Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere!



Go Back   Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere! > Research > What Did Your Relative Do In The Great War?

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 26-03-24, 13:38
bobb1960 bobb1960 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: Gosport, Hants, UK
Posts: 12
Default Trying to decipher this from marriage certificate

Trying to track down my grandfathers WWI service records - I note the following information from his marriage certificate (from 1915):

Under section 5 - Profession:

Driver
115th Co. [Company ?]
11th Division Train [Train seems to make no sense?]
A S.C
(farm labourer) [I guess this his previous occupation, pre conscription]

Can anyone shine any light on this information, what it means and where I should go to discover more detail?

Thanks in advance, Bob B
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 26-03-24, 13:49
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

Not all WWI service records have survived; in fact a lot of them have not.

ASC = Army Service Corps.

If you can post up his name we could search for any records that are available.

Wikipedia has a page about the 11th (Northern) Division - see link below. It includes mention of Divisional Transport: 11th Divisional Train, Army Service Corps (ASC) – remained in England when division went to Gallipoli; later joined 26th Division in Salonika - 112th, 113th, 114th 115th Companies, ASC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_(Northern)_Division
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 26-03-24, 13:59
bobb1960 bobb1960 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: Gosport, Hants, UK
Posts: 12
Default

Thank you for the immediate and detailed response - this is much appreciated.
His name was George Bowden, from Exeter, Devon.
Born 1890 (I'm awaiting his birth certificate for full details). Died 12/7/1956.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 26-03-24, 16:44
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

Ancestry has an entry for a George Bowden of 4 Gilpin Place, Fore St, Exeter, service number T2/13654 in the RASC (i.e. Royal Army Service Corps - the Royal bit was added in 1918), in the UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards database, but there is only a small image on Ancestry itself and the proper images are on their separate military site Fold3 (or Forces War Records):

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discovery...=successSource

On the corresponding medal index card, it says he was a Driver and he qualified for the Victory medal and the British War medal:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...ce&pId=1678708

If you can't view this on Ancestry, it is free to download from the National Archives website if you make an account and log in (it says £3.50 but when you log in it will be free):
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D1418330

The service papers are available on Ancestry (they will also be on Findmypast) and give his age as 25 when he joined up in 1914, and his birthplace as Chagford, Devon. But his occupation is baker, so I'm not sure whether he is the right person! This is the link to the first page on Ancestry, then you can go through the other pages from there:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discovery...=successSource

It says he married Amy Dyer 16 Jun 1915 so I guess you will know from that whether it's the right record.
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 26-03-24, 19:15
Katarzyna's Avatar
Katarzyna Katarzyna is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 369
Default

From The Great War (1914-1918) Forum.

A Divisional Train was a key link in the resupply chain. Pack trains (rail) originated at the Channel ports and went forward to the railhead. From there, the Divisional Supply Column (mechanical) carried the stores forward to the Replenishment Point where they were handed over to the Divisional Train (horse) that carried them forward to where they were turned over to the units at the Delivery Point (DP). In practice, the process was modified based on local circumstances.
Railhead
the point at which material and personnel are transferred from rail to another conveyance.

Edit:

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army...isional-train/
__________________
Kat

Last edited by Katarzyna; 26-03-24 at 19:23.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 26-03-24, 19:34
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

I'm a bit concerned that the George who died in Q3 1956 was aged 69.
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 26-03-24, 19:56
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

Quote:
It says he married Amy Dyer 16 Jun 1915 so I guess you will know from that whether it's the right record.
I think that must be him as there's only the one George Bowden marrying in 1915.

In 1921 George (with wife Amy and daughter Mary E, 6y 3m (born before the marriage) and George H, 1y 8m) is b Chagford and aged 33y 2m which suggests a birth before 1890.

Chagford was in Okehampton district when George was born, but I don't see a birth reg there. There is this baptism though:

Name George Bowden
Baptism Date 3 Jul 1887
Baptism Place Chagford, Devon, England
Religion Anglican
Father Henry Bowden
Mother Emma Bowden

What father's details are on the 1915 marriage cert?

You say you are waiting for his birth cert. Did you know you can download birth records from the GRO (up to 1923) for £2.50 and you don't have to wait for them!
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 26-03-24, 20:01
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Merry View Post

What father's details are on the 1915 marriage cert?
While we wait for the answer to that, I just thought I should point out that on the service papers for the George who married Amy Dyer, his next of kin is given as father Harry Bowden of Thorne, Chagford, Devon, which is then crossed out and replaced with Mrs A Bowden, presumably Amy. The marriage was at the register office so no use us trying to find the record online!
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 26-03-24, 20:04
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

And further through the service papers, it does say Company 115. Also "born in the year 1887".
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 26-03-24, 20:18
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

Quote:
(farm labourer) [I guess this his previous occupation, pre conscription]
Just for info, he would have been a volunteer rather than conscripted, as that didn't start until March 1916.
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:14.


Hosted by Photon IT

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7 PL3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.