The Pals: Features
Newly released WW1 Pension Records
help clear up a mystery
Friday, 23rd February 2007 saw
www.ancestry.co.uk put additional
WW1 records on their website. The
records only relate to men who were
discharged from the Army and were
entitled to a pension. The first
release contains records for surnames
of soldiers beginning A & B, with
full surname range coverage in release
2 (and as yet there is no date for
this).
Whilst reviewing the list of
Chorley Pals with surnames beginning
with A & B, I came across Seth Blackburn.
His name is listed on the Original
Roll for the Chorley Pals and in
John Garwood's book, but nothing
else.
The new database revealed that
Seth enlisted in the Pals at Chorley
on the 16th September 1914 and was
given the serial number 15263. His
records show that he was born in
Chorley in the summer of 1883 and
had served in the Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment (Territorials) for the
last 8 years. He lived at 52 Gillibrand
Walks in the town and worked as
a Plumber; he gave his religion
as Wesleyan (Methodist).
Barely a month after enlistment
he was promoted to Corporal in the
Pals on the 9th October 1914. Five
months later on the 12th March 1915
he was promoted to Lance Sergeant.
His records show that he was
transferred to the 12th Battalion
of the East Lancashire Regiment
with the rank of Lance Sergeant
on the 3rd September 1915. The 12th
Bn. were the Reserve Battalion for
the East Lancs., based at Chadderton
Camp near Oldham.
He was discharged from the Army,
with a pension, on the 19th August
1916 as being "no longer physically
fit for war service". His total
length of service in the East Lancashire
Regiment (both the 11th & 12th Battalions)
was 1 year and 338 days, all in
the U.K.
No reason was given why he was
transferred or eventually discharged.
Steve Williams
23.2.2007 |
