George Lane WW1 Army Records (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Monday, August 27, 2012, 17:46 (4466 days ago) @ m p griffiths

Thanks MPG,

from the free-to-search National Archives website I've found his basic Medal Card, as you found on Ancestry:

Reference:WO 372/11/242919 (War Office File Reference)

Description: Medal card of Lane, George A

Corps, Regiment No, Rank

King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 24781, Private

Labour Corps, 665799, Private

Date: 1914-1920
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D3294848

His Army numbers are key to researching him. I must say it seems you've struck "Gold" here; I've lookedup scores of WW1 Soldiers, including several Lanes from the Forest area, while researching my mines. Altho virtually all of the men who served will have Medal Cards viewable on Ancestry, which give much useful information including if Wounded or Killed In Action ("K.I.A")etc, I couldn't find any more Army Records (Service, Pension etc) for the vast majority of the one's I've lookedup (abt 2/3 of these records were destroyed during WW2 bombing).
It is these full Records that are of most interest, especially if they've all remained intact; sometimes there's just a burnt scrap of a page, sometimes theres a dozen or more legible pages !. Ideally these Records contain personal information such as a soldier's appearance, his home details, next of kin, his service records including where/when served, disciplinary record, medical records etc etc. Need to be carefull though as sometimes the Ancestry photos have been mixedup, so occasionally the wrong pages are filed under the wrong name etc, always worth viewing film images either side of the supposed correct file slot. A soldier's Army number could and often did change as he moved about.

In this instance I suspect George was possibly a professional Soldier prior to WW1, given his baptism in 1875 ?? The above Records should show this, especially his "Attestation" (Enlistment) Papers which will quote his background.
I have records of a soldier from the Longhope area who served many years before the War, then re-enlisted for WW1. He is clearly a proud "old soldier" as he emphasises this point within Census Forms & Parish Records related to him. It was normal in peacetime to signup for say 6 years of Army Service PLUS 6 more as a Reservist, and this could be extended.

Sometimes we assume all the WW1 soldiers were youngsters; however at the start of the war the service was Voluntary; most "old" soldiers re-enlisted, if you appeared fit & able and were under 60years old they'd find you a role somewhere, especially if an old soldier. When Conscription was introduced the maximum age was 56, altho' at all times men & boys lied to get in...
The oldest British soldier to die in WW1 was Henry Webber who died in 1916 aged 68 !.

George's service shows him in the Labour Corps in his latter service. This tended to be where older or wounded/less-able soldiers would end their service days. They would be involved with the massive logistical effort to keep the frontline troops stocked with food, ammunition etc etc, usually overseas or in the UK; or perhaps they would be in the Royal Garrison Artillery defending Britain's sea ports etc. By 1917 the dire shortage of manpower to "feed the guns" (interprete that old saying either way!) meant that the UK was stripped bare of manpower and all men were needed.
http://www.1914-1918.net/labour.htm

I hope this is of interest.