Thomas BALLARD: was there one man or two serving in the 8th?

[Jane Jackson]

I have posted on this site three times about the BALLARD brothers from the Studley/Redditch/Sambourne area, who served in the Worcestershires in WW1. The younger brother Ernest, Private in the 9th Battalion, died of wounds in Gallipoli in November 1915. The older, Thomas (b 1895), was in France and Flanders, and was taken captive in 1918. When I last posted, I knew very little more than that, (I didn't even know his Battalion) but I am now much better informed.

Private Thomas BALLARD (Reg. No. 4401 then 241431) joined up in about October 1915, and was in 1/8th then in 'B' Company 2/8th. He probably got to France in about May 1916, and on 21 March 1918, he was taken prisoner at Fayet, on the outskirts of St Quentin. This was the first day of the Battle of St Quentin. He was held at Kassel, Hessen, then in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, and then in Heuberg, Hohenlohekreis, Baden-Württemberg. I do not know when he was released and when he got home. Thomas was awarded the War and Victory Medals. Much of the above, I found on the website of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is now a searchable resource about WW1 PoWs.

HOWEVER! I have now discovered that there was another Private Thomas BALLARD, who joined the 8th Battalion (obviously this was the original fore-runner of 1/8th) on 22 September 1914. He was discharged on 25 June 1915 and awarded the Silver War Badge, for wounds. His Reg. No. was 2949. I have found him on a Silver War Badge Roll, and I have found his specific 'Silver War Badge only' Medal Card (referred to as the 'third type' in the explanation of Medal Cards on the 'Long, Long Trail'), but I cannot find a Medal Roll for other medals. IF HE WAS WOUNDED AND INVALIDED OUT, SURELY HE VERY PROBABLY BUT NOT NECESSARILY SERVED ABROAD!!? But his entry on YOUR site suggests he also got the War and Victory Medals AND a 1914 Star, so he MUST have been abroad to receive this.

PLEASE, can anyone enlighten me about THIS Thomas. Is this possibly also my Thomas, who rejoined about 3-4 months after his original discharge, and returned to service in the same Battalion?

Thanks,

Jane