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Right, AL -- that's how I found mine's fake name, was the 1911.


Deaths Jun 1922 ?
Ball William 40 Leicester 7a 218

Births Jun 1882
Ball William Leicester 7a 214

Born just after census date would make him 28 in 1911 census.



I don't subscribe ...

BALL WILLIAM 1883 28 Overseas Military
BALL WILLIAM 1883 28 Overseas Military
BALL WILLIAM 1881 30 Overseas Military


The two aged 28 are probably the first to check out.

Another thought - he should be on the 1911 census, then, with the Army.

You need to find a medal card for him, if poss. As you say, there must be lots with men of that name, but at least he wasn't a Private, so perhaps you can narrow it down!

Just to say that's very true -- as annielaurie helped me find recently, my gr-grfather was in the Dragoon Guards c1907, was thrown out, then joined up again under a different name before 1911, started WWI as a Dragoon Guard -- but finished it with a battlefield commission in the Worcestershire Regiment, where he stayed until c1925!

So the question would be, going at it the other way around: if he was definitely demobbed in Mesopotamia, what unit might he have been with?

You have to agree the Leics Reg 2nd bn seems like a good match. ;)

At the risk of being accused of not reading the thread, how do we know he was in the Leics Regiment right through WW1? Just because he served with them earlier doesn't necessarily mean that he stayed with the same Regiment.


JC As if I'd blame you!

Now AL, I hope you don't blame me for the googling. ;) GA seems to know that his man was demobbed in Mesopotamia, which matches with the location of the regiment, 2nd bn?

Not proof, for sure, but a match?

It most certainly is not clear. I wanted to look at what you'd found on Ancestry but to save ploughing through all the men of the same name on there I was hoping you'd say how his records are indexed to make them easier to find.

Nor is Googling the Regiment proof that he was in 2nd Bn.

Thanks Simon

I did not find the Service History of one my great Uncles but going onto the Manchester Regiment forum I was able to find a great deal of information including a photograph of his battalion before they left for France.

Sorry if I sounded 'snotty' - I have recieved a great deal of information from GR volunteers and I am extremely grateful. If I do not make myself clear it is because I am excited at the information I do get and forget that others may be trying to glean information regarding how to go about these things.

Again sorry for any offence caused.

Also 2nd battalion infor on this page after JaneyCanuck suggested I google the name of the regiment.

Sorry it was Chris that gave me his record number on page one.

Have you checked all the records at FMP?

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/chelsea-pensioners-service-records-collection-search-start.action

BALL William 1881 Leicester, Leicestershire
BALL William 1882 Leicester, Leicestershire

Actually, it wasn't clear in the thread, GA -- back on p.1 you said

"Well it appears that William Ball was in the army twice! From 1900-1902(info collected here)"

and I don't think any of us knew what that meant. Try not to be too snotty; we're all strangers and read many people's stories a day. ;)

FAO wasplainannnowannielaurie

See page 1 - advice from Glitter Baby. Also ALL the information is in this thread, just need to read it.

I'm confused about this thread too! Where did you get the records up to 1902? Ancestry? Where was he born and when?

How do you know he was in 2nd Bn?

Congrats! It does seem that his records must have been destroyed.

I'm waiting to see whether my grandfather's survived. He didn't leave the military after WWI until the mid-1920s, so they aren't released yet. But since you know your man was discharged in 1917, his would be available if they survived, so it seems they didn't.

Googled Leicestershire reigment and he was in the 2nd Battalion. All the information fits.

He was demobbed in Mesopotamia (from siblings,) and they were there in 1917. So thanks all. Maybe wont find his offical records but I am happy to know which battalion he was in for now.

Thanks JaneyCanuck for pointing me in the right direction.

"so were the regiment deployed to serve in the theatre of war?"

Have you actually not googled yet? ;)

By the way he contracted malaria in India and eventually died in the UK 1922 aged 40.