Where to obtain my grandad’s war record

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johnnytapia

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29 Feb 2012
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I’m trying to ascertain (mainly for my dad, but also for personal/family interest) my grandad’s military service records. He was a soldier by trade (I.e. non-conscripted) and served in the army from circa 1925 to end of WW2. He then joined civvy street. In WW2 I know he sailed on MS Batory to Egypt where he was based for part of WW2.
Where / who would I go to to try and get:
Full details of his service
Campaign Medal details - I’m assuming all soldiers would receive at least one, and my grandad possibly another linked to service in Africa.
I don’t know his exact date of birth, it was circa 1905. I do know he was born raised and lived in New Moston.
Any and all help greatly appreciated
 
johnnytapia said:
I’m trying to ascertain (mainly for my dad, but also for personal/family interest) my grandad’s military service records. He was a soldier by trade (I.e. non-conscripted) and served in the army from circa 1925 to end of WW2. He then joined civvy street. In WW2 I know he sailed on MS Batory to Egypt where he was based for part of WW2.
Where / who would I go to to try and get:
Full details of his service
Campaign Medal details - I’m assuming all soldiers would receive at least one, and my grandad possibly another linked to service in Africa.
I don’t know his exact date of birth, it was circa 1905. I do know he was born raised and lived in New Moston.
Any and all help greatly appreciated
Click to expand...


Have you tried here mate? You can view the records for free on site or order them online if you have the details I believe.

British Army soldiers of the First World War - The National Archives

This is a guide to the records of British Army soldiers who served in the First World War. Some First World War veterans continued to serve with the army after the war and for the records of these soldiers you should follow the advice in our guide to British Army soldiers of the Second World […]
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
 
I found my GGF war record on the Commonwealth War Graves website. I think they have all service records on there not just deceased. Might be wrong but worth a go. Good luck.
 
johnnytapia said:
I’m trying to ascertain (mainly for my dad, but also for personal/family interest) my grandad’s military service records. He was a soldier by trade (I.e. non-conscripted) and served in the army from circa 1925 to end of WW2. He then joined civvy street. In WW2 I know he sailed on MS Batory to Egypt where he was based for part of WW2.
Where / who would I go to to try and get:
Full details of his service
Campaign Medal details - I’m assuming all soldiers would receive at least one, and my grandad possibly another linked to service in Africa.
I don’t know his exact date of birth, it was circa 1905. I do know he was born raised and lived in New Moston.
Any and all help greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
My brother did this regarding our relatives but I think theres a cost as it was through ancestary dunno if there are free avenues to find this info tho
uk.forceswarrecords.com

Forces War Records - Historical military records

Discover original military records including personal documents, photos, and stories from brave men and women who served. Access sources from the US and UK national archives today.
uk.forceswarrecords.com uk.forceswarrecords.com
 
mexico1970 said:
Have you tried here mate? You can view the records for free on site or order them online if you have the details I believe.

British Army soldiers of the First World War - The National Archives

This is a guide to the records of British Army soldiers who served in the First World War. Some First World War veterans continued to serve with the army after the war and for the records of these soldiers you should follow the advice in our guide to British Army soldiers of the Second World […]
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Click to expand...
Cheers will have a look
 
Manchester Central Library also has a number of collections of records including I understand service records. They have a help desk as well.
Plus the The Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society are excellent sources and work with the Library.

I got the information about my grandfather’s death during WW1 from the War office Records. It was about 15 yrs ago and I don’t remember paying anything but that might have changed now.
 
Eccles Blue said:
Manchester Central Library also has a number of collections of records including I understand service records. They have a help desk as well.
Plus the The Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society are excellent sources and work with the Library.

I got the information about my grandfather’s death during WW1 from the War office Records. It was about 15 yrs ago and I don’t remember paying anything but that might have changed now.
Click to expand...
Brill will have a look
 
We got my father in law's records. He fought Rommel in the desert, was at Anzio then sent to Palestine. The record was very sparse and difficult to understand. No more than a couple of pages.
 
johnnytapia said:
I’m trying to ascertain (mainly for my dad, but also for personal/family interest) my grandad’s military service records. He was a soldier by trade (I.e. non-conscripted) and served in the army from circa 1925 to end of WW2. He then joined civvy street. In WW2 I know he sailed on MS Batory to Egypt where he was based for part of WW2.
Where / who would I go to to try and get:
Full details of his service
Campaign Medal details - I’m assuming all soldiers would receive at least one, and my grandad possibly another linked to service in Africa.
I don’t know his exact date of birth, it was circa 1905. I do know he was born raised and lived in New Moston.
Any and all help greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Hiya mate from from what you’re saying he’d have been at the very least awarded 1939-45 Star, Africa Star and WW2 Service medal and possibly LSGC (Long Service and Good Conduct Medal) if he was a good lad or never got caught. Do you know which Regiment/Corps he served with? Moston was a recruiting area for the Manchester Regiment, my Dads side of the family were from Moston and Collyhurst and have a bit of history with that regiment.
 
I often think about this....my Dad was from Urmston, born early 1945 and served in the Marines and then the RAOC....however i havent had any contact with him since the md-80s. However his Dad, my paternal granddad was in the Air Force...he too was from Moss Side but shot down over France late 1944. I believe he was navigator in a Lancaster (not sure if there would be a different title for that job?)

I have little/no contact with the Manchester side of my family and often wonder am i perhaps conversing with family on here :-)
 
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Scaley said:
Hiya mate from from what you’re saying he’d have been at the very least awarded 1939-45 Star, Africa Star and WW2 Service medal and possibly LSGC (Long Service and Good Conduct Medal) if he was a good lad or never got caught. Do you know which Regiment/Corps he served with? Moston was a recruiting area for the Manchester Regiment, my Dads side of the family were from Moston and Collyhurst and have a bit of history with that regiment.
Click to expand...
Cheers for that mate. My dad, bless him, can’t remember what regiment his dad was in. The only thing I / we have is a medal that was given to my grandad in 1931. It’s not a war medal ; from the info I’ve gathered it was for military personnel who passed through the AVTC (Army Vocational Training Corps) based in Chiseldon near Swindon:

Who Was at Chiseldon Camp in WWII?​

Between the wars the Army Vocational Training Corps taught soldiers skills for their return to civilian life.

This is the “medal” my grandad got.
1753441924207.jpeg
 
So i just bothered to do a bit of digging and found out more in 30 mins than i have my while life!! I now know my GreatGrandads service number, his squadron....that his plane was shot down over Paris the day after D-Day and i know where he is buried in France!!

Think i might get into this Ancestry / Family Tree thing


If any of you know of the surname Hill from Flixton / Urmston gimme a shout :-)
 
AlexWilliamsGloves said:
So i just bothered to do a bit of digging and found out more in 30 mins than i have my while life!! I now know my GreatGrandads service number, his squadron....that his plane was shot down over Paris the day after D-Day and i know where he is buried in France!!

Think i might get into this Ancestry / Family Tree thing


If any of you know of the surname Hill from Flixton / Urmston gimme a shout :-)
Click to expand...
That’s brilliant. We have to do this stuff to keep their memories alive. All gave some; some gave all.
 
AlexWilliamsGloves said:
So i just bothered to do a bit of digging and found out more in 30 mins than i have my while life!! I now know my GreatGrandads service number, his squadron....that his plane was shot down over Paris the day after D-Day and i know where he is buried in France!!

Think i might get into this Ancestry / Family Tree thing


If any of you know of the surname Hill from Flixton / Urmston gimme a shout :-)
Click to expand...
Where did you go to to get the information?
 
AlexWilliamsGloves said:
So i just bothered to do a bit of digging and found out more in 30 mins than i have my while life!! I now know my GreatGrandads service number, his squadron....that his plane was shot down over Paris the day after D-Day and i know where he is buried in France!!

Think i might get into this Ancestry / Family Tree thing


If any of you know of the surname Hill from Flixton / Urmston gimme a shout :-)
Click to expand...
It's fascinating isn't it. I haven't done it for a while but used to spend hours researching.
 
johnnytapia said:
I’m trying to ascertain (mainly for my dad, but also for personal/family interest) my grandad’s military service records. He was a soldier by trade (I.e. non-conscripted) and served in the army from circa 1925 to end of WW2. He then joined civvy street. In WW2 I know he sailed on MS Batory to Egypt where he was based for part of WW2.
Where / who would I go to to try and get:
Full details of his service
Campaign Medal details - I’m assuming all soldiers would receive at least one, and my grandad possibly another linked to service in Africa.
I don’t know his exact date of birth, it was circa 1905. I do know he was born raised and lived in New Moston.
Any and all help greatly appreciated
Click to expand...

AlexWilliamsGloves said:
So i just bothered to do a bit of digging and found out more in 30 mins than i have my while life!! I now know my GreatGrandads service number, his squadron....that his plane was shot down over Paris the day after D-Day and i know where he is buried in France!!

Think i might get into this Ancestry / Family Tree thing


If any of you know of the surname Hill from Flixton / Urmston gimme a shout :-)
Click to expand...

Having a service number is a good start. Also the division / squadron or whatever reference to the part of the military. Its much easier to find out what a larger group was up to than any individual.

I have my Grandads service number but didn't get much from that. I did know the name of the ship he spent much of the war on. The ship was a specialist command ship for the army to use during beach assaults. The ship was involved from torchwood (North Africa) to Italy (sicily and anzio) to d day normandy.

I'm pretty sure he was at all these key battles but would have been on the ship. I do know he was on the beach at anzio. And his ship was the command ship of gold beach. It was one of very few allied ships hit by a shell (other than the landing craft on the beach).
 
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