Robertson - How do I find him

I am trying to locate John Deans Robertson. 1898 - 1967

I cannot locate him before 1926.

He served in WW1 and came from Scotland (Glasgow). He had a wound to one of his legs. His father was Thomas, I believe.

I'm using FMP and Forces War Records to try to locate him.

Are there sites where I can use his DOB and father's name? Are there any tips you would recommend.

I'm in Euroland so getting anyone's service record is tricky payment-wise and I don't have enough information at the moment.

I am presuming he'd have served with a Scottish regiment.

Thank you.

 

If his service was in WW1 his service record may well have gone up in flames in 1940 but his medal card will have survived and Ancestry has copies. This will show when he entered a theatre of war and possibly which one - if he was invalided out as a result of his wound and had a silver war badge it will also show this.

 

Try the Great War forum
Great War Forum

 

If you have FMP haven't you all the information you need?

Death
First name(s) JOHN D
Last name ROBERTSON
Gender Male
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1898
Age 69
Death quarter 4
Death year 1967
District Winchester
County Hampshire
Volume 6B
Page 899

Probate
First name(s) John Deans
Last name Robertson
Death year 1967
Death date 24 Nov 1967
Probate year 1968
Probate date 05 Mar 1968
Residence town Winchester
Registry Winchester
County Hampshire
Country England
Record set England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019

Marriage
First name(s) John Deans
Last name Robertson
Age 28
Occupation Optician
Marital status Bachelor
Birth year 1898
Marriage year 1926
Marriage date 26 Sep 1926
Marriage place Farncombe, St John
Father's first name(s) Thomas
Father's last name Robertson
Father occupation Messenger Agent
Spouse's first name(s) Lilian Ethel
Spouse's last name Page
Spouse's age 24
Spouse's birth year 1902
Spouse's condition Spinster
Spouse's father's occupation Gardener (Deceased)
First witness E K Knight
Second witness J E Welland

1939
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=TNA%2FR39%2F2357%2F2357J%2F007&parentid=TNA%2FR39%2F2357%2F2357J%2F007%2F04

 

Well the OP did say "I cannot locate him before 1926." and from that info this appears substantially correct

 

Thank you, I will look into that.

 

Yes indeed, that information I have, I cannot find him 1898 - 1926 so I cannot find his war records either.

 

Thank you, I will.

 

Yes indeed, that information I have, I cannot find him 1898 - 1926 so I cannot find his war records either.

 

She also said "I'm in Euroland so getting anyone's service record is tricky payment-wise and I don't have enough information at the moment."

I think she does.

 

How do I Tony56 / Robert-w - I'm not asking for records if I can't be sure whose record I'm asking for and whether it's my grandfather's. This leaves me baffled. I'm female btw.

 

Apologies for the 'He'. I assumed that you are after his WW2 service records as you mentioned having to pay for them, if this is the case with a date of birth and death certificate you are able to send off for them.

If it is WW1 service records that you are after then it would be a case of trawling through those that are available online via Ancestry or FMP to see if you can identify him and in the hope that his records survived. There are plenty of John D Robertson's Medal Cards and Award Rolls but these rarely give any personal information to be able to identify which is the correct one, some do, so again just a question of searching through the likely ones. Another source would be newspapers in the hope that he was mentioned in connection with his service.

 

Thank you Tony56, yes, I've looked at newspapers but it's not giving any information. I was trawling FMP today but got half hearted as without a dob I cannot be sure enough.

A friend is going to look on Ancestry for me. I've put a post on the Great War Forum. My feeling is that the medical records might show something, but I got tonsilitus (?) and something about a draft. I will give that another go later.

I thought I would have to pay for War records, is that just WW2 then? Very new to this malarky!

 

Is his dob not 25 April 1898 as in the 1939 register?

As far as Ancestry is concerned there are no WW1 service records in his full name and I can't find any with John D Robertson. Quite a lot with just John.

I do not know if either Ancestry or FMP claim to hold 100% of those that are available, perhaps a WW1 forum will know, another problem is that many do not even have a name on and sometimes rely on the name of a relative.

Are you aware if he continued to serve after 1920? More info here:
British Army WW1 Service Records, 1914-1920 (Soldiers)

 

Thank you Tony56. No, it is 25th May on his death certificate and probate etc.

That is an idea though to put in April in my searches.

A friend has sent a huge long list from Ancestry (John Robertson) with many addresses I can put through the census.

I think he stopped serving after 1920 as he went onto train as an optician and was in London prior to this marriage in 1926.

I think I'm going to have to wait for the 1921 census in January and see if that throws any light.

Thank you for your time and help.

 

Tony56, the 1939 Register gives 25th May 1898 as the dob.

 

Are we looking at different records, I am sure this says April?


Perhaps there have been errors along the way.

 

The handwritten record gives April, the FMP transcription gives May. The dob for my Mum & Gran are wrong on the transcription and good on the handwritten copy.
You have shone a light, thank you.

 

This has just popped up on FMP
service number 7024
Northumberland Fusiliers
Lance Corporal
Listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office.
Birth place Glasgow.

How do I check this out? Thank you.

 

If you look at the source of these records they would appear to come from a private source (Graham Stewart) and refer to the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum - I would contact them.
Research

Not sure that the information is from the War Office as it states from the St Georges' Gazette:
ST. GEORGE'S GAZETTE : A REGIMENTAL PAPER FOR THE FIFTH FUSILIERS
"St Georges Gazette"

The service number, 7024, does not produce any results when searching the Medal Index Cards or Award Rolls.

Perhaps a question to a WW1 forum may be best.