17th Regiment of Foot

[jml2]

My G Grandfather was in the 17 Regiment of Foot when this Regiment was sent to Canada abt 1862, to help suppress the Fenian raids. It is said he purchased his discharge here, and here he stayed. I have check TNA site and found the followning:

"Soldiers' documents for those who were discharged by purchase have not survived for the pre-1883 period."

Unfortunately he purchased his discharge in 1866. It would seem I am left with the Muster Books and Pay Lists in the WO12 records. Are any of these records accessable online.

JML

[Geoffers]

My G Grandfather was in the 17 Regiment of Foot when this Regiment was sent to Canada abt 1862, to help suppress the Fenian raids. It is said he purchased his discharge here, and here he stayed.

Tales often get twisted in the telling, it may be worth checking all Army records held by TNA on the off chance that he didn't purchase a discharge.

It would seem I am left with the Muster Books and Pay Lists in the WO12 records. Are any of these records accessable online.

Sorry, these records are not available online,

Geoffers

[neil1821]

Hi,
You say he purchased his discharge in 1866, the year of the first Fenian Raid.
Have you checked the medal roll? I have it here, happy to check if you give me a name.
Neil

[jml2]

Thank you for the offer. His name is Hugh Lord. I am told he purchased his discharge in 1866 at Toronto Canada. There is also family talk of a medal and I would very much appreciate your having a look at your records to see if there is anything there.

JML

[neil1821]

He's listed!
520 Private Hugh Lord, 2nd Battalion 17th Regt.
Awarded the Canada General Service Medal with the clasp for Fenian Raid 1866.

The main events for which this was awarded were May/June 1866, so he was still with the regiment at that time.

To see the medal he would have had, check this page:
https://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/s...TOKEN=45621898

Neil

[jml2]

Neil, thank you for the info, much appreciated.

JML

[John Simmons]

Neil, My Great Great grandfather was in the same unit and actualy stayed in Canada and married into an old french canadian family. His name was William Henry Gunnell is he by chance on the same list you used to Locate Hugh Lord?

Thanks

John

[jpo4t]

He's listed!
520 Private Hugh Lord, 2nd Battalion 17th Regt.
Awarded the Canada General Service Medal with the clasp for Fenian Raid 1866.

The main events for which this was awarded were May/June 1866, so he was still with the regiment at that time.

To see the medal he would have had, check this page:
https://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/s...TOKEN=45621898

Neil

Hello

I hope you dont mind me asking my Great Great Grandfather was a Bandsman in the 17th Regt. would you know of any records i could look in to find him please, his name was BENJAMIN ALLEN i know very little of him. many thanks

[elissa kester]

My great-grandfather, Patrick Gurney, born c1819 in Ireland, was a private in the 17th Foot regiment. He served in Canada in the 1860s ... several of his children were born in Quebec.... and arrived in Western Australia in 1862. I have been unable to find his army record despite searching all the 17th Foot Regiment films available through the LDS. Can anyone help with this? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Elissa
Western Australia

[Geoffers]

Welcome to the B-G forums.........

My great-grandfather, Patrick Gurney, born c1819 in Ireland, was a private in the 17th Foot regiment. He served in Canada in the 1860s ... several of his children were born in Quebec.... and arrived in Western Australia in 1862. I have been unable to find his army record despite searching all the 17th Foot Regiment films available through the LDS. Can anyone help with this? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

There is a thread here to give some advice on finding Soldiers' Documents.

I believe that the 17th was the Leicestershire Regiment.

From your message, your chap seems to have left the army prior to 1872

So, using TNA's Catalogue

In the word or phrase field, enter - Leciester*
In the year range, enter - 1860-1862
In the department or series code enter - WO97

I've just done that and got four hits

Note that three of the files have groups of three letters after them. These are abbreviations for the first and last entries alphabetically in each file. So you need to look for the file in which GURNEY would appear.

I think this is WO97/1445.

You'll see that the file title is inderlined. Click on this and then the button on the right of the screen marked 'Request this.'

Enter the details of the chap for whom you are looking in the file and TNA will send you a quote for copying the record, which can be done electronically.

This all assumes that:

1) I am right in thinking that the 17th Foot was the Leicestershire Regiment.

2) That your chap's record has not been misfiled.

If you want to read about mlitary records that are available, TNA has loads of research guides, including these:

Discharge Papers 1760-1913
Pensions 1702-1913

Which explain things far better than I am able and are well worth a browse over a cuppa.