Looking for information for James Roberts

[anniefinder]

I want to find out information regarding my grandfather who joined the Royal Worcestershire regiment in 1914. He would have been a private and he has said he was a cycle polisher which I am not sure if that applies in the army. I believe he stayed in the army until 1919. How would I go about trying to find information about him. He was living in Tower Road, Aston Manor, Warwickshire at the time and had a wife called Alice. Can anyone advise me what I can do please? Unfortunately I have no information regarding what company he was attached to but I thought it was worth trying to see if anyone could help me.
Thank you

Ann

[scully]

Hi Ann,

There are only 5 people with the name James Roberts on the Medal Index Roll who served with the Worcestershire Regiment in WW1. Their details are below:

1. Private James Roberts (army number 10899) 1st Battalion - entered theatre of war in France on 5th November 1914.

2. Private James Roberts (army number 18829) 3rd Battalion - entered theatre of war in France on 12th Jan 1915. - died of wounds 27th Sept. 1915.

3. Private James Roberts (army number 4972, later changed to 241728 ) he transferred to the East Lancashire Regiment army number changed again to 33545.

4. Corporal James A. Roberts (army number 10408) - entered theatre of war in Balkans on 25th April 1915. After the war transferred to Z Class.

5. Private James E. Roberts (army number 1898, later changed to 204200) - entered theatre of war in France on 31st March 1915 - transferred to Gloucestershire Regiment army number changed again to D/38076 - He deserted 25th June 1917. Medals were forfeited.

From the information you gave I would suggest that he was the 1st one on the list of names above; namely Private James Roberts (10899) who served with the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment in France and first entered the theatre of war on the 5th Nov. 1914. I have no other information but you could try the National Archives at Kew and look at the Medal Rolls where he will be listed. The medal roll reference for the War Medal and Victory Medal is: Roll L/102 B24 page 5347 and for the 1914 Star Medal is: Roll L/2/6 page 53. The medal rolls usually give some additional information.

Regards,

Louis (webmaster)