Worcestershire Regiment

Having just left the Army after 36 years I now have some time on my hands and I am trying to find some more information on my grandfather Arthur Spiers.

9718 Arthur Spiers served in the Worcestershire Regiment during the period 1910-1920 and was awarded the Military Medal during the war. I have the following information:

1. I have his original medals including the MM.

2. I have his Original Discharge Certificate, Character Certificate and a few photos of him in uniform with his mates.

3. He was discharged from the Army on 31/03/1920 having served 10 years with the colours and 3 years in the Army Reserve.

What I am really looking for is his service record, his discharge certificate states that he also previously served in the Military Provost Staff Corps.

I would be very grateful if anyone could provide me information on his service record.

Barry

Hi Barry

I have been researching 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (1914 Star men) for some time and I have your Grandfather on my database. Sadly it seems his service records were destroyed (not on Ancestry anyway) in the German bombing in 1940 and all the information I have on Arthur is as follows:

M.M. London Gazette date 18th July 1917. Promoted to Lance Sergeant. Also served in Military Provost Staff Corps (2368). Clasp & Roses February 1932. Landed in France 30th August 1914. M.M., 1914 Star, British War and Victory Medals.

Your posting added a little more information that I can now add regards to his discharge date and every bit helps. Any additional information (birth details etc.) you could help with would be most appreciated.

Regards

Peter

Thanks Peter, appreciate your reply. So he was in 2nd battalion, that's something I didn't know, thank you. Real shame his Service Records were destroyed, so I guess finding out where he served will be extremely difficult.

The only other information on his discharge certificate is his birth year which was 1887, chevrons 1 red and 2 blue? And had one wound stripe.

I can photocopy his discharge and character certificates if it helps in your research of 2nd Bn?

Regards,
Barry

Can I assume that he was awarded the M.M around July 1917 as it was gazetted that month or would there have been a delay?

Can I also assume that as Arthur landed in France Aug 1914 he would probably have remained with 2nd Battalion throuout the war?

I guess he was transferred to MPSC at the end of the war?

Sorry for all the questions but I am trying to produce a 4 generation military service document for my family:

Grandfather Arthur Spiers M.M - WW1 Worcestershire Regt
Father Frank Spiers - WW2 South Staffs/Para
Me - 36 years in Royal Signals Pte-Lt Col OBE
Son - 29 Cdo Regt RA (still serving)

Barry

Hi Barry,

I have found Arthur Spiers on the 1911 Census serving with 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment at Shaft Barracks, Western Heights, Dover (Dover Castle). Born Walsall 1888 abt. (aged 23, Single). Could this Arthur be your Granfather?

Regarding the chevrons you mentioned these were awarded to soldiers who served oeverseas. Red upto 31st December 1914 and subsequent years the colour was blue (1915, 1916 etc). So from the fact Arthur had 1 red (1914) and 2 blue (years unknown) we can assume he served at least 3 years oversas. He also had 1 wound stripe so at some point Arthur was wounded (could be a report in a local paper). The award for his MM in the London Gazette would have been printed some time after the award was won (time scale I'm not sure about).

Although Arthur was seving with the 2nd Battalion at the start of the war this does not mean he would necessarily have served with them throughout the war.
When he was wounded he may have returned home for treatment and on recovering been sent to another Battalion (without his service papers impossible to say).

Thanks for your offer regarding his discharge and character certificates. You may wish to send them with a photograph of Arthur in unifom to Louis the webmaster of this site to put on the photographs section. (My grandfather is on this section, he served with the 2nd Bn. and maybe he and Arthur knew each other).

If you wish to find out more on the 2nd Battalion (and all the other Worcestershire battalions) during the 1914-18 war then the following is a must for you to consult:

The Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War
By Capt. H. FitzM. Stacke, M.C.
(Your local library may have a copy but if not it can be obtained from The Naval and Military Press, not cheap but well worth it).
www.naval-military-press.com

Hope this helps a little.

Regards

Peter

Many thanks Peter, some great information there, I really appreciate your time, I will keep digging and if I find anything else I will report on here...
Many thanks,
Barry

hello barry,
howard williamson's book ' the great war medal collectors companion' states the mm's listed in the london gazette of 18 july 1917 covers operations from april to early june 1917.

does it say 2nd worcesters on the mm?

steve beard