Help needed to find enlisting date/location

[Lynne-Marie]

Hi new to this forum. How can I find the date and location my Great Uncle enlisted at? He joined the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers 5th battalion, killed in action 18th September 1918. They won’t award him the posthumous star medal as I can’t prove when he joined the war.

Any guidance greatly appreciated

[christanel]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
If you came to us from Forces War Records reading this will tell you about us.
Be aware that 60% plus of WW1 service records were destroyed by bombing/fire in WW11 so it is not good odds for finding the record you need. However Medal Roll Index cards do survive and these tell what medals a person was entitled too as do the Medal and Awards records.
If you would like to give us your Great Uncle's name, birth place and date, parent's names, regiment he served in and regiment number, if you know them, we can do a search to see what is to be found.
Christina

[Peter Goodey]

Lynne

1. You'll need to provide his name and number!

2. I don't know if there may be some confusion here. Eligibility for the Stars depended on when the man entered the operational theatre - not when he enlisted. My Grandad was a regular and was a soldier on day one of the war but he didn't qualify for a Star because he didn't enter an operational theatre at the right time.

[Chris Doran]

A local newspaper for the place where he or his parents lived may have a report of his death, which may say something like: "he enlisted on his 17th birthday and went to France 5 months later". There may even be earlier articles -- our local YMCA leader kept up correspondence with servicemen and some of the letters were published. But if the 'papers aren't online, you'll have to visit or contact the the relevant local studies library. Expect them to charge to do lengthy research. Other possible sources are his school, church, clubs etc.but their records will be harder to find. If you're really lucky, a local historian or local history society may have compiled or be compiling details for names on the war memorial. An enquiry on a town forum or facebook page might produce a contact.

[simmo1]

Hi

Is this him?-

Private
CHILD, B F
Service Number 204013

Died 18/09/1918

1st/5th Bn.
Northumberland Fusiliers

Son of Mrs. E. Child, of 37, Wilmington Square, Clerkenwel], London.

There are 25 Northumberland Fusilier casualties on that day, but only 1 in the 1st/5th, if that is right? There are a few 1st casualties.
Cant find him anywhere in Ancestry????

regards

Robert

[christanel]

Medal roll Index card
Bertie Childs
Northumberland Fusiliers
Regimental Number: 4/9019, 204013
Awarded the British and Victory medals

[christanel]

Medal and Award rolls
Bertle Childs K.I.A.
Rank - Private
Medal Awarded - British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment - Northumberland Fusiliers
Regimental Number: 204013
Previous Units - 1/4th North'd Fus 4/9019, 1/5th North'd Fus 204013

I can't see a surviving service record for him.

Christina

[Lynne-Marie]

No he was Private 61884 Charles Frederick Lacey of the 1st/5th Northumberland Fusiliers. Died 18th September 1918. Son of William Henry and Fanny Lacey

[simmo1]

Hi
CWGC says-

Private
LACEY, CHARLES FREDERICK
Service Number 61884

Died 18/09/1918

Aged 20

1st Bn.
Northumberland Fusiliers

Son of W. H. and Fanny Lacey, of Bondgate, Harewood, Leeds.

So he was in the 1st Battalion, not 1/5th. The regiment was known as the 5th Regiment of Foot, see here-
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/...and-fusiliers/
So he was with the first one listed - regular army- and not in the Territorial one - 1/5th, listed in the Territorial Battalions.
Looking on Ancestry, from the medal rolls, he was originally with the 1/5th, then transferred to the 1st. Possibly after being wounded?
SDGW confirms he was in the 1st when he was killed, enlisted in York, but does not specify date.
Medal Index Card only shows he was entitled to a pair, so he must have been called up and entered a theatre of war after 1915.
Read this- https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldi...rch-a-soldier/
and follow the guides.
This one tells you about the medals- https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldi...medal-records/
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldi...the-great-war/
He also has information in the Register of Soldiers Effects on Ancestry, there is someone on the Great War Forum who can work back from those details and tell you when he enlisted, I cant find the forum at this moment, but you could ask there.
regards

Robert

[simmo1]

Hi

Found the calculator here - https://durhamlightinfantry.wordpress.com/
It should give you some idea of when he joined.

regards

Robert