Harold Roberts RWF - WW1

[Baconwallah]

frankanne! Thank you for joining

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[frankanne]

Hello to everyone, never served with the regiment, but was ex Royal Engineers. The reason I have joined is to hopefully find out some information on my wifes Grandad, who served with the regiment throughout the First world war. I am led to believe he survived The Somme and Paschendale, which in itself is truly amazing, and wanted to help her in her quest to find out a bit more about his military service, so any help were I might start would be appreciated.
Frank (Wife is Anne)

[frankanne]

Please first accept my apology for the lack of information, but its a work in progress for my wife, and any new details i can find out i will post here. My wifes Grandfather served with the RWF in the first world war, i currently have no service number or battalion details. I believe he served at the Somme and Paschendale. His name was Harold Roberts, born 1896 in Briton Ferry.
I understand this may be a bit futile, but if i find out anymore details, or if anyone can give me advice on were to look i'd be most appreciative.

[Baconwallah]

Once again, welcome to the Forum!

There were three men named Harold Roberts who served with the RWF in the Great War:

Harold Roberts 17562 Pte, enlisted early 1915, landed in France 01/12/1915, demobilised 20/03/1918
Harold Roberts 69298 Pte, born Wrexham, 8th Bn, died at sea 30/03/1917
Harold Percy Roberts 73642 Pte, born Wandsworth, London, 10th Bn, died of wounds 21/07/1917.

Perhaps this will help you determine which one of the three we should look for.

John

[frankanne]

What can I say, many many thanks, its almost certainly the first, as the other two guys were born in the wrong place and both died. Anne says that her grandfather was sent back in the last year of the war due to injuries received by shrapnel, so again would tie in with the first guy. Could i impose on your knowledge again and ask advice as to were research a bit more about him?
And again many many thanks, Anne was flabergasted when I showed her this.
Frank

[Baconwallah]

I have meanwhile unearthed another Harold Roberts, so here they are again:

Harold Roberts 17562 Pte, enlisted early 1915, landed in France 01/12/1915, demobilised 20/03/1919. [note 1919, not 1918 as in previous post].
Harold Roberts 69298 Pte, born Wrexham, 8th Bn, died at sea 30/03/1917.
Harold Percy Roberts 60424 Pte, born Wandsworth, London, 10th Bn, died of wounds 21/07/1917, age 39 [note wrong number in previous post].
Harold Percy Roberts 73642 Pte, born Wigan, joiner by trade, enlisted 31/01/1917 aged 18 years and 100 days. Posted 9th Bn and joined 04/12/1917. Posted 13 RWF, joining 13/07/1918. Shrapnel Wounds leg and hand 02/09/1918, to UK. Discharged unfit for war service 24/02/1919. If he's the one, you are lucky indeed as his is the only personal file of the four that survived the Blitz.

Further information will be difficult for the first three men. No personal records survived, and there is some confusion in the files still left as I cannot find a Medal Index Card for Roberts 60424 although he is in "Soldiers Died in the Great War" and the CWGC database.

John

[ap1]

The absent voters list may be worth a punt. They some times include details of a battalion. See the explanatory info below from the The Long Long Trail website. http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/avl.htm

Then check out the link at the bottom for the list relating to Glamorgan(which is where Harold's last listed address is in the 1911 census).

"There was a General Election in Britain in 1918. All those away from their place of residence (including all men in the army) were listed on Absent Voters Lists. These usually recorded the man's regiment, number and rank at the time, as well as his home address. The lists are not held centrally and are not 100% in existence. They are held at a variety of County Records Offices or local history sections of main libraries of the area where the man lived in 1918.
There was a General Election in Britain in 1918. All those away from their place of residence (including all men in the army) were listed on Absent Voters Lists. These usually recorded the man's regiment, number and rank at the time, as well as his home address. The lists are not held centrally and are not 100% in existence. They are held at a variety of County Records Offices or local history sections of main libraries of the area where the man lived in 1918."

http://www.glamro.gov.uk/adobe/Electors.pdf

[Baconwallah]

The landing date of Roberts 17562 puts him in 38th Division, which narrows down the possibilities to 13th, 14th, 15th or 16th RWF.

John

[Hywyn]

The men around his numbers strongly suggests that Harold Roberts 17562 is a Briton Ferry man. Enlisted around 9-11 Nov 1914
The 17562 L Pugh that I show is as given in Times casualty list of 19th Sept 1916. I can't find a similar Pugh in RWF so he's a mystery at the mo.
Hywyn

17559		Nottson	Albert P	Swansea	2 Grahams Terr, Skewen
17560		Ireland	Arthur G
17561		Davies	Thomas H	Briton Ferry
17562		Pugh	L
17562		Davies	Harold
17563		Jones	Ernest John	Neath	8 Glenview? Hse, Westbourne Rd, Penrhiwtyn
17564		Evans	Samuel	Briton Ferry	18 Thomas Street
17566		Brown	John Henry	Briton Ferry	16 Waun Hill
17567		Nicholas	H J
17567		Nicholas	H J
17567		Nicholas	H J
17567		NICHOLAS	HJ	Briton Ferry	nil further on CWGC. Boron Briton Ferry
17568		Beale	Edward	Briton Ferry
17569		Reed	Hedley George	Neath	16 Griffith Buildings
17570		Cole	Arthur John	Neath	1 Llewelyn St

[Baconwallah]

Great stuff, Hywyn, thanks!

John