re War Records

ASGROOMBRIDGE · Post by **ASGROOMBRIDGE** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:34 pm

This is going to sound a silly question, how do I look up the war records of my Grandfather Andrew McGowan. I am assuming he was at war from 1914 to at least 1917 as my grandparents married in October 1914 and she had her first child in 1917 and one every 10 months after that. I have no idea what service (again an assumption that it might be the navy). I have searched SP and no births or deaths in the years before 1917.

Thanks,

Audrey

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:52 pm

Do you have any more information on your Grandfather? There are various routes to check but since your grandfather survived it is a bit harder to trace as if he died you could find him on the Commonwealth War Graves Commision.

The main sources for serving soldiers is to look for a Medal Index Card at the National Archives. I did a search for Medal Index Cards (MIC) for him and there were 11 results for the name Andrew McGowan who served in the army.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/docu ... esults.asp?...
(URL modified to keep the forum within screen width - AndrewP)

If he was in the Navy, I believe the records are held at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Surrey(?). But that could just be the Royal Naval Reserves.
This may help you for register's of seamen.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/docu ... ervice.asp

Another source is the service records located at NA. These are not online and only a third survive as many were destroyed during the bombings of WW2. They occur in two series, the unburnt and burnt. The burnt series as the name suggests they are burnt during the fires as a result of the bombing. These records are various and range from small scraps to much pages that are damaged. You would be very lucky to find the man you are looking for in there. I can't remember who it was but someone did a lookup for me on William and John Greenlees in the records but they were not found.

The only way to look at these records is at kew itself, which can be difficult for people to get to. It may be possible that someone is going to Kew for themselves and they can offer to do a lookup for you (anyone going let me know

). A third way is to order up microfilm records at the local LDS centre for about £6 (I think).

A way that I have done is to look for births at NRH when I was down a few weeks ago. I was looking for births during the War Period as there is usually a mention of who the father is serving with, often they are away on service and it is the mother that signs the certificate.

Another place to get help is from the Great War Forum, but if you do not know more than his name it will be quite difficult to get help.
The Forum:
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/

The site linked to the forum is known as the Long Long trail and offers advice on searching for information on relations who served in the War.
http://www.1914-1918.net/

I hope that is of help.

ASGROOMBRIDGE · Post by **ASGROOMBRIDGE** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:43 pm

Thank you so much, I do have his date of birth, he was in the Merchant Navy when one of their little one's passed that#s what made me think he might have been inthe Navy during the war.

Thanks again,
Audrey

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:50 pm

What was his DOB and where was he from?

There are two men listed under Seamen Services with a date of 1885 from Renfrewshire. I am not sure if the 1885 referes to DOB or actual service dates.

Link to Seamens Records

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:51 pm

I can only see one Andrew McGOWAN married in October in 1914, to Mary Jane SEMPLE, and he was born in Lesmahagow, which doesn't match the Registers of Seamen's Services' pair.

David

ASGROOMBRIDGE · Post by **ASGROOMBRIDGE** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:32 pm

Yes that is my very ellusive grandfather, I keep returning to my brick wall with him and spent this morning searching the records for any more children but only came up with two deaths which I had already found for Mary and Jessie and there was my Mum and her sister, I found it odd that from the 1917 my poor grandmother was pregnant every 10 months but nothing between the marriage in October 1914 and my Aunt who was born in 1917 that was what made me think he was at war, am I clutching at straws do you think.

Audrey

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:41 pm

So those records on NA are for your grandfather? If so have you had a look at them? I would be interested to know what he got up to.

Clutching at the straws is good.

It is clear evidence for being away on service unless she had problems bearing children in those years. Most of the marriages I have traced take place after the war when some people are in their late 20s and 30s and I take that as evidence that the person has been in the war. Not always the case though.

ASGROOMBRIDGE wrote:Yes that is my very ellusive grandfather, I keep returning to my brick wall with him and spent this morning searching the records for any more children but only came up with two deaths which I had already found for Mary and Jessie and there was my Mum and her sister, I found it odd that from the 1917 my poor grandmother was pregnant every 10 months but nothing between the marriage in October 1914 and my Aunt who was born in 1917 that was what made me think he was at war, am I clutching at straws do you think.

Audrey

ASGROOMBRIDGE · Post by **ASGROOMBRIDGE** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:04 pm

Sorry Andy,

I seem to missed something, which one are you talking about I found 12 names but no dates of birth so did not know where to start apart from ordering all of them. His dob was 9/4/1884.

Sorry if I am being a bit thick,

Audrey

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:34 pm

Theres a small link in one of my posts above to the Seamens Records, however the date you just mentioned does not match the dates on the records. As for the soldiers, you wont get a DOB or anything like that on the MICs, they just list what medals they are entitled to and sometimes when and where they entered service.

You could cross check them with the CWGC to see who died and rule them out.

3 McGOWAN, A Corporal 11765 15/02/1916 Unknown Royal Scots United Kingdom II. C. 141. BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (NORD)

5 McGOWAN, A Private 28806 02/07/1916 Unknown The King's (Liverpool Regiment) United Kingdom C. 9. ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY

7 McGOWAN, A Private 14111 06/11/1917 Unknown Royal Scots United Kingdom B. 103. DEIR EL BELAH WAR CEMETERY

8 McGOWAN, ANDREW Private 40918 23/07/1918 Unknown King's Own Scottish Borderers United Kingdom I. C. 39. BUZANCY MILITARY CEMETERY

ASGROOMBRIDGE · Post by **ASGROOMBRIDGE** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:19 am

Thank you so much, yes he did survive it was after 1920 that he dissappeared, makes me wonder if he is under a patio somewhere lol did they have patio's in those days.

Audrey