Ww1 At&t Mfp - Cheshire Regt.

[julia-mag]

Can anyone offer any help. I am trying to find out where my father was during WW1. I have his demob certificate and he had 2 medals The British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal. His name was Patrick Daly and originaly was in Liverpool K regt. then Cheshire Regt.where hisnumber changed to 79638. He was attested 7.2.1916, mobilized 19.1.1917 (for R-G-A -whatever that means) Demobbed 21/12/1919 . He was born 8/10/1896. He was born and lived in London. I have spent a long time researching both regiments but cannot find him His demob cert. states he saw live action, but Dad never ever told us children where he went, and I suppose we never asked!

[Mosaic]

This should cover it Julia
https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

[julia-mag]

Thank-you Mosaic. I have downloaded that and will send it off pronto!. I did subscribe to a site for details, but still could not find any record for him. Many thanks for your advice.

[CheekyChops]

A lot of WW1 service records were destroyed, see this from The National Archives site:

Unfortunately, more than half of service records were destroyed in September 1940, when a German bombing raid struck the War Office repository in Arnside Street, London. However, an estimated 2.8 million service records survived the bombing or were reconstructed from the records of the Glossary - opens new windowMinistry of Pensions. This means that there is a roughly 40% chance of finding the service record of a soldier who was discharged at some time between 1914 and 1920.

[bookbinder]

Try to get hold of a copy of his regiment's war diary. Here are a couple of links that might help. I've done it for a friend, and it filled in a few gaps:
http://www.greatwar.co.uk/research/military-records/british-army-war-diary.htm
http://ukfamilyrecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=35

[julia-mag]

Thank you all for your help, I am striving down all avenues as time is running out and I want to know for myself as well just where he went and what he did. Its amazing that we just don't ask the questions till its too late.

[Peter Pedant]

Oh God - I try, Julia (to talk about father's/grandfather's war record)
and my brother abruptly changes the subject - because it doesnt really fit in with his current world view....

and you know, if the father is uninterested how can you expect the children to be ?

[julia-mag]

I have sent off copies of the papers I do hold along with my application, so here's hoping I get some more positive information.