Researching my grandfathers army Records

[Philip Owen]

Hi there, I am trying to find out anything about my grandfathers service in the Royal Welch Fusiliers in the first world war
I have found this listed below but need to find out about where and when he was and how he was awarded the medals

I just don't know where to go next


William Arthur Egerton Owen

1914-1920

Rank: Private

Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal

Regiment or Corps: The Royal Welsh (Welch) Fusiliers

Regimental Number: 290128

Sub Unit: 7th Battalion

Previous Units: 7/R.W. Fus. Pte. 801., 7/R.W. Fus., 7/R.W. Fus., 7/R.W. Fus., 7/R.W. Fus. 290128

If anyone can help i would be very greatfull

thank you
Regards Phil

[Lesley Robertson]

Philip, welcome to the British Genealogy Forum.
One of the problems with WW1 research is that about two thirds of the service records were destroyed in the fires of WW2. Surviving records are available on the commercial genealogy databases. I've had a quick look, but there's no result on the name and number that you have provided, and cannot find anything, so it looks as they might be among those destroyed. However, checking the medals registration cards, I see that Pte William AE Own's old number was 801, as you say, but his modern number is registered as 290728. There are no suriving service records under that number, either.
According to his medals card, he served initially in the Balkans, which he reached on 8 Aug 1915. Because he reached the Front in 1915, he was also awarded the 15-Star (had he got there in 1914, it would have been the 14-Star). The card also says "Disemb 20 Feb 1919".

If someone died during the War, there are a couple of sources for a little more information, such as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database, but they won't help you since he obviously survived. Researching the 7 Btn Welsh Fusiliers will tell you a bit about where he was, which battles, etc. Sometimes returning men were mentioned in their local newspapers.
I can help with the medals, though. The British War Medals and the Victory Medal were awarded to all who were on active service.

[Jomot1]

As an overview, the excellent website the Long Long trail says this about the 1/7 Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers:

1/7th (Merioneth & Montgomery) Battalion
August 1914: in Newtown.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.
24 June 1918: transferred to 160th Brigade in same Division

1/5th (Flintshire) Battalion
August 1914: in Flint. Part of North Wales Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediately on mobilisation to Conway and at the end of the month to Northampton. Moved to Cambridge in December 1914 and Bedford in May 1915.
13 May 1915: formation became 158th Brigade, 53rd Welsh) Division.
19 July 1915: sailed from Devonport on the “Caledonia. Went via Lemnos and Imbros.
9 August 1915: disembarked at “C” Beach, Suvla Bay, Gallipoli.
December 1915; evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt.

You can download the war diaries (currently free after registration)from the National Archives here:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C4557476 (1914 Aug - 1915 Dec)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C4557780 (1916 Jan - 1918 June)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C4557785 (1918 July - 1919 May)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C4557846 (1919 June - 1920 Feb)