WW1 Military Service records - James Alfred Meek (General)
by Speedwell_Blue, Sunday, March 16, 2008, 12:02 (6194 days ago)
I've been trying to trace my Great Uncle's military service record - James Alfred Meek born 1894 died 1935 . Tried Ancestry.com and the Glosters web site with no trace. I mention the Glosters as it seemed a likely regiment as from his Obituary I know he was in the Artillery and served in France then Italy. He was a keen member of the British Legion in Cinderford, with many members at his funeral. So can any kind folk put me onto my next lead? Hoping someone can help...
English WW1 Military Service records
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Sunday, March 16, 2008, 12:15 (6194 days ago) @ Speedwell_Blue
Not yet fully online - as far as I can tell - so a visit to Kew is probably required...
suspects include:-
Medal card of Meek, Alfred J
Corps: Gloucestershire Regiment
Regiment No: 51942
Rank: Private
date 1914-1920
Cat ref WO 372/13
Medal card of Meek, James A
Corps: London Regiment
Regiment No: 5210
Rank: Private...
Date 1914-1920
Cat ref WO 372/13
Medal card of Meek, James
Corps: Monmouthshire Regiment
Regiment No: 2359
Rank: Private...
Date 1914-1920
Cat ref WO 372/13
Medal card of Meek, James
Corps: Royal Garrison Artillery
Regiment No: 91524
Rank: Gunner
Date 1914-1920
Ref WO 372/13
Medal card of Meek, James
Corps: Royal Garrison Artillery
Regiment No: 82519
Rank: Gunner
date 1914-1920
Ref WO 372/13
Medal card of Meek, James
Corps: Royal Field Artillery
Regiment No: 465799
Rank: Corporal
Date 1914-1920
Ref WO 372/13
Medal card of Meek, James
Corps: Royal Field Artillery
Regiment No: 44182
Rank: Gunner...
Date 1914-1920
Ref WO 372/ 13
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/?source=home
1. In 1985, the Public Record Office, now The National Archives, began microfilming the alphabetical card index to the First World War Army medal rolls. Having reviewed the material, we decided to microfilm the fronts of the cards where all the significant information is held. The National Archives now makes that index available to the public in microfiche onsite and also online. By making the index available online, The National Archives has made it accessible to people from their own homes. It is searchable by name, rank and regimental number. Since its launch, the medal card index has been hugely popular and there have been over 300,000 downloads of the records from people all over the world.
2. The original medal index cards were previously held by The Ministry of Defence (MOD). These are now in the custody of the Imperial War Museum, which has accepted the relatively small sub-collection (around 44,000 cards) recording awards to women, and the Western Front Association, which has accepted the remainder. The Association is developing plans to digitise the cards with a view to making them available to the public. More information will become available via the Association's website www.westernfrontassociation.com as its plans progress.
3. The reverse sides of the index cards have not been copied to the microfilm held at The National Archives as the vast majority of them are blank. A very small percentage, possibly as low as one or two per cent, has something written on the reverse, and in some, but not all cases, this was the address to which the medals were sent.
4. Officials of The National Archives and the Ministry of Defence met with Mr Bruce Simpson, Chairman of the Western Front Association (WFA), on 27 September 2006, and inspected the medal index cards and the premises in which they are presently stored. The premises remain suitable, in security and environmental terms. The WFA does not yet have in place the means to respond to requests from the public for information from the cards but has now given assurances that, before the end of 2006, it will introduce a service providing copies of Medal Index Cards in response to requests from the public.
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
James Alfred MEEK 1893 The Morse, Drybrook
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Monday, March 17, 2008, 03:52 (6193 days ago) @ slowhands
Year: 1893
Month: Sep
Day: 27
Parents Surname: MEEK
Child Forenames: James Alfred
Father's Forenames: Richard
Mother's Forenames: Elizabeth Ann
Mother's Surname:
Place of Residence: The Morse
Occupation: Coal Miner
Officiating Minister: A G Gregor Curate
Event type: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register Reference: P109 IN 1/5
Page No: 48
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Name: James Alfred Meek
Year of Registration: 1893
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Westbury On Severn
County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 262
1901
Richard Meek abt 1859 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Meek abt 1861 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Albert V Meek abt 1900 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Clara G Meek abt 1895 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
James A Meek abt 1894 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Minnie G Meek abt 1897 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Raymond R Meek abt 1900 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Thomas R Meek abt 1900 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Brothers
Year: 1900
Month: Dec
Day: 1
Parents Surname: MEEK
Child Forenames: Raymond Redvers Marfell
Father's Forenames: Richard
Mother's Forenames: Elizabeth Ann
Mother's Surname:
Place of Residence: Drybrook
Occupation: Collier
Officiating Minister: B de Dersly Curate
Event type: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register Reference: P109 IN 1/5
Page No: 87
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Year: 1900
Month: Dec
Day: 1
Parents Surname: MEEK
Child Forenames: Thomas Baden Marfell
Father's Forenames: Richard
Mother's Forenames: Elizabeth Ann
Mother's Surname:
Place of Residence: Drybrook
Occupation: Collier
Officiating Minister: B de Dersly Curate
Event type: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register Reference: P109 IN 1/5
Page No: 87
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Year: 1905
Month: Feb
Day: 1
Parents Surname: MEEK
Child Forenames: Albert Victor Marfell
Father's Forenames: Richard
Mother's Forenames: Elizabeth Ann
Mother's Surname:
Place of Residence: Nailbridge
Occupation: Collier
Officiating Minister: J Lawton Vicar
Event type: Baptism
Memoranda: Born July 7th 1899
Notes:
Register Reference: P109 IN 1/5
Page No: 106
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
so back to the Meek/Marfell link - over to you Jim A.
and
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=9546
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
James Alfred MEEK 1893 The Morse, Drybrook
by djones , Rhondda Valley, Glamorgan, Monday, March 17, 2008, 05:48 (6193 days ago) @ slowhands
James A Meek, son of Richard Meek & Elizabeth Marfell was my 1st cousin twice removed.
Richard was the brother of my great grandmother Mary Ann Meek.
Regards
David
English WW1 Military Service records
by Speedwell_Blue, Monday, March 17, 2008, 10:32 (6193 days ago) @ slowhands
Thanks slowhands,
My dad is planning a trip to Kew now and as a Forest boy in Kent and @ 78 it'll be an expedition for him! You picked up the Richard and Ann parents link quickly, I think James's name was one of Elizabeth Marfell's brothers names, they both re-used names from across the family. The two boys - twins - Raymond and Thomas both died less than one year old of whooping cough - none of the 'living' family knew of their existence, so was a tragedy at the time. Sadly James made it through WW1 only to die in a tragic motorcycle accident near Steam Mills. Albert Victor Marfell Meek is the old boy in one of the photo's in the gallery pages sitting on a racing tricycle with the caption "possibly a Meek" - my dad remembers him well. Albert took over Meek's buses from my Grandad Tom (Leslie) Meek c. 1930 when being paid in rabbits and kind during the depression wasn't getting money into the house with a large family to bring up!
David and David thanks for your info too.
Regards,
Roland.
English WW1 Military Service records
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 05:24 (6192 days ago) @ Speedwell_Blue
I'll be submitting a copy of the Newspaper report of the Steam Mills tragedy and resulting funerals from September 1935
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=10381
James A Meek
Age 42
Westbury on Severn
Jul-Aug-Sep
1935
Vol 6 2
Page 281
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
English WW1 Military Service records
by Speedwell_Blue, Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 11:51 (6192 days ago) @ slowhands
I've seen it as I have a copy of the original paper. A sad event for both Meek and Hale families involved and a tragic accident by the accounts. The reports make detailed reading, even by todays standards. James was an upstanding great uncle, member of church, british legion, former Gunner in the RA aand worked at Lydbrook as a Sawyer. Like many when you start the family tree hunt, just wish I could have met him - my dad remembers him for getting soaked at the wrong end of a soda syphon by him and for his home made bread. Little things!
cheers
Roland.
Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum and also check Hereford
by admin , Forest of Dean, Sunday, March 16, 2008, 14:22 (6194 days ago) @ Speedwell_Blue
My grandfather Albert Watkins who was born and lived in Ruardean served with the
1st Hereford Regiment during in WWI. You will find many soldiers from the
Ruardean and Cinderford areas were enlisted with Hereford Regiments.
Also, there is an online searchable database of over 40,000 names of soldiers
who fought in the 24 Battalions of the Gloucestershire Regiment during the First
World War.
See the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum posting:
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=8878