Medal cards

[ian hartwell]

Hi Mike,
Just wondered if you could tell me how to find out the rank and number for my Grt Grandfather William Henry Phillips.The only information I have is from a picture that was in the Berrows journal which said he was in the 5th battalion Worcestershire regiment at a war station.
I have tried checking the medal cards online but without the rank and number its impossible as on the medal cards it doesnt give addresses or anything which I could work out which was the right card.

Thanks Ian

[Mike Jones]

Hello Ian, I like to help where I can and I know the difficulty of narrowing down your man. For those who don't understand the problem, I shall explain. As Ian has already said. he has a relative William Henry Phillips who served in the Worcesters but does not know his regimental number. Without this number Ian can not track his relatives actions in the war. Unfortunately there are eight William Phillips and 4 William H Phillips in the Worcestershire Medal Rolls. Which one is his relative? It can be narrowed down, with luck to one man. Ian, it will take me between 3 to 5 hours to narrow it down. Trouble is you have not ticked the right boxes to get my data-base open ! Please read my posting on the 1st July in the topic "How to research a Great War Soldier". If you decide to reveal a regional location, I will continue. I do need to Know how you know this man was your relative. What was the date of the Berrows Journal ? This narrows down possible numbers. When and where was William born? What else do you know of William's military career?
Regards Mike

[ian hartwell]

Thanks for the reply Mike, the picture in the Berrows Journal was from 11th December 1915 and I know William was my Grt Grandfather because of other family members,photos and family research.
William was born in Grimley Worcestershire in 1877 but from an early age lived in Ombersley Worcestershire.The only other information I have about his military career was from his obituary which said he seved throughout the war and for a time was a pow in Germany.I was also told the same from relatives.
I hope this extra information is of use and thankyou for taking the time to help me out.
Ian

[Mike Jones]

Hello Ian,
I have typed out a reply twice and it wont ****** upload. Now trying this. To see if I can upload anything.
Mike

[Mike Jones]

Hi Ian,
I am trying to post again and will cut it a lot shorter. Your great grand father William is 20158. The other William H Phillips all joined the Worcesters after November 1915. The clincher is that William joined with another man with the surname Phillips. George Phillips, George got 20159. As you know George died of wounds 7.11.1915. Two men joined together, from the same small town, same surname, GOT to be related.
Regards Mike

[LarsA]

According to ANcestry, George could be a younger brother, born in 1895.
All the best,
Lars

[ian hartwell]

Thanks for the reply Mike and for the information on William and for taking the time to find out.
Hope you got the email about the other relatives in the Worcestershire reg and will try to post it if the uploads are now ok, also have a few pictures to try and upload too.
Are there records that I could find out about Williams time as a POW?
Thanks Lars yes George was Williams younger brother had his details from Ancestry and Commonwealth war graves
Ian

[scully]

Hi Ian,

Got your emails OK with the photos. I will add them to the website as soon as I can.

Louis (webmaster)

[Mike Jones]

Hi Ian,
sorry I have been a bit slow responding but absolutely snowed under with mail. I will keep it short as my postings keep getting rejected. The return home of PoW's was always noted in the local papers. Check his local paper from Nov to Jan 1919. The best source is the International Red Cross in Geneva. They will have the date and location he was captured and each of the PoW camps he was in. The bad news is they make a charge for the information. Check out the posting in Regimental Numbers section, put Connor or Conner in the search box. This will show you the type of result you could get.
Regards Mike

[ian hartwell]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the details on how to research a Pow.
Is it possible to find out the details of somebody who served in the Worcestershire Reg before ww1?
Thomas Phillips born Ombersley 16th April 1888 served in the Canadian expeditonary force during ww1 but states on his attestation papers that he served in the Worcestershire Reg for 2 years(he joined CEF in Dec 1914 in Winnipeg Canada)
Would he have been in Canada with the Worcesters?
Ian

[Mike Jones]

Morning Ian,
Yes you can find out about soldiers who served before WW1. Luck as usual plays a part, You could try the Regimental Archives at Norton Barracks. Send them all you know of him, his number would be ideal. I guess you dont have that bit of information yet. The other thing is that the records of soldiers that served before WW1 and finished their time before 1914, never to return. These are not part of WO 364 (The Burnt Records) or WO 365. You will have to search the on-line catalogue of the National archives to find their number. I have never searched these records and dont know the number.
Regards Mike