Sgt Charles Smith

[Gwyn Nicholas]

Whilst in conversation with my Nephews new family in Jersey recently, it was mentioned that they had some connection with "The Royal Welch" but had little to go on. They did produce a death certificate which stated that he was a soldier but he was actually 41st (which meant nothing to them of course) and not Royal Welch as believed.

The information that I have gleaned from the certificate is that Charles Smith was 41 when he died, an Army Pensioner and died at "Barracks St John Glam" of Haemoptysis 19th August 1877.

The family also belived he was a Sergeant Major in "some Yeomanry" which is I suppose possible given that he was an army Pensioner. Were the yeomanry the old version of the TA?

Is it possible to trace a soldier as far back as 1877 given such little information and is the Barracks St John now what we know as Maindy Barracks or one of the other barracks perhaps that are occupied by TA General Hospital Units ie 203. Grateful for any info.

[Hywyn]

Gwyn

Army records for that era are on the pay-site Findmypast.

It is free to search up to a point.
Searching Charles Smith, born one year either side of 1836, returns 96 records but most are without a year birth though.
Hopefully, this link to that search will work
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/army-service-records-search.action?submit=1&offset=0

So, the question is, do they know where he was born. This may help in reducing this list.

Hywyn

[Baconwallah]

Were the yeomanry the old version of the TA?

The yeomanry (cavalry) regiments (there were 54) were local volunteer units mainly intended for local defence and quelling disturbances. In 1908 they were bundled into 14 mounted brigades and became part of the Territorial Force then forming. The TF after the Great War was first disbanded and then resuscitated as the TA.

John