information that could help,

For the London Regiment (which was infantry, rather than Yeomanry),
the block 610001 to 630000 was allocated to the 19th (County of
London) (St Pancras) Battalion of the London Regiment, based in the
High Street, Camden Town, at the beginning of the war, and later
divided into the 1/19th, 2/19th, and 3/19th Battalions.

None of the yeomanry regiments were allocated numbers as high as
600000.
(from Forrest Anderson)

The 19th show Battle Honours for Palestine 1917-1918 and the Somerset Light Infantry also show Battle Honours for Palestine around the same time.

Keith