Genealogy Chat

jessica,
My grandfather was in the 12th Lancers when he married in 1913....I e-mailed the regiment museum,and they were able to verify my grandfather was where he said he was and also give us his regimental number....I managed to trace his army records and found the rest of his family.
:Perhaps if you googled 17th lancers museum....you might get some info that could be of help.
Good Luck
Kay

Thanks. I'll have a look and next time I'm in London I'll journey to Kew.

He's definitely an interesting character and it may not be straight forward trying to find his documents. He definitely was enlisted as my Grandmother had a photo of him in full military regalia - but whether its was the 17th Lancers who knows!?! I'll have to dig the photo out.

Kind regards.

Worth looking for discharge papers - the story might not have been true!

Otherwise, you can follow his career on the muster rolls at the National Archives, although they only go up to the mid 1890's or so. A slow process though! The Musters will tell you where he was all through his career and will mention any disciplinary or medical matters. They will also show when he left and perhaps why!

They HAVE got discharge papers at Kew - no need to ask them. They are under ref WO97 and are filed in date band. I suggest you read the research guides on the British Army on their website - these will tell you what they have.

But if he went AWOL and left the country under another name would there be any discharge papers?

Where would I find information about him going AWOL?

I've searched the national archive and the only papers that appear are the pay lists from that time. I can't find any service records as such for that time period. I've found the QRL website and for individual service records prior to the great war, they direct you to the Nat. Archive.

If I contact the archive direct will they be able to tell me if they have such records?

Thanks for your help guys.

Jessica

His discharge papers if they have survived, will be at the National Archives - not online though- you'd have to go there or get someone to go for you. If there are no discharge papers for him, there are other records at the National Archives but they are more time-consuming to search.

Thanks guys. I was hoping to find some more specific stuff. I've had a look at the archives and there are 3 pay lists - which I'll venture and see if I can locate.

Should I be looking anywhere else. I know the time frame I need to look at is around 1881 - 1889.

For some history about the regiment use the link i posted above and again below

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_Lancers

You could try the national archives site for records but i think you may need to visit as i am not sure that records that early are online but still worth a try

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/


also try Google searches, they can be a good way to find info


Roy

Hi Roy,

Thanks for your response.

The time frame that we believe he was enlisted was round 1888 - this was the time he was married to my Gt Grandmother and was still listed as a Pvte. in the 17th Lancers as his occupation.

My Gt Grandfather had several alias.' He was born James Parr in 1865. However by the time he married in 1888 he was known as Rodger Anderson. In 1891 his wife and first born child return from Kansas, USA and are listed as visiting (but no sign of James). By 1901 James was known as James Howard and was till moving around but the Yorkshire area working as a coal miner. In the 1911 census he has changed his name again to James Parker (all his children are known as Parker by this point) and this is the name he was burried with.

We don't know why he had alias' however we do believe that he went AWOL from the army (this was what my grandmother has been told) and left to start a new life in america where he joined the american army. Obviously for what ever reason (???) that didn't work out and he returned to England.

Now I have tracked his alias' I want to fill in the gaps - no matter how gritty :o)

Any idea where I can find information about the regiment at around this time?

Kind regards,

Jessica

What time period?

you could try Ancestry for WW1

- British Army WWI Medal Rolls - Updated
- British Army WWI Service Records
- British Army WWI Pensions

or the national archives


http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/power-search.asp?searchType=powersearch


WW2 you need


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

Also

The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, most famous for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. Various amalgamations have resulted in its absorption into the Queen's Royal Lancers (which also incorporates the 5th Lancers, 16th Lancers and 21st Lancers).

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_Lancers

Ps, What do you meen (porkie pies)

Roy

I'm hoping someone can help me?

My Gt Grandfather was a private in the 17th Lancers (so his marriage certificate says although we know he was prone to porkie pies) and I was wondering where I could find out if this was true and perhaps the details of his service(if any)?

Can anyone guide me in the right direction?

All help appreciated!

Kind regards,

Jessica