ARC TBC Find my past-John Pugh 1886

[Silver surfer]

Been trying to find Johns war record. Says on his wifes death cert Sep 1916 that he was a private in the 4th worcs and an electric welder. Any help out there please?
Had been a welder on first marriage in 1906 so must have been quite skilled. Found death Mary A E Pugh 1961 aged 76 Smethwick, so 3yrs after John.

[Northern Lass]

I only saw what was posted on Ancestry not much detail
unless I missed it

will move this to brickwalls.

[Silver surfer]

Just been messing about looking at some old posts in rootschat in 2013 and someone found this for me.

"I can see a service record for a John Pugh, aged 28 at enlistment in 1914. He was a Private in the 6th Worcester Reg. then the 4th in 1915. He was a mechanic by the looks of his service records and joined the Tank Corps later that year. There's also a letter that he wrote giving his new address at Cradley Heath.

He had a wife called Florence Dean, there's a faint note that she died 30 9 1916. There are 4 children listed.

I don't know if he is the same John Pugh as your Grandfather, as I don't know what his wife's name was but if he is the right person I'd be happy to send you a link to the records, or email the images to you"

Don't think I got the images but will look thro enormous amounts of paper work.

[Silver surfer]

What a total prat am I? Have had Johns war records since Jan 2013 Suppose can be excused as have such a vast amount of records in computer files etc. Its heart breaking to read some of the info on them. Johns first wife, my gd ma wrote to the ministry to say she was only receiving money for 3 of her 4 kids as there were only 3 on the records. Apparently there was no birth reg for the eldest as couldn't afford the cert at the time.

Will let you know about Johns 2nd mar when receive the cert, should be 15th.

[Silver surfer]

Have had John & Elizabeths mar cert. John Pugh widower 32yrs (know this is wrong as b1886), acetylene welder of 91 Dudley Wood Rd Netherton (correct address) father William a coal miner married Elizabeth Homer 33 a widow of 66 Beehive Street Cradley Heath, father Rowland Harris a general hawker, on 1st March 1920 at Dudley Reg Office. Witnesses E Tromans and M J Tromans? Both signed.
So still not using full name even at marriage.
Looking at Johns military records he enlisted 3 Sep 1914 and served a total of 5yrs 210 days, some in Suez, Cyprus and Alexandria. Don't know who had his medals when he died, should have gone to my father really as his only son.
When I read her address on the cert thought Ive seen that somewhere before, it was on a letter from John to the army to say that was his new address. Quick worker hey!! Did he know Elizabeth before his wife died I wonder?

[Silver surfer]

Can we find Elizabeth b1887 in 1939 registers? She's not with John and the Hacketts so where is she? Did a quick search of 1939 for her but only one possible is at Oldbury and she is with a John. Could he be down twice, somebody please!

[BC Wench]

Is this still a Brickwall, or have you solved it?

Unless otherwise advised this will be moved to the Brickwalls Archived section
within 24 hours