William Mahoney

[Maribel]

Hi Everyone

My name is Maribel Mehmet.

I have tried without success to trace my grandfather William Mahoney who was a Private with the Duke of Wellington 1st Battalion. His command was based in Bastenjik, Turkey but he was stationed in Gibraltar pre 1923. He married my grandmother Obdulia Arias in a military service whilst in Gibraltar on 6 January 1923 and believe he left Gibraltar around 1928/9 leaving his wife and two daughters. His father's name was also William and he was listed as an Engineer on the copy marriage certificate I have managed to get a copy of.

I have had no luck in tracing his movements after leaving Gibraltar and would like advice on what I should do next. When I research his name for birth year of 1901/2 there are quite a few results and because I don't have more details, I can't really provide any additional information. None of the results seem to match.

I think I need to trace his movements since his deployment to and from Gibraltar to have any luck and I don't know how to do this.

If anyone out there can help me, I would be so grateful.

Thank you in advance.

Kind regards
Maribel Mehmet

[Megan Roberts]

Service records for soldiers serving after 1921 can only be obtained from the Ministry of Defence. For details about this read the post link below:

https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...757#post585757

On you grandparent's wedding certificate does it give details of his father's occupation? If it does that might help us to narrow down the William Mahoney that you are looking for.

I think that you will have to try and apply to the Ministry of Defence, because from those records you should be able to get at least some more information about his origins and where he went to.

[Maribel]

Hi Megan

Thank you for your response. I did provide William's father's profession in my message, he was an Engineer.

Regarding contacting the Ministry of Defence, that may well be my next step if you are unable to identify him or help me further.

Many thanks and kind regards
Maribel

[Peter Goodey]

Have you tried to obtain his service record?

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

[Megan Roberts]

Looking at the 1911 census and assuming that you grandfather is living with his father, and that his father was working in some kind of engineering industry, there are two potential families:

2 Old Barge House Street, Southwark:
William Mahoney aged 42 born in Blackfriars, Southwark a “Machinist Engines” married to Elizabeth aged 37 born Deptford, with 5 children including William born 1900 in Blackfriars, Southwark. They had been married 16 years, and had lost 1 child.

12 Sand Street, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, Wales
William Mahoney aged 50 born Ireland a steel worker married to Norah aged 45 born Ireland, with 5 children, including William born 1901 in Merthyr Tydfil. They had been married 28 years and had 11 children, 5 of whom had died.

But these are just pure guesses, and without a specific date or place of birth of birth for William it’s difficult to narrow it down.

[Maribel]

Hi Megan

Many thanks for your response. When I was younger my Aunt Alice, William's eldest daughter (born in Gibraltar 1923), showed me his birth certificate and I was sure his place of birth was Sheffield. However, when I have put this into a search it draws a blank as the key is William's father is called William and there are no matches.

I don't think the two you have given are right but the type of information you have provided is excellent.

Kindest regards
Maribel

[Maribel]

I will try that Peter.

Many thanks, Maribel

[Maribel]

Hi Peter

Just checked the link you sent, thank you. However, I don't have a date of birth for him, His father only that he was 20 in January 1923 when he married my grandmother in a military marriage service while he was stationed in Gibraltar (Duke of Wellington's 1st Battalion), he left Gibraltar in around 1928/9 destination unknown. I believe he was born in England.

Thank you and kind regards
Maribel

[Maribel]

Hi Megan

Could William's father William have been an Engineer in the army, just a thought?

Kind regards
Maribel

[Megan Roberts]

Maribel

Anything is possible, but unfortunately without more information I can't see how progress can be made.

I can see you problem in so far as you do not have sufficient information about your grandfather to make an application to the MoD for his military records.

There may be some members here who have more knowledge about applying to the MoD for records who may be better placed to help in these circumstances than I. So I have placed a question about this subject in general terms on that forum to see what answers we get back. - see the thread below.

https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...758#post657758