Tracing Grandfather’s service history.

Hi all,

looking for advice on where’s best to search my Grandad’s service history.
I have his service number & know where he served, have tried a couple of online searches but after registration they all seem to be monthly or annual paid services. Is this the norm?

thanks for any help,

Darren.

 

Have you got his official service records only available from the MOD?
Get a copy of military service records: Apply for the records of someone who's deceased - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

From there you will need to seek out war diaries and regimental histories for the particular units he served with.

 

I haven’t but that will now be my first step, thank you.


This is what I have on him currently.

Herbert Frank Lewry 2047921
1st battalion kings own regiment.
1939 defence medal
Africa star
Italy star
Efficiency service war medal
T A medal

 

That’s interesting, thanks for your help. I've also seen one mention of Royal Artillery in 1948, from the previously mentioned search I did.

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. I honestly wouldn’t bother with paid for sites as there is very little in the public domain for anything other than WW1 and earlier.

Best advice has already been provided - apply to MOD for his service records to confirm his service movements and then look for unit war diaries.

If he has the TA Efficiency Medal it ought to be recorded in The London Gazette.

Good Luck.

Steve

 

Hi Darren

As stated, MOD is the way to go.
For his medals can you confirm what you mean by -
1939 defence medal
Efficiency service war medal
Have a look here - Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
regards

Robert

 

Once you get his Service Records as mentioned above, you should be able to find out where he enlisted, where he was posted and when.
Whether he was sick or in hospital etc.
No battles, no medical history as these are confidential for 100years.
It is in Army code to calculate his pay. You will probably need to post it here so that the members can interpret it.

You will probably find that if he joined the Royal Engineers in 1939/40, he was on anti-aircraft searchlights, but these became the prerogative of the Royal Artillery in 1941.

You can then find out from members which War Diaries might help to tell you what he was doing in some sort of detail.
That information might even be available on past threads.
There is a cost for the Govt Services, you pay them, no one else.
It is entirely up to you.

Good luck

 

The listing for the TA medal does show 2047921 Gnr H.F.Lewry R.A . The medal itself should have these details impressed on the edge ? 1948 as you said.

Kyle

 

Darren.

1 KINGS OWN were captured on Leros in Nov 43. Did he end up a PW?

Regards

Frank