Nando

Thanks Peter & Trooper_D for your helpful thoughts and advice i will look into that . Unfortunately the 1822 Baptism record is a transcription so i can't access the original - as i would very much like to check on the accuracy of the details myself . Taking it at face value it would seem to be 3rd Rv Battalion so i can only presume it was a Veteran Reg but this would surely imply the soldier had served in other Reg/s previously ? I've looked in WO 97 records and can find no one fitting his name or similar in that era . For the record the name was William Menheneck ( variants Menhenick / Menhenet / Menheniet or similar) which is very much a Cornish /Devon name - with an assumed age of between 20-40yrs giving bdate 1782-1802 . Do all British army service records of this era survive ?

Hi , I hope someone can possibly help with info on the following . I'm researching family history and have found a reference in Irish Baptism record 1822 which states the father's occupation as " 3rd RV Battalion "- (parish Templemore Co Tipperary) Does RV indicate "Royal Veteran" Batalion - and would anybody have any knowledge about this subject ? I found a website detailing the Veteran & Garrison Reg's in the Napoleonic era but the problem is it states the 3rd Bn was disbanded in 1816 - yet i have this baptism record circ 1822 which would indicate the father as still in this Bn . Strangely i cannot find ( yet ) any record of this soldiers name in the British Army records - does anyone know of any records of this Regiment /Bn which i could search ? Any help or advice greatly appreciated Thanks

Hi Paul , Not to worry , thanks for your help and input anyway , much appreciated . Yes the NA might be able to help but i've not had much luck so far with the records now they are Ancestry . Just my luck if the papers no longer exist , but then i know a lot were lost due to fire damage etc so i guess we're all in the same boat ? Anyway , thanks again and good luck with your searches , Best wishes Nancy

Hi Paul , Sorry for the delay in thanking you very much for your latest info on Frank Lewis . We knew our chap was bn in Sheffield (from census info) and the family were in Leyton at the time so this is great and helps to confirm this solder being from our family .I was especially pleased to see that you found he was a resident of Leyton - as i say i currently do not have his army papers (perhaps didn't survive) every detail we do have now though points to confirmation of our belief this was him . Thankyou for your very kind offer re Ilford but unfortunately i think i may have got my wires crossed - i thought the MIC's were an "index" and as such that the TNA might hold further details , i have the card images from Ancestry but unfortunately the "back" image for Frank Lewis' entry was blank . Which is a great shame because i would so dearly have loved to see a home address as you thought possible -or Next of Kin - as this would have provided concrete proof this was him . I'm amazed that your family were so close by, i find in the online map that Dawlish Rd was at one end of the same road as Sidmouth - i've been plotting our family's locations around the area and they had a number of addresses in Leyton , at the time of their joining up they were at 44 Sidmouth Rd - before that 139 Sidmouth Rd , Sophia Rd and Belmont Rd . Small world eh ! I've found that both FJS Dowling & his half brother Frank Lewis were working in a local Boot factory - due to their close Reg numbers i can imagine there may have been a group of them joining up at the same time ? One other thing regarding possible further info - would you have any ideas or suggestions i could try for Frank Lewis' details like Next of Kin or forwarding address etc for medals might be recorded elswhere ?( other than army papers ) If you should happen to come across anything relevent to these men i'd be most grateful if you'd let me know. Best wishes , Nancy

Hi Paul , Many thanks for your info re Frank Lewis - definitely our chap as it matches up with what i have on him . In fact i just missed your latest post with my previous message sent a minute later . Anyway i thought i should post again now to thankyou for the these latest details . I was a bit confused by one thing -the reference to Balkans on the MIC as i thought that was more around the old Yugoslav area but a quick google informed me that also included the Gallipoli campaign . Regards Nancy

Hi Kris , Many thanks for your reply and the museum contact info , i will definitely give them a try - as i say i'm eager for any possible details on these men & their service .

Hi Paul , Thankyou very much for your reply and very helpful info - yes i have found the medal index card images for these 3 men , however i only just found Sydney T under "S Dowling " ,(found using his reg number) . If you or other readers may be interested their details are - S Dowling Victory - Roll K2.102 B15 page718b British - Do Do FJS Dowling Victory -Roll K/2/102 B12 page 598 British - Do Do Frank Lewis Victory - RollK/2/107B page 6 British - Do Do 15 Star - K2/11B page11 "TOW - (K2) Balkans Date Entry 11/8/15 That is the only additional info i have on them from the MIC entries -as i say i'm still learning about military research but i gather the ref's are to the Medal Card's themselves since these are indexes ? Can you tell me please if it would be worth my while applying for the Medal cards , are they likely to give up any additional details ? So interesting to hear about your G grndfather -a good chance he served with Frank Lewis then and since they were from the same area might have known each other ? Whereabouts in Leyton did he live , our family lived in numerous streets around Leyton & Walthamstow circ 1900-1950, in 1915 when the 3 bothers joined up they were in Sidmouth Rd Leyton . I haven't tried Vestry House for this info , but i was in touch just recently on a related matter as i'm trying to track down a missing Frederick St Memorial Plaque which listed our family names . The archivist was very helpful and confirmed due to rebuilding in Frederick St in the late 1950's it was moved to St James Church ,which was itself demolished so it's current whereabouts is still unknown . But thanks for the suggestion i will get back in touch as i'm desperate for any info on these 3 brothers and their military service . Of particular interest would be any details on Frank lewis as his military papers are missing. If you can help with any further details or advice i would be very grateful . Many thanks - Nancy

Hi Everyone, New member/First post so here goes . I'm basically hoping someone can possibily help please with any info or details on Essex Regiment - and especially anything relating to my husband's uncles who served . The details i have are - Frederick J S Dowling bn 1896 Reg No- 2162 7th Bn trnsf'd - 34485 3rd Bn Served 1914-21 POW 1918 Sydney Thomas Dowling bn 1897 Reg No- 40176 2nd Bn KIA 3/5/1917 ARRAS Memorial Frank Lewis bn 1894/5 Reg No 2172 1/7th Bn Half brother - KIA Gallipoli 20/11/1915 7th Field Ambulance Cemetery The family lived in Walthamstow where they joined up - fortunately a number of FJS docs have survived but i'm still looking and hoping for Sydney T & Frank Lewis'. I'm still looking & learning about military research so my knowledge is pretty limited i'm afraid . I speculate whether -due to the close Reg no's - if FJS & Frank joined up at the same time , but i did learn that according FJS papers he was under age and i think initially had to remain in England .Lucky for him , as i imagine he'd have gone to Gallipoli like his brother Frank . If anyone can offer more knowledge or details either on these men - i have no photos unfortunately - or other service details regarding the regiment experiences etc i would be very grateful . Kind regards Nancy