Re: William John Redfern

Hello All...........
I should say i'm a Canadian and I'm trying to piece together some info i have collected here on my late dad William John Redfern, he died when i was 11 and frankly the family oral history is sketchy, i was hoping to post this here to get pointed in the right direction.......

I knew or thought my dad was born in Wales and i thought he served in WWI in the Canadian Army but a search of Canadian records brought up this interesting fact from his Canadian Attestation Form........
He only joined the Canadian Army on April 4th 1919 but in answering question 10......Have you served in any other army the answer is.... Royal Welch Fusiliers 18 mos.

Not sure where i got this birth info as follows........

William John Redfern
born: Feb 23, 1886, Cardif, South Wales

The 1901 census shows this info:

William Redfern 16 (age?) Glamorgan Cardiff Glamorganshire Deck Hand


and the National archives show this info..............


WO 372/16 Medal card of Redfern, William John
Corps: Royal Defence Corps
Regiment No: 43608
Rank: Private

Question am i on the right track and should i order up his Medal card? (still not sure its actually him)

Thanks in advance; regards
Dave

Hi Dave,

Hadn't heard of the RDF until your post, so I did a bit of digging and found this:

Royal Defence Corps. Formed in August 1917 from the Home Service Garrison Bns of various Regiments (including as shown below).

12th Bn.
5th (Home Service) Garrison Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

I'm wondering if he had pre War service with the Royal Welsh, and then re-joined the RWF during the Great War, as part of the 5th (Home Service) Garrison Royal Welsh Fusiliers and then was assimilated into the RDF, in August 1917. Many of the Home Service Garrison Bn's were manned by the old or infirm. The 5th Garrison did not serve abroad, although I can't actually find out where they did serve(no mention in Regimental Records).

Wikepedia says this "The Royal Defence Corps was a corps of the British Army formed in August 1917 and disbanded in 1936.

It was initially formed by converting the (Home Service) Garrison battalions of line infantry regiments. Garrison battalions were composed of soldiers either too old or medically unfit for active front-line service; the Home Service status indicated they were unable to be transferred overseas. Eighteen battalions were converted in this way[1].

The role of the regiment was to provide troops for security and guard duties inside the United Kingdom; guarding important locations such as ports or bridges. It also provided independent companies for guarding prisoner-of-war camps. The regiment was never intended to be employed on overseas service.

In many respects, they fulfilled the same role as the Second World War's Local Defence Volunteers or the later Home Service Force."

Hi Al;
Thank you for that information.....He would have been 31 years old in 1917.
I do know he attained the rank of Sergeant in the between the wars Canadian Army........I havn't really searched his Canadian Army service...yet

Al,
Another "fisher for genealogy info" I hope you realise how much your input is appreciated, another "fisher"
Mike

Question Re: William John Redfern
Hello All...........
I should say i'm a Canadian and I'm trying to piece together some info i have collected here on my late dad William John Redfern, he died when i was 11 and frankly the family oral history is sketchy, i was hoping to post this here to get pointed in the right direction.......

I knew or thought my dad was born in Wales and i thought he served in WWI in the Canadian Army but a search of Canadian records brought up this interesting fact from his Canadian Attestation Form........
He only joined the Canadian Army on April 4th 1919 but in answering question 10......Have you served in any other army the answer is.... Royal Welch Fusiliers 18 mos.

Not sure where i got this birth info as follows........

William John Redfern
born: Feb 23, 1886, Cardif, South Wales

The 1901 census shows this info:

William Redfern 16 (age?) Glamorgan Cardiff Glamorganshire Deck Hand


and the National archives show this info..............


WO 372/16 Medal card of Redfern, William John
Corps: Royal Defence Corps
Regiment No: 43608
Rank: Private

Question am i on the right track and should i order up his Medal card? (still not sure its actually him)

Thanks in advance; regards
Dave

part 2


Re: William John Redfern
I posed this question above Re: my Dad, William John Redfern almost 3 years ago, i must say i havn't perused the matter too far.........

It has become somewhat more important now that my son is working in London, We are led to believe he can extend his work permit or in fact qualify to stay in the UK under another program if we can establish that William John Redfern was indeed born in the UK.

Who can i ask if my father was a Royal Welch Fusilier during the great war?

As you can see from my original post I do have certain information and my son in London is working on Dad's birth certifacate but I am very currious about the Royal Welch connection.

Thanks in anticipation of any help

Dave from Canada
__________________
Regards;
Dave

Hi Dave

The medal index card will not give you any clues towards your goal.

Do you have any other family names, his mother, father, siblings etc.

I have found a possible born in Holywell.

Edwin Redfern 56
Catherine Redfern 37
Thomas H Redfern 26
Edwin Redfern 18
William J Redfern 15
Nathanial Redfern 11

The pension papers of 43608 W J Redfern are on Ancestry (under another number) but they do not show any RWF service as far as I could see. THis W J R hailed from the Manchester area, and trained with the Lancashire Fusiliers before transferring to the RDC, the 349th, 327th and 324th company. Not sure if any of those had RWF affiliations. born arond 1876.
/Lars

Hi Richard;

In answer to your question.I do not know William John Redfern's parents names...

My son, who is a Social Worker in London has engaged professional services to try and find a birth cirtificate...I have forwarded your information to him.

Thank you for your help........

Hello Lars;

Thank you very much for your input....I believe my son turned up a William John in the Manchester area......for the time being we are going to persue the Welsh connection but all information is appreciated.......

It was all so long ago..........