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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2000-11 > 0973145904


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] WW1 Postcards.
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2000 06:18:24 +0000
In-Reply-To: <3A0049D2.3CC9@ns.sympatico.ca>


At 16:50 01/11/00, Dr. Elizabeth B. Holmes wrote:
>Hi, this is my first posting to this list. I have several P.C.s in my
>possession that were sent to my Grandmother from her brother while in
>service in France in WW1. His name was J.W. Wellburn and he was a
>Lt/Corporal 3754 B Company, 2 Platoon, 3rd Entrenching Battalion,
>Bristish Expedionary Force France.Is it possible to get details of his
>service? He survived the war but his health suffered. Betty.

Betty,

Entrenching Battalions were temporary composite units formed in France and
Flanders from elements of other units. As such they have no historical
records.

Your best bet is to find out what his original regiment was from a search
of the World War I Medal Rolls at the PRO, Kew. If the serviceman or woman
survived World War I and served long enough overseas to qualify for
campaign medals, then they should be found in the Medal Rolls held at the
PRO Kew. The rolls record service (campaign) medal and honours and awards;
the lists are kept in class WO 329. These rolls however give little or no
personal information being confined to the unit, service number, theatres
of war in which the individual served, and the medals awarded. Those who
served in France and Flanders between 5 Aug and 22 Nov 1914 received the
1914 Star (the "Old Contemptibles" medal). Those who served in any war
zones between 5 Aug 1914 and 31 Dec 1915 were awarded the 1914-15
Star. All British and imperial servicemen and women who served outside the
UK between 1914 and 1920 were given the British War Medal and British
forces over the same period also received the Victory Medal. [The three
medals 1914 or 1914/15 Star, the War Medal and the Victory Medal became
known as "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred" to old soldiers.]

Before searching the Medal Rolls in WO 329, you should check the Medal
Index Cards in WO 372. These are held on microfiche in the Microfilm
Reading Room. It is arranged alphabetically and in regimental order of
precedence. The alphabetic listing is slightly odd in that it lists those
with one initial first, then one Christian name and then two initials, two
Christian names and so on. The card when found will provide Surname,
Christian Name or initial, other Christian names or initials, rank,
regiment, regimental number and the medals to which the individual was
entitled and usually the Army Medal Office reference. To find the actual
entry on the Medal Rolls, the Medal Office Reference must be transformed
into the WO 329 reference using a key found in WO 329/1.

You can then search the War Office archives to find whether any of his
personnel records have survived.

The British armed services personnel records for those serving in 1914 up
to 1921 are currently being released from the Ministry of Defence to the
Public Record Office, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, United
Kingdom; (Telephone: General Enquiries, ++44 (020) 8876 3444; Records
Information, ++44 (020) 8392 5200; Fax: ++44 (020) 8878 8905). There they
are being microfilmed to occupy a number of new archives. This is a major
project that is forecast to take a number of years to complete from the
start of the work in 1997. The original documents cannot be viewed due to
their fragile condition. It will be some years before all surviving
information from these documents will be available remotely due to the
complexity of the information and volume. The records are available in the
PRO microfilm reading room as follows:
The so-called "burnt" British Army Other Ranks records for surnames
beginning with A, B, C, D, E, F, N, O, Q, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. These
are in WO 363 - First World War Soldiers' Documents. Those beginning R
will be available in Autumn 2000 and P in Winter 2000. The year 2001
includes those beginning K, L and M. In 2002 those starting H, I and J
will be released. The programme concludes in Summer 2003 with the letter G.

You should note that there is some risk that the official archives of more
recent British Army personnel records are incomplete. It is reported that
up to half of the original pre-World War II British Army soldier's personal
records were badly damaged by fire and water following a 1940 German
bombing raid on the Hayes Record Office during World War II. Those that
survived are often incomplete and in a poor condition.

These records are open for personal search by the enquirer or a nominated
agent. Details of the PRO can be found at their web site URL:
http://www.pro.gov.uk/


The PRO do not have an on-line searchable archive. Nor do they usually
undertake any research for personal or postal enquirers. However they
have a list of independent researchers, with a useful search facility. The
address is: http://www.pro.gov.uk/readers/irlist/default.htm

Yours aye,

Iain Kerr
In Windsor, Berkshire
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
RootsWeb Sponsor Listowner for the KERR; McTURK and SOUTHON lists and the
WORLDWAR2 list.
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http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/genuki/AYR/SID/indexsid.htm
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