Thomas Hurst help needed WW2

[Lesley Robertson]

If he served past 1921, they would have held on to the records. If he was fully discharged, and joined up again later, it's likely that his service was recorded separately. However, things were confused and I have seen both cases. It's always possible that with the destruction of the WW1 records in 1940, they preferred to start over, but I am not sure.

According to a thread from 2014 HERE ARP service records have not survived. See section 7.

[wimsey]

probably not relevant, but anyway - one of my grandfathers served in some reserve or territorial force between the wars, as well as in the First War. I found his name in a file on Ancestry called "UK, Military Discharge Indexes, 1920-1971" with a separate service number to the one he had during the war (as I guess one would expect).

[Lesley Robertson]

I'm obviously going to have search Anc more carefully!

[wimsey]

probably not relevant, but anyway - one of my grandfathers served in some reserve or territorial force between the wars, as well as in the First War. I found his name in a file on Ancestry called "UK, Military Discharge Indexes, 1920-1971" with a separate service number to the one he had during the war (as I guess one would expect).

I don't have a sub with Ancestry but I have just quickly looked at that file and there are half a dozen "T Hurst" entries (I think all entries are just initials + surname) - but I'm not suggesting this has any relevance at all to this thread !!

edit - just remembered that the entry for my grandfather confirms his date of birth

[timbo58]

The same index (or at least the same source) is FREE on Forces war records and named correctly too.
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk...ention-records

Basically this is not a discharge register at all - it was the subject of a FOI (freedom of information) request a decade ago, which resulted in the MOD releasing the index to the retained service records of all those who would be over 100 at that date (and were therefore thought to have no longer been with us) where their records would still be held by the MOD themselves, so it's very useful as a snippet to the oldest records the MOD hold under their ruling for post 1922 service records.

The numbers allocated however need careful navigation since they appear to be an interim number -neither are they regimental numbers as per WWI or 'army numbers (etc)' as per 1922-50, but a hybrid number we've not seen elsewhere (for the most part).

The index is most helpful in confirming to a researcher that the records ARE held by the MOD or ARE NOT held by the MOD in the case of those who have a DOB which qualifies but no entry in the index.
Because the index is very basic it only gives:
Surname, Initials, Date of Birth, Account/Item code (The MODs own filing references) and in some cases the corps/regiment are included as well as up to 2 'service' numbers.

The issue is only around 10% have a corps/regiment written, as it seems clear from looking at the whole dataset that someone at the MOD started filling these out and then gave up (Tea boy?)

[Peter Goodey]

...or ARE NOT held by the MOD in the case of those who have a DOB which qualifies but no entry in the index.

I don't think that can be assumed. My grandfather ought to have been listed but isn't.

[timbo58]

That's interesting Peter, as the FOI request was specifically for ALL those included over 100 at the date.
In which case the MOD failed to comply with the FOI request!

[wimsey]

I don't have a sub with Ancestry but I have just quickly looked at that file and there are half a dozen "T Hurst" entries

needless to say none of those T Hurst men was born on 8 April 1892, so apologies for diverting the thread

[jen1302]

Something to consider is that if he was a gas works labourer he may have been exempted from actual war service regardless of his age because he was working in a vital industry.

Did any of his children marry during the war? If so, what occupation did they give for him on their marriage certificate?

Pam

Hi pam his two daughters married 1940 and his son married 1948 i don't have marriage records for them i will need to order them off GRO

[Pam Downes]

Hi pam his two daughters married 1940 and his son married 1948 i don't have marriage records for them i will need to order them off GRO

I'd just get one of the daughter's marriage certificates for starters. If they married in different quarters, get the one who married last. Or alternatively, if one of them is your grandmother then get hers first.

I doubt if the certificate for his son (who married after the war) would say anything about the military, so unless you want to know what Thomas' occupation was don't order it.

Pam