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The National Roll

barrie

barrie

master brummie
Can someone help me please with a look-up on The National Roll.

Both my grandads served in WWI, I have found my paternal grandad, he served in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, but I'm blowed if I can find my mom's father.

His name was James William Oldfield, he was born 25 Jul 1884. On the 1912 Electoral Roll he is in Lennox Street, and on the 1920 Electoral Roll he is in Tower Street. He is not on the Absent Voters list in 1918.

My mom told me that her father had been a stretcher bearer, and that he had been gassed and shell shocked and sent back to England. The strange thing is, before he went into the forces he worked as a silversmith at Elkintons, but after the war, he only ever worked at labouring jobs, perhaps because of his injuries?

Any help would be graetly appreciated.

barrie.
 

I too have had the same problem with people supposedly fought in WW1, some with a good amount of detail,. but not listed on Birmingham or National Roll of Honour. How accurate were they??

Also - random thought here - in your case could a stretcher bearer not actually be listed as in the Army - but some other outfit??

Steve
 
I do believe relatives gave the information for the National Roll on the understanding they bought a copy of the book. That is why not every service man/woman from Birmingham is in the book.

Terry
 
My thoughts too Steve. I am beginning to wonder now whether he might in fact have been a Concientious Objector (sp) This might explain all.

barrie
 
That could be another explanation Terry, they were always hard-up. :)

Think I might have to give up on James William.

barrie
 
Steve C said:
I too have had the same problem with people supposedly fought in WW1, some with a good amount of detail,. but not listed on Birmingham or National Roll of Honour. How accurate were they??

Steve
Click to expand...

When I checked my Royal Warwicks database against the Birmingham Roll of Honour I found 2825 men. However, a further 381 men who are Brummies according to CWGC and SDGW are not in the Birmingham Roll.
 
I have an original of the book and it only contains men from Birmingham not Aston. As Terry has said, it is well known that the book is incomplete. Also there are civilians documented, again not all. It's a useful source but thats all.
 
Slightly "off topic" but I have had a similar problem with the records on Ancestry. My dads father (Hubert Edward Wells)was in the 8th Bn OBLI in Salonika, but according to Ancestry there are no records for him.

I have his medal card, so I know he was serving as a volunteer from when he arrived in France in Sep 1915 until the end of the war.

barrie
 
It has to be remembered that only 1 in 3 records survive from the 1914-18 War.
 
Wendy, Johns database is in Microsoft Works database, you will need that to open it, perhaps John could supply both databases again in another format.

Colin
 
I couldn't open the link either. But I don't have Microsoft Works. Can it be opened in anything else?
 
Hi Terry

Can you help me find my grandfather, George Herbert Osborne, from Aston, in WW1 and/or WW2? He was in the Staffordshire Regiment.


Harborne
 
Hi...I have just checked the roll calls, I had no problems opening them up,
I used both Excel and Works Database formats......
With any luck I hope to update the roll call sometime in the next 12 months, it will include the men from Nechells,
 
Hello Harborne

There is a George H Osborne listed in the Medal card Index serving in the South Staffordshire Regt. Two service number: 40172 and 8101. Do you have his medals? His service number will be on the edge or back.

Terry
 
Hello Terry

Thanks very much for your help. Sad to say, I have nothing of my grandfather's, nor have I ever seen anything belonging to him. Would you say it's safe to assume that this is the correct George Osborne? I mean, could there have been two serving in the same regiment?


Harborne
 
Hello Harborne

There are several George H Osborne's that served in various regiments in WW1. However only one name came up on the search for George Herbert Osborne and he served in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. How do you know he served in the South Staffs? It was always thought my grandfather served in the Royal Warwicks in WW1, but, he actually served in The Royal Artillery. Have you an address that he lived at in 1918? If he was over 21 years old he might be on the Birmingham Absent Voters List.

Regards

Terry
 
There doesn't appear to be a George Herbert Osborne in the 1918 Absent Voters List, these were the only George Osborne's I could find. Sorry if its a bit oversize. If it causes problems please remove my posting.

barrie

1918St Martins & Deritend Ward 896752 HarrisonGeorge Osborne5510117, RFAHIGHGATE STREET1918Soho Ward 2685684 OsborneGeorge Frederick25S4/239754, Pte, 514 Coy, ASCIVY ROAD1918Rotton Park Ward 3434871 ManyerGeorge Osborne36129609, Pnr, 352nd Co, RELINK ROAD1918All Saints Ward 5016118 OsborneGeorge164BZ3912, OS,NEW JOHN STREET WEST1918Kings Norton Ward 2972951 OsborneGeorge253539, RGATWYNING ROAD1918Aston Ward 91476 OsborneGeorge108116241, Pte, 194 Lab CoyWAINWRIGHT STREET1918Washwood Heath Ward 2103851 OsborneGeorge Wilfred103655, Pte, 16 CCB, Army Cyc CorpsWARREN ROAD
 
Terry, Barrie, thanks. I have no street, but I know he was born in 1890-91 if that any help. My mum told me he was with the Staffordshire Regiment but I suppose she could have been mistaken. I'm attaching a photo of him in his uniform and perhaps you can help from that? He's the one with the drum.

Harborne
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Off Topic

Hi again Terry

I'm afraid I've taken this thread off topic a bit. I've already got a thread recently started on George Herbert Osborne so if anyone wants to reply to me perhaps they could use that thread?

Thanks.

Harborne
 
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