News:

Are you researching a soldier? Interested in the regiment? Please join the forum

There is much more information available on our website: Click Here

Main Menu

Great Grandfather info

Started by Brad, June 10, 2008, 09:05:46 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Brad

Hello Everyone,

This is my first time posting a message, so Iam sorry if I don't know what Iam doing.
Iam in Australia and Iam finding it hard to find information on my Great Grandfather.
His name was  WILLIAM WESTERSIDE ,He was in the 1st manchester regiment from 1903-1923, Reg No-7816. Thats all the information I have. If someone could point me in the right direction or has any information it would be greatly appreciated.

Wendi

Hi Brad and a Warm Welcome to The Forum  ;D

I'm sure we can help.  This is his WW1 Medal Index Card.  I can decipher some of it for you later, but perhaps some of the chaps can help me !!!

Have you managed to locate him on any census?

Wendi  :)

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it!  No matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and with your own common sense" ~ Buddha

Wendi

..........also,

if he was still a serving soldier in 1923 his service record would be available to his next of kin for a fee and you can download the forms to apply from the Veterans Agency here

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

Wendi  :)
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it!  No matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and with your own common sense" ~ Buddha

Brad

Thanks Wendi  :)

You have helped so much already. I have only recently started researching my great grandfather. Up until last month I didnt even Know he served in WW1 so I have not researched a great deal. I will have a look on that web page. Thank you again.

tisgrannie

Hello and welcome, If you could give us a location for your great Grandfather we can try to help you,. I just looked quickly on Ancestry and the only William Westerside that came up was only 13 in 1901 and had a middle name of Frances and came from Lincoln. So any details at all will help us help you!
regards
tisgrannie

tisgrannie

Hi I looked at the 1891 Census and this is the 1st of a couple that came up. does anything ring a bell? The addreess is 11 Bute St Everton Liverpool the father here Conrad is a widower from germany.
tisgrannie



Name: William Westerside
Age: 8 
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883 
Relation: Son 
Father's Name: Conrad
Gender: Male
Where born: Liverpool, Lancashire, England
 
Civil Parish: Everton 
Ecclesiastical parish: St Ambrose 
Town: Liverpool 
County/Island: Lancashire 
Country: England 
 


 
Registration district: West Derby 
Sub registration district: South Everton 
ED, institution, or vessel: 10 
Neighbors: View others on page 
Household Members: Name Age
Annie Sheridan 33 
Conrad Westerside 41 
Conrad Westerside 4 
Francis Westerside 6 
Mary Westerside 10 
William Westerside 8 



Brad

Thank you for your reply Tisgrannie

That sounds like him, I recently found out he was born on 06/06/1886 in Liverpool and died in Australia 29/08/1952. His wife was Florence Ainsworth born 27/12/1900 in Manchester. Thank you again for your help.

Brad

Hello again

Could any body please tell me what  some of the things on the medal card mean.

Thank you :)

tisgrannie

Hi Brad. Sorry I personally can't help with the medal details. meanwhile I have added the 1st Bn link from the Main site. Just an outline.  Someone will help with the medal info, at the moment a couple of experts are away. Someone should pop in and look we will help. Please be patient with us, sorry I can't help here. If you need any census info or marriage certificate info I can look for those for you. Do you need any of the details? if so just let me know.
kind regards
tisgrannie



http://www.themanchesters.org/1st%20batt.htm

tisgrannie

Hi again I have found the marriage info. It is below.  Also there are 2 Florence Ainsworth's on the 1901 census born 1900. 1 was born Blackburn the other Bolton, both from Lancashire.
Fathers name on marriage certificate will verify which one she is.
best wishes
tisgrannie
ps the cavalry will be over the hill, anytime soon!

Surname  First name(s)  Spouse  District  Vol  Page 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Dec 1919   (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ainsworth  Florence  Westerside  Prestwich  8d 920   

Robert Bonner

Brad.

You must find out whether the date of 1903 is when he enlisted or when he joined the 1st Battalion. The 1st Battalion was in Singapore in 1903 having left South Africa the previous year at the end of the Anglo Boer War.  On 9 March 1904 2nd Lieutenant Sharland arrived with the  battalion with  350 non-commissioned officers and men - nearly all recruits. All having completed their recruit training at the Depot in Ashton-under-Lyne in 1903.   I suspect that this is probably when your Grandfather joined the battalion.

On 13 December 1904 the battalion sailed for Inda and Madras, then to Secunderabad.  Later to Kamptee and in October 1911 to Jullundur where they became part of the Jullundur Brigade which was to earn considerable fame in the world war to follow.  They remained part of the Jullundur Brigade until the end of the war.

Great friendships were created between the Manchesters, the Sikhs and the Frontier Force Regiment.  Friendships which continue to the present day through the Jullundur Brgade Association of ex-officers of the Regiments and the present day battalions.
Robert

mack

good work tis.
in 1936
willam+florence,lived at 117 charles st,balkatta,freemantle.
occupation.labourer
this is his brother.
pte conrad westerside
34538
lancashire fusiliers
enlisted 1915
aged 29
born,liverpool 1888
worked in the oil cake mills
contracted malaria in july 1918 and discharged as medically unfit,on 17-2-19.

mack

harribobs

william westerside 7816 1st battn Lance corporal (in 1914)

He first went to war on 27th August 1914,and as such was awarded the 1914 star, he was one of the "old contemptibles" on the card you can see Clasp and Roses and a reference number, this means he would have a bar inscribed "5 Aug. to 22 Nov. 1914" on his 1914 Star,  (they would have to serve 'under fire' in that time) they would also have a small rosette that they would wear on the medal bar

If I am reading that card correctly, he finished as a Warrant Officer Class 2 and his Victory and British War Medal will have that on

he had his service number changed in 1922, to 3512647, you need to include this information if you apply for his service records from Glasgow

cheers

chris
"It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply
  to serve as a warning to others."

Brad

Thanks for that information Robert, Mack and Chris

Hope my relatives in Perth have that info when he first joined .Might take a week or two to get to me through the post. Will let you Know.  I found out he was in the Australian Army in WW2 but never left Australia.

Thanks Brad

tisgrannie

As you may have seen Brad there are quite a few Westerside's!
here is the lancashire Fus one for you.
tisgrannie