Accessing WW1 army records

[JMR]

I would love some information about getting hold of the army records for my Dad's Uncles Edwin and William Gaunt. Edwin was born in Bradford in 1882 and William was born in Barrow-in-Furness in 1885. They both served in the Royal Artillery and William was killed in April 1917, in the Theatre of War in France.

I have pictures of both and quite a lot of information, but the photos I have were identified by their siste, my Grandmother, differently from William's descendants. I have letters from William's captain and chaplain giving one accout of his death, saying he fell ill and died peacefully, but his Gt Grandson says the family story passed down by William's wife, is that he was injured and when being taken to hospital the ambulance was shelled and blown up! Did they have ambulances then?

I would love to gain access to their records and see what is documented there. I am hoping there might be photos attached as well, which would settle once and for all, just who was which brother!!!

Would anyone know how I would go about getting their complete army record please. I'm in Australia so any on'line information would be great.

Kind regards,
Jill

 

[p.risboy]

Hi Jill,

Unfortunately there were a lot of WW1 records destroyed during WW2, due to bombing etc.

William Gaunt
Birth - Barrow, Lancs
Death-28 Apr 1917
Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment - Bradford, Yorks
Rank: Bombadier
Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery
Army No. 21144

I understand his wifes name was Emma Gaunt, of II, Newington St., City Rd., Bradford, Yorks.


I'll see what else I can find.


Steve.

 

[JMR]

Hi Jill,

Unfortunately there were a lot of WW1 records destroyed during WW2, due to bombing etc.

William Gaunt
Birth - Barrow, Lancs
Death-28 Apr 1917
Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment - Bradford, Yorks
Rank: Bombadier
Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery
Army No. 21144

I understand his wifes name was Emma Gaunt, of II, Newington St., City Rd., Bradford, Yorks.


I'll see what else I can find.


Steve.

Hi Steve,

That's really bad news about them being destroyed. I have a lot of information on him. It's the fact that I can't now put a face to a name, when I thought that it was all sorted. Even worse his Granddaughter from his Daughter Amy and his Gt Grandson from his son Jack could have the worng picture on their wall.

Cheers,
Jill

 

[p.risboy]

Hi Steve,

That's really bad news about them being destroyed. I have a lot of information on him. It's the fact that I can't now put a face to a name, when I thought that it was all sorted. Even worse his Granddaughter from his Daughter Amy and his Gt Grandson from his son Jack could have the worng picture on their wall.

Cheers,
Jill

I have PM'd you this site.... http://www.firepower.org.uk/

So it might help others in the same boat as yourself.


Steve.

 

[JMR]

I have PM'd you this site.... http://www.firepower.org.uk/

So it might help others in the same boat as yourself.


Steve.

Just tried accessing this Steve and it says the website is being reported to the police. It seems to have been blocked and I can't access it. If I get a knock on the door I'll point them in your direction!!!!>:2fun:

Looking at the URL address again it's not surprising is it?

Cheers,
Jill

 

[p.risboy]

Works fine for me. Looks like you'll be getting that knock on the door.:2fun::2fun:

 

[JMR]

Works fine for me. Looks like you'll be getting that knock on the door.:2fun::2fun:

Yes Australia doesn't have a sense of humour about that kind of language. There are notices all over the airport saying you can be arrested for even talking about anything to do with bombs, even in jest!

 

[oznannie]

Hi JMR I hope this is of help in your search.

1891 census
27 Crown St Bradford (next door is Joshua, Johns bro???)
John Gaunt wool dyer 31
Mary A 29
Edwin 9 all bn Bradford
Wm 6 bn Barrow

sorry can't read the name of street in 1901 Bradford

Mary A married 39 bn Kirkstall no spouse
Edwin 19 dyers labr bn Bradford
William 16 dyers labr bn Barrow
Harry 8, Amy 5, Jenny 3 bn Bradford
Clara?? 2 mnths bn Manningham?

oznannie

 

[susanwillis59]

dont know if you have ancestry but they have a very good collection of WW1 records, i found most of mine that way, and sometimes its amazing what other info is on there, looks like someones looked for you already, from a social aspect yes there was ambulances in WW1 they were mostly driven by VADs voluntary ambulance drivers,who were mostly women, single and many who had trained as nurses, the bravery of these ladies, was incredible , they drove the ambulances all over france in some of the worst of the fighting, many of them died as they actually shelled the amubulances, some of the women where actually ladies who had fought for womens suffrage. sue

 

[oznannie]

Me again
There is another census taken 10yrs after 1901 and for copyrigt reasons we can't give you details.
I can say that Mary Ann is there 49 bn 1852
Amy listed as 18, Harry 15
Jenny 13,
William is born in Barrow and he's 26 yrs of age in Bradford.

oznannie

 

[p.risboy]

Hi Steve,

That's really bad news about them being destroyed. I have a lot of information on him. It's the fact that I can't now put a face to a name, when I thought that it was all sorted. Even worse his Granddaughter from his Daughter Amy and his Gt Grandson from his son Jack could have the worng picture on their wall.

Cheers,
Jill

Same here Jill. I've got 3 pictures of Gt.Uncles in uniform, and can only make calculated guesses for 2 of them, by using their ages.Hardly scientific reasoning, but I'm comfortable with it.

Was one of of your Gaunts a Corporal or a Sergeant. Are there any 'stripes' visible in the photos.

Also, I don't think the Army photographed their soldiers. Most photo's were taken in studio's with a backdrop, and were usually sent home for mother or loved ones. This was usually at the soldiers expense.

Good luck Jill.


Steve.

 

[JMR]

dont know if you have ancestry but they have a very good collection of WW1 records, i found most of mine that way, and sometimes its amazing what other info is on there, looks like someones looked for you already, from a social aspect yes there was ambulances in WW1 they were mostly driven by VADs voluntary ambulance drivers,who were mostly women, single and many who had trained as nurses, the bravery of these ladies, was incredible , they drove the ambulances all over france in some of the worst of the fighting, many of them died as they actually shelled the amubulances, some of the women where actually ladies who had fought for womens suffrage. sue

Hi Sue,

Thanks for this information. I have checked Ancestry and I have all the records that are there for him. Just a medal record and a sheet with some basic details, name, rank, serial number stuff. I did check out William's brothers, Harry and Edwin, records and found a number of sheets of information which I will print and read this morning.

That is amazing information on the status of ambulances in WW1, there were certainly incredible. There was news from NZ yesterday about the young female Aus doctor being understandable traumatised by having to cut of the leg of someone trapped under the rubble of the earthquake in Christchurch, with a swiss army knife, and a hack saw. It brought home to me that this was the day to day life out there in Flanders field. At least her patient survived! They were very brave and selfless, I couldn't do it!

Cheers,
Jill

 

[JMR]

Me again
There is another census taken 10yrs after 1901 and for copyrigt reasons we can't give you details.
I can say that Mary Ann is there 49 bn 1852
Amy listed as 18, Harry 15
Jenny 13,
William is born in Barrow and he's 26 yrs of age in Bradford.

oznannie

Thanks for the census information oznannie. I think I found John Gaunt in the Bradford infirmary in the 1901 data. He died in 1906 when my Grandma, Clara was 4, the story was that he died of Nephritis, but I'm yet to save the money for the cert for him.

 

[JMR]

Same here Jill. I've got 3 pictures of Gt.Uncles in uniform, and can only make calculated guesses for 2 of them, by using their ages.Hardly scientific reasoning, but I'm comfortable with it.

Was one of of your Gaunts a Corporal or a Sergeant. Are there any 'stripes' visible in the photos.

Also, I don't think the Army photographed their soldiers. Most photo's were taken in studio's with a backdrop, and were usually sent home for mother or loved ones. This was usually at the soldiers expense.

Good luck Jill.


Steve.

William was a Bombadier and in my photo which I'll try and find and post he has two stripes. The thin is that Eddie was also in the same regiment, but a gunner, in my picture he has only one strip, however there is such a thing as promotion, so not sure that proves much. I'll know more when I get his army records printed, they were too hard to read on line. I post the 2 pic in contention later on.

The really hilarious thing is there's a third photo supposedly of William on horseback and it looks nothing like either of the others! I have four altogether supposedly William, 2 are not mine and I'm not sure about the ethics of posting those 2 publicly.

Cheers,
Jill

 

[Braveheart]

Hello jill , you could try this site for information

http://www.1914-1918.net/cra.htm

you should find information in there

best regards
braveheart