Looking for my great uncle's records - 5678396 Private Benjamin CAPEL, Somerset Light Infantry

I'm searching for information on the military career of Benjamin Capel. Served in the Somerset Light Infantry, Private 567896 and was a POW

 

I'm searching for information on my great uncle's military career . Served in the Somerset Light Infantry, Private 567896 and was a POW with the Japanese. Demobbed January 1946.

 

Is that number correct, or missing a digit?
The block allocation for Somerset Light Infantry army numbers is 5662001 - 5718000

(Otherwise, he initially enlisted with Hussars 528001 to 721000)


2 threads on same individual merged & moved from Service Records - which is the area for interpretation of copy records already received.

Good luck with research.

 

Can't find casualty records for that name, there is one for the number but a different name and RAF, where did you find the number?

 

OP has also posted here -

https://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/private-benjamin-capel.107617/

Not best forum practice to start multiple posts on the same subject in different sub forums.

Can a MOD delete the second post or merge it with this one?

Steve

Looks like a MOD has already moved the post.

 

His medal card has 7 digits but can't read it? Would have expected to find him on the casualty lists just with a name.

 

I got the number from a typed copy of the medal records that the National Archive put up. I haven't seen an original copy.

 

Noticed two threads running on the same topic best to keep it on one . There`s no mention of a Benjamin Capel being a Japanese PoW that I can see and that number is a PoW number but to a FORBES ?
Here`s the medal card :- Capel`s number is 5678396 (?)

Kyle

 

Thanks. I was advised to move it. I hope there is just one post now.

 

Thank you. That makes the regimental number 5678396. The home address is correct.

 

Corrected to 5678396. Thanks

 

The number is now corrected to 5678396

 

Still no PoW record for that number .Sorry (5678396)

Kyle

 

RMP confirms that 5678396 is a number issued to the SLI. The number has only appeared today on this site.

According to Wiki only the 1st SLI battalion served in the Far East:

From: Somerset Light Infantry - Wikipedia

It is possible to identify when his Service Number was issued - hopefully members will be able to help. It would be before early 1942, when the Army introduced a new system.

I expect he was sent to India in a reinforcement draft in a convoy.

 

Could you clarify what RMP is please?

 

Chris,

If you search online with: "1st Somerset Light Infantry" site:ww2talk.com that id'd a few threads here. There are more threads when you use: "1 Somerset Light Infantry" site:ww2talk.com

A few with: "1st SLI" site:ww2talk.com and one thread refers to POWs being taken in the Arakan.

Many more, but may include duplicates and POWs not taken by the Japanese, when using: "Somerset Light Infantry" + "prisoners of war" site:ww2talk.com

There is a (shared) regimental museum @ Taunton and it is possible their resources, especially the regimental journal will help.

You need to apply for his Service Record, it is the definitive record of his service; it was maintained by clerks at regimental HQ (in the UK), based on official information. It is not available anywhere online. It could be with the MoD or National Archives (TNA). DEtails to follow via PM and other tips. It can take up to a year to be provided.

Your question now. The site is: Army Number Search which is the "go to" reference site for numbers.

 

Thanks very much for your help.

 

Presume that this is the TNA record you were quoting, it is for his service records so would recommend applying.
Name: B Capel . Service number: 5678396 . Date of birth: 14 August 1918 . | The National Archives

Can't find a birth or death record for that dob (14.8.1918) but there is a birth in Lambeth in 1915 and a death in Surrey Q3 1982 with a birth date of 14.8.1915 - could this be him? You will need a death certificate for his records.

Was his father George and mother Elizabeth Parsons?

 

Hi,

Looks like he possibly knocked a couple of years off his age?

He gives his age on his medal application as 24 (A&S 26). My assumption is that was his age when he was discharged Jan 46 rather than when he applied for his medals in 1949? DOB 1921?

Steve

 

The Ancestry record from Kew has 1918 but the date is definitely 1915 and he was born in Lambeth and his parents are as named above. I wondered if the age of 24 was his enlistment age. He was 31 in 1946. He married in 1936 on the day after his 21st birthday as his parents withheld consent. He died in 1982. I'm arranging to get his death certificate. Thanks.