Military Chat

The title of the thread "2249 GNR G.A. Ward RA" is what is engraved on the edge of the medal. (as per Margaret's first post.)

Kath. x

Hi PatinCyprus.
His number comes from his war medal which I have here.
I don't know what the other abbreviations are ie GNR and RA. I guess RA is Royal Artillary?
Looks like a possibility from the census that he was from Bolton.
Margaret

Pat -
see also the record I posted at 14:16.

GNR stands for Gunner which is what all privates in the Royal Artillery were called.

Kath. x

This statement could be from research and this is what makes me wonder

"I looked him up in military records last night and got as far as finding his name was George and he was a driver in the war but after that it was subscription only."


other rank which is easily possible as Lance Bombardier rank is lance corporal.

It's because a general search throws up so many.

Can't continue as I am already late to go out. Terrible being so interested in research.



:-D

Thanks for all your help. I started off last night vaguely interested and now I 'm really interested in finding out about him.

Trouble is, Margaret, that there are lots of G.A. Wards in the army so I'm not sure how you can decide where he came from as that isn't on his medal card.

If the medal has been in your family for a long time are you certain he isn't a family member (or someone who has married into the family?) Or could it have been bought more recently by someone in the family who has an interest in militaria?

It's such a shame that so many WW1 Service Records were destroyed by fire.

Kath. x

Hi Kathleen
I didn't know about records in a fire ? during the 2 WW bombing?

Yes, during a bombing raid in 1940.

Read here about the destroyed records:

https://tinyurl.com/7242htl

Thank you. i will. If he was indeed the George Allen Ward found in the 1901 and 1911 census in Bolton his family have a headstone and he is on it died in Belgium 1917.
Margaret

I don't think you can assume that he is George Allen Ward from Bolton - he could be any one of the many G. A. Wards in the army. Do you have any other information that leads you to think the one from Bolton is the one whose medal it is?

I'd say that with the lack of service records to verify his service number with an address then it will be impossible to know who he was.

Kath. x

EDIT: NO, wrong man - wrong army number


On CWGC site:


Gunner WARD, G A
Service Number 230402 <<<<<<<<<<<<
Died 30/12/1917
"B" By. 251st Bde.
Royal Field Artillery

Buried at YPRES RESERVOIR CEMETERY
Location: West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Number of casualties: 1583
Cemetery/memorial reference: IV. A. 5.


His proposed headstone inscription, viewable on CWGC site, gives no age for him.
[But he's commemorated on his family's headstone ]

George Alan Ward
in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Name: George Alan Ward
Gender: Male
Death Date: 30 Dec 1917
Rank: Gunner
Regiment: RFA B/251st Brigade
Regimental Number: 230402

Father: Albert [ at last, a clue! ]


*** EDIT: No, wrong man.

OK am back have read the medal card and there is the following info on it.

It's for the Victory and British Medal so doesn't look like he was fighting 1914/15 time as I can't find the star.

There is an annotation for killed in action for another soldier so looks like he survived the war. Has a date of 19th October 1920 for the paperwork so after the war and would appear to be alive then.

2249 refers to his service number in the Royal Field Artillery (T), T is for Territorials, he had the rank of Gunner (see below.)

960429 refers to his service number in the Royal Field Artillery as a regular with the rank of Gunner then Lance Bombardier

In about 1906 the government asked for men to enlist in the special reserves. My grandfather did this in August 1907, he did training then released to the special reserves June of the following year. He went back to his job but had to do so many days training each year, which he was paid for - they became the Territorials.

My grandfather was mobilised and became a regular at the beginning of WW1. I have a copy of his attestation papers for the South Staffordshire Special Reserves but not as a regular as these documents are part of those destroyed. His medal card also includes the 14/15 star as he was there so early. He survived the war.

Deleted - family gravestone details for wrong man.

Deleted - birth of wrong man.

[ Deleted - info about wrong man.]

George Alan Ward has the wrong service number for the medal.

You're absolutely right, Pat!


My apologies, everyone! Got a bit carried away.

:-D :-D we all get keen but I've done a bit of translation on the medal card so at least the change of numbers is explained for Margaret.