Genealogy Forum UK

Is it possible to trace someone who served in 1914-1918 war with only a name?
My great uncle Thomas Ashmore born Brockmoor Brierley Hill 1888 was in the war and was gassed, that is all I know about his service. There is a Thomas Ashmore on ancestry with the right dates but that isn't him as my Thomas was married to Ruth.

Thanks nessa

Nessa, do you have the marriage cert for Thomas & Ruth?

Hello,

No I don't have any marriage cert for him mum just knows he married

Ruth and they had 3 children Ruth Nellie and George who died aged 14.

I know it is a long shot with so little information.

Thanks nessa

Marriages Jun 1925
Ashmore Thomas Saunders Stourbridge 6c 17
Saunders Ruth Ashmore Stourbridge 6c 17

ASHMORE Thomas SAUNDERS Ruth 1925 Brierley Hill, St Michael West Midlands Dudley Register Office 210/009/378


Births Jun 1926
Ashmore Marjorie Saunders Stourbridge 6c 71


Births Jun 1928
Ashmore Nellie Saunders Stourbridge 6c 68


Births Dec 1931
Ashmore George Saunders Stourbridge 6c 75


Deaths Mar 1946
Ashmore George 14 Rowley R 6b 1068


you poss need marriage looked up for there father ?

Sorry for not saying thanks earlier I have been engrossed by a murder in the family, if I send for the wedding cert for Thomas and Ruth will that help in the search for his war records?

nessa

Hi Nessa,

I'm afraid the marriage or any of the childrens birth certificates won't help in your research on Thomas's war service because they all occured after the war had ended. This means no reference would have been made to his service details on these certificates and it's not looking very promising with so little information.

I'll check Ancestry for any possible information.

Regards
Adrian

Hi Nessa,

All may not be lost because I've found him on the 1911 census serving with the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment in Hampshire, England which gives me some thing to go on. He was a regular soldier so most likely would have seen action at the start of the war either as a regular or reservist if he had already left the army (I think signed up for 7 year service and around 5 years as a reservist).

I'll dig around and be back in touch but can't promise any good news but I'll try

Regards
Adrian

Hi Nessa,

I have some good news given the little information you have but I can't be 100% sure but all the evidence seems to confirm this is your Thomas.

We know from the 1911 census returns Thomas was a Private serving with the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment :

Name:
Thomas Ashmore

Age in 1911:
22

Estimated Birth Year:
abt 1889

Birth Place:
Brierley Hill, Stathe

Civil Parish:
Carisbrooke

County/Island:
Hampshire

Country:
England

Marital Status:
Single

Registration District:
Isle of Wight

Registration District Number:
93

Sub-registration District:
Newport

ED, institution, or vessel:
2

Piece:
5714

I found on the Medal Index Card a suitable match :

Name:
Thomas Ashmore

Regiment or Corps:
1st Bn Worc

Regimental Number:
11075

BEF 1914-
Disembarked 5-11-14

The history
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Cairo. Returned to England, landing at Liverpool 16 October 1914.
16 October 1914 : came under command of 24th Brigade in 8th Division. Moved to Hursley Park (Winchester).
Landed at Le Havre 6 November 1914.

I'm afraid without his service details it's impossible to work out which battles etc he fought in but we can say that he was one of the first troops to land and fight in France.

I'm very confident given the information from the 1911 census which matches the Thomas mentioned that these are the same persons.

This website is fantastic and will give you really informative information on the Regiment and also the 1st Battalions whereabouts during the war.
http://www.worcestershireregiment.com

One last point is I checked the silver war badge list for Thomas but he didn't receive this so I have no idea when or what reason he was discharged. The silver war badge was issued to soldiers who were discharged due to wounds/injuries or sickness.

I hope this helps and given the lack of information I feel this is the best you can find.

Kind regards
Adrian

Hello Adria,
Thank you for all the information you have found I will certainly look at the site address you gave me, my mum is quite excited at the possibility of finding out what happened to her uncle during the war.

Vanessa

I wondered about that one too.

This site http://www.hut-six.co.uk/GreatWar/Worce ... ent_A.html has 3 of them

Ashmore, Thomas 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 11075 Private [1] 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 11075 Private [2] 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 11075 Private

Ashmore, Thomas 7th Worcestershire Regiment 3545 Private --

Ashmore, Thomas W Worcestershire Regiment 28787 Private [1] Worcestershire Regiment 28787 Private [2] Somerset Light Infantry 52833 Private

The first one is the one Adrian found, I think. Not sure if he is the one who is listed as getting the Belgian Croix de guerre? Same number at least http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/w ... gn_belgian

Then the second one in the 7th Worcs, his medal card says that he was discharged 5/5/1916 sick para 392 XVI so I wondered if that was him? His date of enlistment 10/3/15
Or is he the one from Pensnett?

Hi,

gardener wrote:I wondered about that one too.

This site http://www.hut-six.co.uk/GreatWar/Worce ... ent_A.html has 3 of them

Ashmore, Thomas 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 11075 Private [1] 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 11075 Private [2] 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 11075 Private

Ashmore, Thomas 7th Worcestershire Regiment 3545 Private --

Ashmore, Thomas W Worcestershire Regiment 28787 Private [1] Worcestershire Regiment 28787 Private [2] Somerset Light Infantry 52833 Private

The first one is the one Adrian found, I think. Not sure if he is the one who is listed as getting the Belgian Croix de guerre? Same number at least http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/w ... gn_belgian

Then the second one in the 7th Worcs, his medal card says that he was discharged 5/5/1916 sick para 392 XVI so I wondered if that was him? His date of enlistment 10/3/15
Or is he the one from Pensnett?

Well found gardener and some Interesting finds to ponder.

I also found the Thomas Ashmore 7th Worcs but I pretty sure we can disregard him because of the information you found on his silver war badge confirming he didn't serve overseas and also didn't enlist until 1915. If Nessa'a information is correct about Thomas sadly getting gassed during the war and that he'd already enlisted by 1911 this i think helps confirm the above isn't our Thomas.

Thomas W Ashmore Worcestershire Regiment 28787 Private [2] Somerset Light Infantry 52833 Private also doesn't seem to fit given that Thomas didn't seem to have has a middle name but maybe Nessa can help but this is a possibility and needs to be check further.

You've found some really interesting finds and I'll check these.

Great work

Take care
Adrian

Hi nessa is this Thomas on Bcc?
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... i=10220056

if so I can add some of the info and can put your username in notes

can you confirm for me pls

Yes he is my mother's uncle, thanks again for the information given. What makes it more difficult to find this Thomas Ashmore is that his father had several brothers and as in most families certain names are repeated. Two brothers both had sons John and Thomas around the same time. The only difference I can see at the moment is one family settled in Woodsetton the other around Brierley Hill.

nessa

put this marriage for a look up if you a min nessa
ASHMORE Thomas SAUNDERS Ruth 1925 Brierley Hill, St Michael West Midlands Dudley Register Office 210/009/378

Hi Adrian I have added to Bcc

do we have the right Thomas then?
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... =927780042