Military Chat

Have been Trying without any luck to date,about my fathers time in the army,I have a photo of him in Machine Gun Cor uniform ,somebody told me dated around 1920,s maybe served in India?
He was also in the Home Guard 1940/1945.in Surrey
His name William George Ryan ,born Chatham Kent 29th August 1901,Fathers name George Herbert Ryan.

You may be stuck between a rock and a hard place!

Only 40% of WW1 records survive, the rest being destroyed during WW2 bombing. If your father continued to serve after 1920 then his records are still with the MOD.

If you think the later is possible, see the following link on how to apply for his records. Unless your mother is still living, the records will cost £30 and a wait of many months.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

Medal Records from WW1 have survived and can be searched for on the National Archives site. The results link to Ancestry.

The following records are from there

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about W G Ryan
Name: W G Ryan
[Wm George Ryan]
Regiment or Corps: Royal Field Artillery, Gloucestershire Regiment
Regimental Number: 20213, 20213
Entered the service on 6 Jul 1915 - left as a 2nd Lt

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about William G Ryan
Name: William G Ryan
Regiment or Corps: Royal Irish Fusiliers, Labour Corps, C of Hussars
Regimental Number: 18846, 120636, 19428
Entered the Service on 2 Jun 1915

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about William G Ryan
Name: William G Ryan
Regiment or Corps: Royal Field Artillery
Regimental Number: L/44736
It looks as if he was a Driver and entered the Service after 1915


Name: William George Ryan
Regiment or Corps: London Regiment 23rd
Regimental Number: 4033
Unlikely as this person entered the service on 17 May 1915 but discharged due to sickness on 27 Dec 1915

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about William George Ryan
Name: William George Ryan
Regiment or Corps: 6th S Bn, RI Rifs, Royal Air Force
Entered the service on 7 Jul 1915 as a 2nd Lt. Theatre of war in which he first served - the Dardanelles

Men were supposed to be aged 19 before they could enlist (before 27 Jan 1916) or 18 to be conscripted (25 May 1916). Of course many young men did lie about their age and would be discharged if a parent complained.

Re WW2 Home Guard.
Unless he enrolled in the Durham Home Guard, his records are likely to be with the MOD

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

Thank you so much on your findings I will contiue via the MOD.
Many Thanks Alan Ryan.