Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi All ~

I'd love to know my grandfather's military record, but I haven't got the funds for Ancestry just yet (paying a huge vet bill this month )

So if there's anyone who wouldn't mind taking a look, I'd be REALLY grateful.

Grandpop was William Herbert Greaves, b. 3rd September 1896 (Liverpool). During WW1 he served in France as a trained gunlayer in the 39th seige battery of The Royal Artillery.

I have an official photo of him & his army colleagues that was taken in Carvin, France on 21st December 1918.

Bestest,
Paula.

Paula,

I am happy to look for you. Do you know his service number?

Mark

Hi

If you go into any of the Southport libraries you can look up Ancestry for free. All the Sefton libraries and most other areas have subscriptions to the Ancestry Library Edition. This is the version that covers the whole world!

If you're not sure how it works come to the Family History help desk (run by the Southport of the society) at Birkdale library every Tuesday 10 - 12.

Ed officer

Hi Mark ~

No, unfortunately I don't know his service no.

Bestest,
Paula.

Coo, thanks Ed. Officer that's very handy to know! (I'm a stone's through from Birkdale library ... it's near the vet's! )

Bestest,
Paula.

If your man served overseas he will have earned campaign medals. If you have them they should have the number engraved along with his name etc.

There is a Medal Index Card listed by the National Archives for "William H. Greaves" who was in the Army Service Corps, no. M/304484, and Royal Garrison Artillery, no. 196983, rank: Private. This could be him, but others named William Greaves could be lurking without the second name/initial.

You can pay £2 by card online to see the MIC on 'Documents Online', or look free via Ancestry when you get to your library. This is additional to any other records you find on A...y, but be warned, as many soldiers' records were destroyed during WW2 and you may be disappointed.

Good hunting.
D

I don't have any of his medals daggers (and the only remaining Greaves is my brother, who unfortunately knows as little as I do about Grandpops history.)

Thanks for those tips ... everything is worth a try.

I was going to post the photo, but not sure how it's done It may be of interest to military historians as it shows the battery posing with their canon amongst the ruins of the town of Carvin ... German names attached to the front of what would have been French shops etc. (But there again, there are probably 1000s of such photos in existence!)

Bestest,
Paula.

There may be thousands of other people, but only this one that we know of with your Grandpop, so show us please. This link will explain how.
http://liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/phpBB ... php?t=6279

WILLIAM HERBERT GREAVES Regiment, Corps etc
Grenadier Guards

Battalion/etc
1st Battalion. Details

Surname
Greaves

Christian Name
William Herbert

Initials
W H

Born
Newstead

Enlisted
Staveley

Residence


Rank
GDSN.

Number
11082

Died Date
24/03/1916

Died How
Killed in action

Theatre of War





William Herbert Greaves - Battalion Details
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regiment, Corps etc
Grenadier Guards

Battalion/etc
1st Battalion.

Battalion Details
4.8.14 Warley: London District. Sept. 1914 to 20th Bde. 7th Div. at Lyndhurst. 7.10.14 landed at Zeebrugge. 4.8.15 to 3rd Guards Bde. Guards Div. 11.11.18 3rd Guards Bde. Guards Div. France; Maubeuge.

Printed from www.military-genealogy.com

ZED wrote:I have an official photo of him & his army colleagues that was taken in Carvin, France on 21st December 1918.

northmeols wrote:Died Date
24/03/1916

Battalion Details
4.8.14 Warley: London District. Sept. 1914 to 20th Bde. 7th Div. at Lyndhurst. 7.10.14 landed at Zeebrugge. 4.8.15 to 3rd Guards Bde. Guards Div. 11.11.18 3rd Guards Bde. Guards Div. France; Maubeuge.

Either it's the wrong William Herbert or Paula's photograph doesn't have her grandpop on it.

Strangely Susan, I don't see that entry on the CWGC site, no W Greaves died on that date.

Added after
One or the other site has the initials incorrectly, he's listed as H Greaves on the CWGC site and buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.

pulled the info from militery gen

http://military-genealogy.com/