Confused - London Reg & Labour Corps

[SouthAfrican]

Hi, I stumbled across your website this evening and am impressed with the knowledge of members. I live in the UK and have been trying to make head or tail of my grandfather's military records here in the UK and wonder if some knowledgeable persons could assist me?

My grandfather was Charles John Ballard and he enlisted for the army on the 20th December 1915 (age 19). He was called up into a Reserve Battalion of the London Regiment (regiment no. 423830) on the 30th January 1917 and had a Class A medical category and transferred to the Labour Corps on 7 July 1017 into 677 Company stationed at Aldershot (service no. 259250). (Anyone with information on these regiments eg where London Regiment was based etc?)

On the 13th of March he was found "in unlawful possession of the property of a comrade" for which he got 14 days detention (remitted to 9 days). However in March 1917 his medical category is shown as C111 home service only with no reason given.

He was discharged from the army on the 7th September 1917 "no longer physically fit for war service".

He thereafter emmigrated to South Africa in 1920.

My grandfather used to have a "hole" in his back which he used to show us and his story was that he was wounded whilst in France when a bayonet was pulled out of his back.

The problem is I can't find any trace of any war medals (although my dad seems to think that he has some papers proving this(?)). They lived in Bethnal Green and I do wonder whether the wound was perhaps not related to the war at all?

I would like to try and find either war medal records, hospital records, prison/police/court records to find out exactly what the story is? The family lived in Bethnal Green. I do wonder whether he had a health problem? I also wonder what he stole? Or indeed whether the wound was related to the war at all?

I look forward to your thoughts!

Many thanks

[Mutley]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
I am sorry that I do not have a lot of knowledge regarding military questions but I thought I would take a quick look at the 1911 census on Find My Past for a clue to your question although he would have only been 15 years old at this time.

There are two Charles Ballard's both born 1896 and both from Bethnal Green.
This is to say, do be aware and do make sure that you are following the correct Charles.

Good Luck and I am sure that some of the forum members will be able to assist you further.

BTW, who were your Charles parents?

[Kerrywood]

Just a few thoughts, till someone more expert comes along ...

The problem is I can't find any trace of any war medals

I believe he wouldn't have been entitled to WW1 campaign medals unless he served overseas. His service record implies his total period of service was at home.

where London Regiment was based etc?

This sort of question is often well answered on the website The Long Long Trail ...

www.
1914-1918.net/london.htm

... I also wonder what he stole?

If he was tried by court-martial (rather than by civil power), the offence may be recorded in the registers in WO 86 at the National Archives. But these are tabulated lists and are unlikely to give much more detail than his service record.

As you have the exact date of his offence in 1917 and the place (Teignmouth), there's just a chance that a search of a local newspaper might yield something. You could try contacting the local studies library for that area.

[keith9351]

When the Territorial Force was renumbered in1917 the 10th London Regiment (Hackney) had the block from 420001 - 450000.


If you check www.
1914-1918.net/london.htm as Kerrywood suggested. The 3/10th were in Devon as I notice Kerrywood mentioned (Teignmouth),

3/10th Battalion
Formed in April 1915 and moved to Tadworth. Moved in October to billets at Sutton, then to Fovant in January 1916.
8 April 1916 : became 10th Reserve Bn.
1 September 1916 : absorbed 25th Reserve Cyclist Bn. Moved to Teignmouth in autumn 1916, then Dawlish in December. Moved to Frith Hill in April 1917, where they then remained.

Keith

[SouthAfrican]

Thanks

Hi, I stumbled across your website this evening and am impressed with the knowledge of members. I live in the UK and have been trying to make head or tail of my grandfather's military records here in the UK and wonder if some knowledgeable persons could assist me?

My grandfather was Charles John Ballard and he enlisted for the army on the 20th December 1915 (age 19). He was called up into a Reserve Battalion of the London Regiment (regiment no. 423830) on the 30th January 1917 and had a Class A medical category and transferred to the Labour Corps on 7 July 1017 into 677 Company stationed at Aldershot (service no. 259250). (Anyone with information on these regiments eg where London Regiment was based etc?)

On the 13th of March he was found "in unlawful possession of the property of a comrade" for which he got 14 days detention (remitted to 9 days). However in March 1917 his medical category is shown as C111 home service only with no reason given.

He was discharged from the army on the 7th September 1917 "no longer physically fit for war service".

He thereafter emmigrated to South Africa in 1920.

My grandfather used to have a "hole" in his back which he used to show us and his story was that he was wounded whilst in France when a bayonet was pulled out of his back.

The problem is I can't find any trace of any war medals (although my dad seems to think that he has some papers proving this(?)). They lived in Bethnal Green and I do wonder whether the wound was perhaps not related to the war at all?

I would like to try and find either war medal records, hospital records, prison/police/court records to find out exactly what the story is? The family lived in Bethnal Green. I do wonder whether he had a health problem? I also wonder what he stole? Or indeed whether the wound was related to the war at all?

I look forward to your thoughts!

Many thanks

[SouthAfrican]

Hi his father was William Ballard and his mother Ellen Amelia White. My grandfather was actually born on 20 December 1895 but the birth was only registered in 1896 (just to confuse everyone).

Fiona

[SouthAfrican]

thanks

[SouthAfrican]

Thanks. I am a little ignorant on all this! I assummed he did not do any service whilst in the reserve!

[Kerrywood]

Hi Fiona, if you can say who you're replying to when you post, it's easier for others to follow the progress of the thread. You can either use the Reply with Quote facility, or just mention the person's name.

My grandfather was actually born on 20 December 1895 but the birth was only registered in 1896 (just to confuse everyone).

That would be standard practice. Up to 42 days was/is allowed for registration, so anyone born after mid-November might be registered in the first quarter of the following year.

[SouthAfrican]

I have been looking at the archives for my grandfather and I have remembered that he was under the 14th London Regiment (don't know why that sounds familiar....perhaps something he used to say to me). If this is the case, can you help me identify where he was based. Would his offence still have been Teignmouth? Many thanks

When the Territorial Force was renumbered in1917 the 10th London Regiment (Hackney) had the block from 420001 - 450000.


If you check www.
1914-1918.net/london.htm as Kerrywood suggested. The 3/10th were in Devon as I notice Kerrywood mentioned (Teignmouth),

3/10th Battalion
Formed in April 1915 and moved to Tadworth. Moved in October to billets at Sutton, then to Fovant in January 1916.
8 April 1916 : became 10th Reserve Bn.
1 September 1916 : absorbed 25th Reserve Cyclist Bn. Moved to Teignmouth in autumn 1916, then Dawlish in December. Moved to Frith Hill in April 1917, where they then remained.

Keith