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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2000-11 > 0973488514


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] KINGS ROYAL RIFLES
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2000 05:28:34 +0000
In-Reply-To: <000201c04797$52a8c580$a4e5d5d1@gerrytor>


At 01:53 05/11/00, Gerry Tordiff wrote:
>Hello
>I am trying to obtain info on where and in what capacity the Kings Royal
>Rifle Corps were involved in the World War One. A Sgt. Constable, my
>ancestor served in this regiment, and was wounded during that time. Any
>help appreciated. Thank you

Gerry,

The King's Royal Rifle Corps [KRRC] had a variety of names in its long
history. Originally the 62nd (Royal American Regiment of Foot), then the
60th (Royal American Regiment of Foot) which became the 60th (The Duke of
York's Own Rifle Corps and Light Infantry), later known as just The Duke of
York's Own Rifle Corps and then The Kings Royal Rifle Corps. After the
1960 reforms, the regiment became known as 2nd Battalion, The Royal Green
Jackets. The Royal Green Jackets and now forms part of the Light Division.

The King's Royal Rifle Corps raised a total of 28 Battalions during the
Great War from a pre-war establishment of four regular and two reserve
battalions. [The London based territorial battalions linked to the KRRC
had been taken into the County of London Regiment on 1908.] The regiment
was awarded a total of 60 battle honours and seven of its officers and men
were awarded Victoria Crosses. The regiment lost a total of 12,840
casualties during World War I.

To learn more, you need to search, or have an agent search for you, the War
Office archives at the Public Record Office, Kew.

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.

The World War I Medal Rolls may be of more help in identifying which
battalion he swerved in since they were not affected by the bombing.

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.]


All of 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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