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7242 Alfred Mather

Started by ValCharlie, June 05, 2011, 12:57:06 PM

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ValCharlie

I am not sure that I have done this correctly but have read that you are all friendly, so I am sure that you will put me right!

I am looking for more info on my great uncle Alfred Mather. I have his military records off Ancestry so know that his first day of service with 1st City/16th Battalion was 7th Sept 1914.

In the photos on this site - presumably taken 1914/15 before they left for France? - he is listed in the photo for Platoon 12 C Coy.

Eventually (October 1917) he was CSM for D Coy. He appears to have left the army on 3rd August 1918 but I can't work out why. ???

Also on his joining papers he says that he has some previous military experience but I can't work out what.  ???
I am not sure if I can put a link to Ancestry or a copy of the papers on here - can I? Or can you experts access this stuff anyway?

I have a photo of him with some-one else in uniform - does it have a home somewhere on this site?
Finally, he married my great aunt in April 1945. Is it possible that he served again in WW2??

Apologies in advance if I have got this wrong

timberman


Hi ValCharlie

Welcome to the forum.
I'm sure we can help with your research.

If you follow the link below it explains how to load photos onto the site.

http://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=447.0

Timberman


ValCharlie

Thanks - have lost CD that drives my scanning facility but will sort!
Looking forward to some news! :D

mack

hiya VC
this is what i have in my database,hope it helps

pte 7242 alfred mather
enlisted 7-9-14
aged 21yrs 11mths
16th manchesters
C.coy
son of robert+frances,120 crosscliffe st,moss side[father a police sergeant]
sisters florence+edith
he and his uncle albert mather,both worked for manchester corporation as gas meter inspectors
religion,CofE
formerly served in the transport section of RAMC territorials,left october 1913[time expired]
appointed unpaid L/cpl 21-9-15
to france 8-11-15
appointed paid L/cpl 9-7-16
promoted cpl 10-7-16
appointed act/CSM 15-4-17
promoted to CSM of D.coy in place of CSM 7441 arthur lambourne,who had been shipped home unfit
shot in the right thigh on 22-10-1917,shipped home on 24-10-17
i dont know which hospital he was in when he first got to england,but he was transferred to the 2nd western gen,manchester,on 8-1-18
granted convalescent leave 16-6-18 till 24-6-18
discharged physically unfit,on 3-8-18
awarded silver war badge No438999

mack ;D

ValCharlie

 :-*
Fantastic -that all fits with the details that I have and with family folklore!

So no marriage....and no idea what happened thereafter, particularly 2WW. I have a big gap 1918 - 1945 but suspect that I may not fill it here!

How do I find out where he was etc October 1916 (I have up to here from the website) until October 1917 when he was shot?? ???


mack

hiya VC.
these men are not manchesters,they look like army service corps sgts

mack ;D

george.theshed197

How dare you Mack  ;D,
Service Corps indeed - Try the Border Regiment; I wore that badge for some years and would recognise it anywhere.
George. ;D ;D ;D

mack

hiya george.
the badge looks like its got a crown on the top,thats why i didnt go for the border regt,i must get some better specs,sorry george

mack ;D

george.theshed197

It's the 'damp glasses' that cause the blurring Mack -  ;D ;D ;D
Oh and by the way The Border Badge does have a crown on the top of it - helps to keep the sun out of the  Dragon's eyes   :P.
George.

kingo

From the 16th Battalions War Diary;
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.

mack

thanks andy.
ive just noticed ive done a typo error,i posted him wounded on 22-10-17,just amended it,cheers

mack ;D

mack

hiya george.
me specs are ok,just found out that the author of the book has got it wrong,he has a picture of the border regt badge,it turns out its a picture of the 3rd militia battalions badge[no crown]i wont be using that book again ;D ;D

mack ;D

pete th

If he was 21 in 1914, he would have been 46 in 1939 which would make him too old for active service in WW2. Similar to many veterans of WW1, he may well have served in the Home Guard or other branches of the Civil Defence Services, such as the Auxiliary Fire Service, Ambulance Divisions, ARP, etc.

There is an excellent book by Michael Stedman called the "The Manchester Pals" which describes the activities of the Pals battalions including the 16th Battalion (1st City Pals):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-Pals-Michael-Stedman/dp/1844150461

Hope this helps
Pete
Remembering

Pte Sidney Lee (36719), 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regt - dow 18.02.17
Sgt Charles Roberts (13668), 11th Bn, Manchester Regiment - kia 18.05.18
Bombardier John Hesford (70065), 147th Heavy Battery, RGA dow - 04.09.18
Pte Sidney Lee (4131324), 8th Bn, Cheshire Regiment -  kia 12.03.41

ValCharlie

Oops...sorry for the photo...all the details on Alf and the Pals are correct...just not the photo. :'(

My cousin and I were going through his wife's old photos the other day and found this, so we assumed that it was him. We are soooo young that we only ever knew him in his late 60s and early 70s (He died in 1965 in Morecambe) and we were very very young - so sorry. I wonder who the heck it is then - all of the other photos are Alf, none in uniform, so not of interest here. Am I correct that it is a WW1 uniform?