Hello - enquiry about Pte William Edward Birch, 18th Battalion, 1916

[BarryEBirch]

Hello everyone - I've just discovered this forum and I hope you can help.

I'm trying to find out more about my Grandfather's military service.

PTE William Edward Birch 61199 18 Manchester Regiment.
Served 1916 to 1919. DOB 11/11/1898. I assume he was conscripted aged 18.
This information above comes from his medal inscription, medal rolls index card and WW2 LVF enrolment form. See attachments.

Family sources say he was captured.
Unfortunately I can't find his service record on Ancestry.

I've looked at your Manchester POWs list and he isn't there. Are there records of soldiers who were captured?
Does his service number tie up with a 1916 enlistment (it's much higher than those in the original battalion photographs)?

Any pointers or information you can give will be much appreciated.

Many thanks

Barry

[harribobs]

Hi Barry

and welcome to the forum

his service number looks more like it was issued in 1917 IMHO, but we'll see if any one else can come up with anything

cheers

chris

[Wendi]

Hi Barry and Welcome to our Forum !

I'm really sorry but I had to delete your copy of his MIC, it breaches your membership of ancestry.co.uk & .com to post it here, and we don't want that do we !!!

Wendi 

PS you dont have full membership do you? we are looking for someone with membership that shows immigration ship records for 1940's

[BarryEBirch]

Hi Wendy,

I didn't think about the Ancestry copyright - thanks for that.

I have premium membership of ancestry. What do you want me to look up?

Barry

[Wendi]

Oooh Goody 

We have a thread going on here http://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=5085.msg32878#new regarding the evacuation of Singapore and I am wondering if the Ship Manifests that Ancestry hold would cover the wives and children leaving Singapore prior to it's fall.

If you can look this up for Robbie & Us perhaps you'd like to contribute to the thread (we have not yet asked him what his mother & grandmothers names were)

Thank you for the offer !!!

Wendi