Hello everyone.
My father and I have started tracing our family history and while we have found out a lot, the family's role in WW1 is still something of a mystery. My grandfather rarely talked about what his father and paternal uncles did, apart from two stories - the first that more than one of them served at Ypres, and another story about one of his Uncles was wounded and was passed over by French medical teams who treated French soldiers only.
Furthermore, we are not even sure how many of my Grandfather's paternal uncles even survived the war, as we have little reliable information about them post war.
The family were all born and bred in Aston, and that this generation, and several beforehand, were brass founders, strip casters or button makers (and one blacksmith).
We do know that my Grandfather's only maternal Uncle (James Edward Roe) joined the Royal Garrison Artillery at their Saltley barracks and fought in France before being killed in action in September 1916. We also know that my Grandfather's paternal uncles lived only around the corner from James Roe, knew him and may have also joined the RGA.
So far I can find very little evidence of which unit my Grandfather's Uncles joined, be it either the Royal Warwickshire or the RGA. Does anyone know whether there was a tendency for Aston/Vauxhall/Saltley lads to join the RGA over the Royal Warwickshire? Or was it evenly spread?
Does the Birmingham City Battalions Book of Honour cover the RGA units and the Saltley Garrisons? If not, can anyone point me in the direction of similar resource (if it exists)?
The names of my Grandfather's uncles, and his father, where as follows:
William George Phillips b ~ 1877
Adam Phillips b ~ 1882
John Wilfred Phillips b ~ 1884
Henry Edward Brightcliffe Phillips b ~ 1886
Arbuthnot Charles Phillips b ~ 1893
Many thanks in advance for any help or advice.
My father and I have started tracing our family history and while we have found out a lot, the family's role in WW1 is still something of a mystery. My grandfather rarely talked about what his father and paternal uncles did, apart from two stories - the first that more than one of them served at Ypres, and another story about one of his Uncles was wounded and was passed over by French medical teams who treated French soldiers only.
Furthermore, we are not even sure how many of my Grandfather's paternal uncles even survived the war, as we have little reliable information about them post war.
The family were all born and bred in Aston, and that this generation, and several beforehand, were brass founders, strip casters or button makers (and one blacksmith).
We do know that my Grandfather's only maternal Uncle (James Edward Roe) joined the Royal Garrison Artillery at their Saltley barracks and fought in France before being killed in action in September 1916. We also know that my Grandfather's paternal uncles lived only around the corner from James Roe, knew him and may have also joined the RGA.
So far I can find very little evidence of which unit my Grandfather's Uncles joined, be it either the Royal Warwickshire or the RGA. Does anyone know whether there was a tendency for Aston/Vauxhall/Saltley lads to join the RGA over the Royal Warwickshire? Or was it evenly spread?
Does the Birmingham City Battalions Book of Honour cover the RGA units and the Saltley Garrisons? If not, can anyone point me in the direction of similar resource (if it exists)?
The names of my Grandfather's uncles, and his father, where as follows:
William George Phillips b ~ 1877
Adam Phillips b ~ 1882
John Wilfred Phillips b ~ 1884
Henry Edward Brightcliffe Phillips b ~ 1886
Arbuthnot Charles Phillips b ~ 1893
Many thanks in advance for any help or advice.
.