How would i get this info?

[garydevine1995]

i was just wandering if i could find which platoon e.t.c my great grandfather Alexander mcdermitt allison his brother, my great great uncle James Allison and my other great grandfather William Devine were in. and what battles they may have fought in and where they were during certain years during World War I. alexander and james where from glasgow perhaps govanhill at the time they enlisted and william was in hamilton. i am unsure if another allison brother went to war with them. james twin brother peter may have went and possibly andrew allison. william, as i have heard was the only one that went to war, but maybe his brother thomas went with him. i no Alexander was in the battle of the somme and was later captured but i dont no where he went to or when he was realeased and james died in 1917 and is buried over in france near belgium. i am really interested in when they all signed up and what 'group' they were in. i think william also was in the battle of the somme. could you help me with this or could you tell me where to go for this info.

[AndrewP]

Hi Gary,

The starting point would be the SNWM (Scottish National War Memorial) and the CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) websites.

As an example, on the SNWM website, you get the following results for James Allison deaths in the First World War.

• VIEW Surname Firstname Service Number Date Death SNWM roll Rank
  1 ALLISON James Axel M2/046323 17/03/1915 ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS Pte
  2 ALLISON James Steele Clyde Z/2892 15/03/1917 THE ROYAL NAVY Signalman
  3 ALLISON James Stewart 18/09/1917 THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS) Lt
  4 ALLISON James Ward 332631 21/11/1917 THE ROYAL ENGINEERS Spr
  5 ALLISON James 6803 09/04/1918 ROYAL HORSE AND ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY Dvr
  6 ALLISON James 7505 18/04/1915 THE KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS Pte
  7 ALLISON James 9923 12/03/1915 SCOTTISH CASUALTIES EXTRACTED FROM ENGLISH REGIMENTS Pte
  8 ALLISON James Clyde Z/4923 01/09/1917 THE ROYAL NAVY Able Seaman
  9 ALLISON James S/13945 21/10/1918 THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS) Pte
  10 ALLISON James 20/09/1917 THE ROYAL SCOTS (LOTHIAN REGIMENT) 2nd Lt

If your James is one of these, then on the SNWM website, you click on the result number to get his regiment and some more information. Using that, you should find him on the CWGC website (searchable with first initial rather than first name as on the SNWM website) where there can be some more information.

You will only find the others on these websites if they died in the war. If they survived the war there are other (subscription or pay per view) websites with WWI service records for you to search. Unfortunately many of these records were destroyed by bombing action on London during the Second World War, so you would need to hope that the records you are seeking were not destroyed and are now available online.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

Hello Gary,

I think you sorted James Allison previously. He was Clyde Z/4923 in the Royal Naval Division, as listed above.

Here’s an answer to a very similar question you asked in February. viewtopic.php?f=32&t=15818&hilit=blitz

Copies of the WW1 British Army medal cards are also available from the National Archives however Ancestry has scanned the reverse of the cards and sometimes, rarely, there is additional information there.

Here’s a National Archives guide with a link to the Medal Card search http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... lp=rg-3114

Depending on the rarity of the name you may find many possibilities including some who only have initials for first names. Search for a service record on Ancestry if you have access.

All the best,
Alan

[LesleyB]

For info: Access to Ancestry is free at the Mitchell Library

[garydevine1995]

i cant access ancestory at home but i have got alexander so i will look him up at the mitchell but there are no ovbious william peters james thomas andrews

[Tracey]

Very close to your Alexander

Description
Medal card of Allison, Alexander M C D
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Highlanders 267951 Private
Machine Gun Corps 141190 Private
Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/1
Dept Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War
Piece A'Alezu - Barnes C E
Image contains 1 medal card of many for this collection

And to save you asking http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/docu ... medals.asp has the information of what you may find on a medal card. Not usually much to identify your man as yours at first but may *tally* or help with any other information you find.

[garydevine1995]

i think you have him for sure Tracy, his name is alexander mcdermitt allion so him being down as alexander M C D Allison is correct, the mcd is just short for mcdermitt. how would i upload a picture onto here as i have one of him and on his hat there is a badge and i was wondering if someone would beable to recognise it? or i could sedn it via email to some one who knows their badges.

"Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War
Piece A'Alezu - Barnes C E"

What is piece A'Alezu - Barnes C E

and is there any way in finding where we was a prisoner of war and if he got any medals,same goes for william devine because my great uncle (williams son) is really wanting to no about his father during the war and i would need some guidence on how to get everything i can

[AndrewP]

Hi Gary,

Ancestry has a 12-page set of service records for Alexander McDevitt Allison. These include details of his attestation (1915), to army reserves (1915), enlistment (1916), mobilisation (1916), next of kin, physical description, change of regiment (1916), training as a heavy lorry driver, wounds, being taken prisoner (1917) and his demobilisation (1919).

All the best,

AndrewP

PS.
physical description: (is a mole on the back of the neck a family characteristic? )

[garydevine1995]

Ancestry has a 12-page set of service records for Alexander McDevitt Allison. These include details of his attestation (1915), to army reserves (1915), enlistment (1916), mobilisation (1916), next of kin, physical description, change of regiment (1916), training as a heavy lorry driver, wounds, being taken prisoner (1917) and his demobilisation (1919).

is it possible to mis hear mcdermitt and put them down as mcdevitt. if you did see it could you tell me the next of kin?

[AndrewP]

Hi Gary,

My mistake, Ancestry's record is for Alexander McDermitt Allison. That's what I get for making a reply at nearly 3am.

All the best,

AndrewP