ROYAL ARTILLERY SERVICE RECORDS

[patriciaberry38]

Hello
My Grandfather JOHN WILLIAM WOODSIDE was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery stationed at Fareham, Hampshire in 1891. We believe he went to the Boer War in 1898-1902.
I am trying to find his Service Records and they haven't appeared on Ancestry or FindmyPast yet.
Last February I wrote to an address in London which I obtained from the National Archives Website to see if they held any information but in late July I received my letter back with the message that "the address was unkown".
Can anyone help.
Pat Berry in Australia

[Peter Goodey]

It won't be on Ancestry unless he also fought in the Great War.

My advice is to just wait for one month and then check whether it has appeared on Findmypast. The tranche of service records covering 1901-1913 is due to appear in September (late September I would expect).

If it doesn't appear, post another message and we'll suggest alternative sources.

[Iced_Gem]

there is today a service card for royal garrison artillery were a john woodside is a gunner

iced xx

[Iced_Gem]

reg number 308841

[Peter Goodey]

a service card

I think you mean a WW1 medal index card. The one mentioned relates to a John Woodside, born Liverpool, died 13 Jan 1917. From what little Pat has told us, it might be her man, although if was killed in WW1, I would have thought she would have mentioned it.

However, for his earlier service record, which is what is being asked for, Findmypast in a months time is still favourite.

[patriciaberry38]

Just an update to my message of 31 August 2010 I now have my Grandfather John William Woodside's Royal Artillery Service Records.
Thank you again to everyone who replied to my message. Pat Berry in Australia

[Robinood]

One of my ancestors - 80496 Gunner David Philip - joined the Royal Artillery in Leith in 1890 and was posted to No Mans Land Fort, Portsmouth, Hants, in 1891.

Where can I see his service record?

I believe he was married and had children before he left the army around 1906. I understand that these reconds of births and marriages are kept by the army and not copied to civilian records office. Is that correct?

[Peter Goodey]

Where can I see his service record?

Findmypast (as described in http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-up-to-1913/)


I understand that these reconds of births and marriages are kept by the army and not copied to civilian records office. Is that correct?

If the event wasn't abroad, it should be recorded in the usual manner. If it was abroad, it should have been copied to the General Register Office.

But which GRO?

See the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Army) Act, 1879. It looks as if it should be the GRO for Scotland. If you can't find it at one GRO try another!

[Robinood]

Thank you - but I can't find these records anywhere else - including the GRO. I have tried everywhere else too - and I'm sure I read somewhere (can't remember where - possibly the GRO site) that the Army BM records are not held anywhere other than the army. I think there was an army church in the area at the time.

Any idea where I can see his service record?

[Pam Downes]

Thank you - but I can't find these records anywhere else - including the GRO. I have tried everywhere else too - and I'm sure I read somewhere (can't remember where - possibly the GRO site) that the Army BM records are not held anywhere other than the army. I think there was an army church in the area at the time.

Any idea where I can see his service record?
Peter told you where in the first sentence of his post #8. On Findmypast. It's a commercial genealogy site so I can't give a link but a search engine will find it for you.

Pam

[Robinood]

Tried that, thanks. Not there.

[Pam Downes]

I forgot to add that the Scottish GRO indexes can be found on Scotland's People. Again, a commercial site which can be easily fouhd using a search engine.

Pam

[Pam Downes]

Tried that, thanks. Not there.

Yes it is. Four pages. David was born 1870.

Pam

[Robinood]

I found one page - the record of his joining the RA - which I already had on Findmypast. Where do I find the other three pages?

[Robinood]

Found it all now thanks. Regrettably no record of marriage or children. Must have been after he left the army - apparently in 1902.