FREDERICK FRANCIS SMITH

[curtisr]

Sometime ago, before the web site was revamped (and a jolly good work was done too), I posted ref my grandfather, Frederick Francis Smith, No. 46855 of the Worcs Regt. Just to keep those that are interested informed (Mike Jones?): I now have proof that he served oringinally from 1899 to 1907 with the No. 5663. He served in South Africa being awarded the QSA medal with 5 clasps. He also served in Ceylon and Malta.
He re-enlisted, I think in 1911 and then transferred to the MMGS with the No. 2452 and then when he came back to the Worc in 1916 he was give 46855. He was awarded the 1914-18 War Medal and the Victory medal.

The search for his medals has just began.

Phil

[Mike Jones]

Hi Phil,
welcome back, it is a gap of two years since you posted last! Thank you for coming back with this new information. It helps me build a bigger picture and fill in some of the gaps. I did wonder how his number got changed to 46855. I now know he left and came back. Where did you get this new information? Be nice to find those medals, do you think they could still be in the family somewhere? When your grandfather re-enlisted in 1911, I think it was in the Royal Artillery. The Motor Machine Gun Corps was a subsection of that, I think. The Machine Gun Corps, in its own right was not formed till very late 1915.
Regards Mike Jones

[curtisr]

Thanks for your reply Mike.

The information on my grandfather came from his papers (Attestation papers and Military History Record) (12 pages in all) that I PlumPudding from Ancestry.com.
The writing is sometimes difficult to understand and some parts of the pages are obscured, but from what I can definitely decipher :

He enlisted 27 Dec 1899 (5663) at Worcester
Discharged regular service 26 Dec 1907
Transferred to the Reserves
Discharged from the Reserves on 26 Dec 11
Re-enlisted in the Worcs on 29 Mar 1912
'Rejoined the Colours' 29 Sep 1914
Promoted Cpl 22 Sep 1914 (10th Batt)
Transferred to the MMGS (RFA) (2452) May 1915
Promotion to Sgt on 1 Nov 1915
Promoted BSM 1 Jun 1916
Promoted to CSM 22 Nov 1916
Appointed A/RSM ? Dec 1916
Reverted to CSM ? Dec 1916
Transferred to Worcs 19 April 1917
He was finally discharged in June 1920

He served overseas:

South Africa 23 Jan 1901 to 1 Apr 1903
Malta 1 Dec 1903 to 22 Oct 1904
Ceylon 23 Oct 1904 to 11 May 05

Battalions he served with:
Depot 27 Dec 1899-24 Mar 190019 Apr 1917
3rd 24 Mar 1900
1st 21 Oct 1902
2nd 28 Jan 1904
1st 8 Jul 1905
4th 30 Nov 1906
Depot 29 Dec 1912
6th 8 May 1914
10th 23 Sep 1914

That is more or less the information gained from the records that I PlumPudding.
You previously said that he would have joined to 4th Batt in 1916, judging by his service number. There is no mention of the 4th other than for 1906.

I am very pleased with it. It has helped a lot.