Forster - RWF 1930's - Help needed

[Kgilpin]

HiI am trying to do my family tree.. and have come across a major stumbling block straight away!! I am trying to trace my maternal Grandad who served with the Welsh Fusilers in India, circa 1930.All i know is that he was based in Bombay around 1940, as this is where my mother was born.. but apart from that i know nothing.Has anyone any ideas how i can trace Douglas Edward James Forster?There is a lot of mystery and deception in our family history, so i am not even sure what his actual name is apart from it is a mixture of the names above.There is a rumour that he joined the miltary police and played Rugby and boxed for the regiment. The family were apparently on their way to Burma when it was discovered my Grandfather had TB, so he was retired from the army.Any clues as to where i can search?Yours hopefully Karen

[MICHAEL WYNNE]

there is a couple of places you could try friends.reunited.co.uk or genes reunited i hope this helps its the only thing i can suggest

[Kgilpin]

thanks, but i have tried those to no avail. if he was serving at the time he got married, would there be a miltary record of it as well? they had 3 children whilst he was serving abroad, but only record i can find is for the 4th child they had when he returned to the Uk.Karen

[Aled Roberts]

Hi Karen

The closest match I can find based on your info is this chap.

Frank Douglas Forster - joined the Regiment 13th March 1931 and left 1st January 1940. His service number was 4189499

Promising ?

[ap1]

Hi Karen.

If Richard's offering is correct, and based on the fairly unusual surname, its a good bet. You will need to apply for your GF's Service Record. For all soldiers who enlisted after 1920, their records are held by the MOD. You can download the required documentation at the link below. The cost is £30, and it can take a while for the records to arrive. But well worth the wait.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/sar.pdf


Richard, just remind me, was it the 1st Bn in India during the 1930's up until about 1938??? and did they get replaced at that point by the 2nd...or is it the other way round?

[Kgilpin]

Hi Richard, oh how i wish that seemed right!!My mum was born in June 1940, and her siblings 1941 and 1942.. it was sometime after that they left India. Is there a link between the Fusilers and the Gloucester regiment, as my mum said that she thought that he might have moved to them, or was in some way connected with them.Sorry to be so vague, but there is no-one of that generation left in the family that i can 'grill' and my mother was frowned upon as a child to pry into the family historyRegardskaren

[ap1]

Where were the siblings born Karen. Also on your mothers Birth Cert, what details are written for your grandfather?

Incidently what your mothers name first name.

[ap1]

OK, a small piece of evidence to back up your Gloster Theory. I went to the Glosters Regimental site called The Wardrobe

https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/guestbook.php?keywords=gloucester&order=&page=3,

and the first entry I found in the visitors book:

My father Pte. Ivor George Thomas was killed in Burma 1st May 1942, having been transferred to the Gloucester Regiment from the Royal Welch Fusiliers. I believe he was near Rangoon sometime during 1941.

Can someone please confirm that some of the Gloucester Regiment were in Burma at that time?

So men were being transferred across. Here's some more detail:

7th December 1941 found 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment based at Rangoon, one of only two British battalions in Burma employed in internal security duties. When the Japanese invaded Burma at the beginning of the 1942 1st Battalion was guarding the approaches to the capital, road, riverine and at Mingaladon airfield. After British defeats at Sittang and Pegu, the road to Rangoon lay open and the decision was made to evacuate the city in February 1942. Under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Bagot, the Gloucesters patrolled the streets, guarding against looting and preparing the demolition of the oil refinery at Syriam, which was blown up on 7th March. Their first action against the Japanese was at Taukkyan on the 7th/8th March. It was here that the main force of the understrength Battalion took part in the successful breaking of a Japanese roadblock to the north of Rangoon which had cut off 17th Indian Division, the Rangoon garrison and General Sir Harold Alexander, commander of the Burma Army, with Army Headquarters from their line of retreat.

After this action, the Battalion transferred from Burma Army Command to become became the Reconnaissance Regiment of 17th Indian Division, covering its retreat

[Kgilpin]

HiSorry its taken me a while to get back to you. Mother was born in Bombay 1941, her siblings were born, she thinks, 1942 Bombay, 1944 Lahore. i would guess that Nan and Grandad got married between August 1940 and June 1941. From conversations i have heard in the family - i would take a guess that they left India circa 1944/45. He never made it to Burma, was pensioned off before. Was in a miltary hospital in Bromsgrove, i think, where my grandmother and children were rehoused in the Married Quarters. He died circa 1975, of an asthma attack.Karen

[ap1]

I have found the reference no for the birth Cert of an Yvonne Forster born in Bombay June 1941?

If this is your mother, it will contain the full name of your grandfather, which will either help prove or disprove Richards offering? Richard said that his man left the RWF in Jan 1940, I'm assuming this does not mean he left the army!!!!!

[Aled Roberts]

IRichard said that his man left the RWF in Jan 1940, I'm assuming this does not mean he left the army!!!!!

Correct Al. He could well have gone to a 'dirty' regiment :winker:

[Kgilpin]

Yvonne Brenda Forster - 9th June 1941.. that's my mum!! Where did you find that?? one would assume that Edward Forster circa 1942 and Loretta Forster circa 43 would also be included.
My grandmother's maiden name was Acton ( could be Barbara Hyacynith/Barbara Mary/Hyacynith Mary/ Mary Barbara)
Father's name - Douglas Edward Forster?

Regards

Karen

[Kgilpin]

ah so i need to start looking in the Gloucesters database as well...

[ap1]

I'm assuming you or your mother have the birth certificate, so I won't post the reference details.

Here's my advice for what its worth:

Realistically whats the odds of having two Forsters serving in the RWF in 1940, both with the christian name "Douglas"!!!!!! Pretty slim I think. Jones, Williams, Davies...fair enough...but Forster???

I would use the links I have provided and apply for the service record of Frank Douglas Forster provided by Richard. If it's not him, you lose £30. If it is him....Bingo and more doors open. Let us know how you get on Karen.

The Birth Cert details are held at www.findmypast.com If your G/parents were married overseas, the Marriage Cert Ref No will also be there.

[Kgilpin]

thanks so much all of you for your help and guidance. I will let you know where my reasearch leads to...
Spoke to my mum about 'Frank' and she has no recollection of her father ever been referred to as that, but as you say, its not a common surname... the mystery continues!

Regards

Karen

[susanjane]

This is a very old thread which popped up on my search-I guess related to William Watson. I don't know if there is any way of contacting Karen. Do you know if she got any further in her research?

On Outgoing Passengers on Ancestry I found Frank Forster aged 21 of 87 Preston Place , Chester travelling with other soldiers to on Hakusan MARU from London

The other were Ashworth Algar 23
Carter Herbert
Evans Thomas
Farmer John 27
Preece Jim 23
Robinson Richard
Tatler[?] Benjamin
Thomas Albert
Tong Thomas all aged 21/22 unless otherwise shown Most had Welsh addresses

No evidence of him coming back-or others in his family
I didn't find any Douglas Forster
Sue

[susanjane]

Should say to Gibraltar!
Sue

[susanjane]

Oh Dear!!
I should also have said that they travelled on 10 Aug 1934 out of London. That is about 1 month after William Watson travelled out. Same shipping line
Sue