1 - 10th Manchester, Oldham Territorials -Pri. John Willam Entwistle No. 2448.

[Mike Smith]

Hi My name is Mike Smith and I run the Moorside & District Historical Society, Oldham. I am no amateur at research; but I cannot get an army fix past 24th November 1914 on a John William Entwistle [1894~1972]. On his sons birth registration he records No. 2448, M/c. Reg. 24/11/1914. 12 Park St. Oldham. He was married to Miss Emily Last in 1913 at O/m Reg. Office. No other children born in the war, assumed he was overseas etc.
1st 10th Manchester No. fits, between 14th August and 3rd September. He is not an Oldham Pal. The 10th were part of the East Lancashire Division at that time and off to Egypt etc. Platoon ?, 126 Brigade, 42nd Division.
He did not get killed and is on the Oldham Absent Voter list, 1918. That is all I pin on him. The family have little knowledge, but think he was gassed. No Silver badge positively identified.
Unfortunatley it is not a rare name and many John William Entwistle, on the Medal List, plus even more John Entwistle. I have recorded ever one of them and cannot match our John positivley
at this stage. No Record found to date. Assume he changed Regiment and number ?
Looked through many books, Oldham L.S. papers + Discs, Ancestry, FMP, Family Search and so on. ( Not been to Kew yet - the Manchester's Museum records not re-opened to date )
Can any one give a lead.?
Mike

TB Changed year of marriage from 1903

[Tim Bell]

Hi Mike,
Please can you send the links for the birth of his son and the 1918 AVL.
There's a 1918 AVL for a JWE in Oldham serving with the KLR.
It's possible he just served at Home in 10th Bn, maybe posted to another Bn or regimemt.
Tim

[charlie]

Welcome to the forum Mike
As JWE was in the UK in Nov 1914 the 1/10th Bn can be ruled out so possibly he was with the 2/10th. The problem with his number is that the 1 & 2nd, 3rd & 4th and the 5th to 10th TF Battalions were all using the same number sequences so he could have theoretically have been in any one of them. An enlistment in the 1st and 2nd would date his number to 1913, with the other battalions an enlistment in September/October 1914.
I have checked the medal rolls using 2448 and the post 1917 six digit 10th Bn numbers which start with 375 and can find no overseas service for him.
Gas was only used on the western front so if the suggestion he was gassed is correct it rules out service elsewhere at the time he was gassed.

Charlie