Find Ancestors

Thank you so much to every one who replied to my request. The information you supplied has been of great help.
Regards
Angela

soldiers' records (1914-1920)

Search military records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks on Ancestry (£) including service records (WO 363), pension records (WO 364) and campaign medal cards.

These cover regular soldiers who may have enlisted as early as 1892 for 22 years' service as well as a small number of stray service records of pre-war soldiers who did not serve from 1914-1920.

You should find

soldiers discharged between 1914 and 1920
soldiers killed in action between 1914 and 1920
soldiers who served in the war and died of wounds or disease without being discharged to pension
soldiers who were demobilised at the end of the war

Many army service records between 1914 and 1920 do not exist as they were destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940 - only about 40% survive.

The condition of the surviving service records can vary greatly - some are badly damaged.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/britisharmysoldierafter1913.htm

W097 (Chelsea pensioners records) only goes upto 1913

Did he work on the railways?

UK, Railway Employment Records, 1833-1963

Name: William Enos Lawrence
Residence Date: 20 May 1885 - actually his birth date.
Station: Exeter, Devon
Company: London and South Western
Class Number: 411
Piece: 515
Description: Register of wages staff 1896 - 1927

Appointed 1919. He was 5' 8" tall, married, and started on 18/- per week.

(no other details given, other than Enlistment 15/2/01 Discharge 28/6/16)

Chris :)

Dear Chris

Thank you so much for all of the info on my grand father

Does it give details of where he lived after being discharged .

Dear Chris

Thank you for your reply, yes that is the correct William Lawrence.

Births Jun 1885 (>99%)
-------------------------------------------------------
Lawrence William Enis Eastry 2a 938

(for reference, is this his Birth?)

Chris :)

Chelsea Pensioners British Army service records 1760-1913 (WO97)

(not seeing anything on above, Find My Past)


UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920
Name: Wm. Enis Lawrence (Cause of Discharge, Sickness, Served Overseas, Yes)
Discharge Unit: Royal Field Artillery 44 Res. Bty.
Regiment Number: 14848
Rank: Corpl
Badge Number: 81774
Unit: Royal Horse; Field Artillery (Charlton; Woolwich)
Piece: 2965
List Number: RA 0001-0300
Record Group: WO
Record Class: 329

Historical Background
The British Empire lost more than 700,000 service personnel killed in World War 1. An even greater number were discharged because of wounds or illness. In September 1916, King George V authorized the Silver War Badge (SWB) to honor all military personnel who had served at home or overseas since 4 August 1914 and who had been discharged because of wounds or illness. The SWB was a small, circular badge made of sterling silver, bearing the king’s initials, a crown, and the inscriptions ‘For King and Empire’ and ‘Services Rendered’.
The SWB was not simply an honor; it also served a practical purpose. At the time, men of military age who were not obviously in the service were sometimes accosted or insulted by civilians presenting them with white feathers — a symbol of cowardice — for shirking their patriotic duty. The badge served as an outward symbol that the wearer’s duty to country had been honorably fulfilled.


(his Medal Card says awarded S War Badge)

Iam trying to find information on my grand fathers discharge papers.

William Enis (Enos) Lawrence.

Army number 14848 was de mobbed on the 04/07/1916 at Leamington Spa.

He served in the Royal Field Artillery.

1901 census shows him in the 107th Battery Royal Field Artillery, In the 1911 census it shows him stationed in India serving in the 85th Battery Royal Field Artillery.

I have a copy of the British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
which shows his theatre of war as being Egypt and qualifying for discharge on 01/04/1915.

It has been mentioned that William was missing in action, presumed dead, but he definitely survived his time in the army

If anyone is going to Kew and is able to look this up for me and take copies i would be most grateful.

Someone previously said to look at discharge papers in W097