Info on tracing army background from WWI

[Eoin666]

I'm trying to trace my grandad's background, all I know is he was in the Ox and Bucks light infantry, no more than that, think he enlisted in 1914 served on western front, maybe at the Somme (?), he was in Dublin in 1916, and later either Turkey or Dardanelles. According to my mother he later contracted cerebral malaria in Russia (?) and was invalided back to Blighty. I'm sure Russia can't be right as he came back in 1918, I thought the Russian civil war was 1919? Anyway I don't think it was something he ever really discussed with his daughter, my mother!

Ideally I'd like to be able to trace to a unit and find where that unit served in WWI. Any ideas, what records I could check?

[Green_Machine]

To the best of my knowledge, Royal Army records from WW I are held by the National Archives, post WW I are held by the MOD.

My suggestion would be to gather as much info as you can on your Grandfather from your family records, such as full name, date of birth, service number, unit etc and then contact the archives with your request.

[nemowork]

From a vague memory, after the Russians started falling apart in 1917 the British sent a 'volunteer' force of fighter squadrons to Russia.

They operated from trains and ended up getting caught up in the revolutionary fighting!

[Royal]

That's a very brief history.

http://www.army.mod.uk/royalgreenjackets/reg_heritage/former_regiments/ox_bucks.html

They didn't deploy to Russia until 1919.

They didn't serve in either Turkey or the Dardanelles, but did serve in Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Salonika (Greece).

If he was ever promoted or given a gallantry award you should be able to look it up in the London Gazette - their WWI and WWII files are searchable on line - but not 100% complete.

[Subsonic]

Many WW1 records were destroyed in the Blitz during WW2 ironically enough.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/150.htm

I believe my folks still subscribe to Ancestry.co.uk, so PM me if you'd like me to have a look for anyone there. :-)

[Eoin666]

Thanks a lot everyone for the advice and links, I'll try and gather more details and do a bit of research.

[capixaba]

I'm trying to trace my grandad's background, all I know is he was in the Ox and Bucks light infantry, no more than that, think he enlisted in 1914 served on western front, maybe at the Somme (?), he was in Dublin in 1916, and later either Turkey or Dardanelles. According to my mother he later contracted cerebral malaria in Russia (?) and was invalided back to Blighty. I'm sure Russia can't be right as he came back in 1918, I thought the Russian civil war was 1919? Anyway I don't think it was something he ever really discussed with his daughter, my mother!

Ideally I'd like to be able to trace to a unit and find where that unit served in WWI. Any ideas, what records I could check?

Best place to go is ....... http://www.1914-1918.net check out the research page... gives step by step on how to research a soldier...and links to all the online sources. Also you can post on the forum, with his name and unit, I'm sure someone can help you out...plenty of experts on specific units. Good hunting....:)

[Eoin666]

Best place to go is ....... http://www.1914-1918.net check out the research page... gives step by step on how to research a soldier...and links to all the online sources. Also you can post on the forum, with his name and unit, I'm sure someone can help you out...plenty of experts on specific units. Good hunting....:)

thanks for the link mate, much appreciated