I am interested in finding out more about my grandfather’s involvement in the Army from about 1918 onwards.
He was born Thomas Audritt on 4 December 1899 in London (St Georges in the East). He married just after the war finished on November 24th 1918 and his occupation then is listed as ‘Soldier’. No regiment is mentioned.
On his wedding certificate he changed his name from Audritt to Aldritt – I believe this was prompted by my grandmother who thought the original spelling was incorrect – I think she could read and write better than he could.
My grandparents first son died on 1st Feb 1919 aged 7 months and on the death certificate my granddad is listed as Thomas Aldritt, No 376470, Rifleman, 8th London Regiment (Tent dresser). On the son’s birth certificate no father is listed – presumably at the time as he was born out of wedlock and quite possibly because this child was not fathered by my grandfather.
I have looked on Ancestry in the military records for both Thomas Audritt and Thomas Aldritt. There is nothing for the former name but there may be for the second – a medal for a T. Aldritt from the battle of Loos in 1915 – however I don’t think this can be my grandfather as would have only been 15 years old.
I believe therefore that his service records would probably have been amongst those destroyed in the 1940 fire.
Is there any other way to approach this to see where and when he served? The fairly strong rumour in the family is that as the youngest of three brothers (one of whom Henry Audritt was taken POW) he was persuaded to ‘disappear’ – or he persuaded himself to on turning 18 in December 1917. It would be good to find out after all this time what the true story was.
He was born Thomas Audritt on 4 December 1899 in London (St Georges in the East). He married just after the war finished on November 24th 1918 and his occupation then is listed as ‘Soldier’. No regiment is mentioned.
On his wedding certificate he changed his name from Audritt to Aldritt – I believe this was prompted by my grandmother who thought the original spelling was incorrect – I think she could read and write better than he could.
My grandparents first son died on 1st Feb 1919 aged 7 months and on the death certificate my granddad is listed as Thomas Aldritt, No 376470, Rifleman, 8th London Regiment (Tent dresser). On the son’s birth certificate no father is listed – presumably at the time as he was born out of wedlock and quite possibly because this child was not fathered by my grandfather.
I have looked on Ancestry in the military records for both Thomas Audritt and Thomas Aldritt. There is nothing for the former name but there may be for the second – a medal for a T. Aldritt from the battle of Loos in 1915 – however I don’t think this can be my grandfather as would have only been 15 years old.
I believe therefore that his service records would probably have been amongst those destroyed in the 1940 fire.
Is there any other way to approach this to see where and when he served? The fairly strong rumour in the family is that as the youngest of three brothers (one of whom Henry Audritt was taken POW) he was persuaded to ‘disappear’ – or he persuaded himself to on turning 18 in December 1917. It would be good to find out after all this time what the true story was.
........and did he marry Daisy Plummer.?