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Archiver > GENIRE > 1999-11 > 0941518577


From: Charles Ellson< >
Subject: Re: British Army
Date: Tue, 02 Nov 99 04:56:17 GMT


In article <> writes:

> Is there a way to trace an enlisted man's past through the British Army? My
> grandfather came from Armagh and went to Halifax with the army band. His
> name was Felix Patrick Quinn. I believe he had a brother named Owen. He was
> born in 1842 in Armagh. I can trace him in Halifax, but before that, I don't
> know anything.
>
The Public Record Office at Kew near London keeps surviving UK historic
military records. The usual plan of attack is to use the soldier's name
and date of leaving the army to trace his "Regular Soldier's Documents"
and work back from there. His career can usually be traced by following
his regiment's Muster Rolls, either backwards or if you have his enlistment
details from his RSDs, forwards. Unfortunately there are sometimes no RSDs
on record if a soldier did not complete his full time due to various reasons
(such as e.g. purchasing his discharge as my gggf James Clark did in Fermoy
in 1869). The PRO web-site has some further information.
--
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