Hi I'm new to this. My query is that I recently discovered that my grandfather was killed while serving in what the newspaper account describes as "13th company of the Middlesex Battalion National Rreserve." He was killed while on guard duty at Forest Hill railway station, January 1915. I've Googled all combinations of the unit's name but can't help feeling that the newspaper mixed it up. Any suggestions anyone?
Joe Barnes, Ontario, Canada.

Hi

Found this by googling Middlesex Regiments in ww1

Battalion Brigade Division Overseas
13th 73 24 F/F 2.9.15


So the 13th Battalion was part of the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division and went to France/Flanders on 02/09/15

If you look under Infantry regiments on this site you will find a summary of all the Middlesex Regiments also.
It was actually a service battalion but the next ones below were reserve, so yes , as usual , the paper got it wrong.

regards
Robert

Thanks Robert,
So, my grandfather was actually in the 13th Battalion which went to Flanders in Sep 1915. As the newspaper said, he was serving in the National Reserve. How does this fit in with things? Does it mean he was not a full-time soldier? What I really want to know is how to find his service number so that I can obtain a copy of his service record and also whether my grandmother would have been in receipt of an army pension. (She was widowed at age 26 with five children to raise!)
Can you point me in the right direction,
Cheers,
Joe.

Hi Joe,

If you can give me Grandfather's name and age I'll try to help you track down some information.

Regards,
Sandie

Thanks for the offer, Sandie,
My grandfather was Arthur James Prior born 22 Dec 1883 so aged 32 when he died 3 Jan 1915.
Hoping for the best!
Joe.

Hi Joe,

There were 6 men with the surname Prior died in the Great War whilst serving with the Middlesex Regt (Duke of Cambridge's Own).
They were:
Alfred Henry Prior
Alfred Murray Prior
Hubert Archibald Prior
William W Prior
George Charles Prior
Sidney S Prior
On checking the CWGC Debt of Honour they record 5 A Priors but none that served in the Middlesex Regt.
I have looked through the Medal Index Cards but there are is no card for A J Prior in the Middlesex Regt.
There are Service Records for 2 A J Priors, 1 lived in Falkirk and the other Aberdeen.
If simmo's post is correct:
Found this by googling Middlesex Regiments in ww1
Battalion Brigade Division Overseas
13th 73 24 F/F 2.9.15
So the 13th Battalion was part of the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division and went to France/Flanders on 02/09/15
then your Grandfather died 8 months before the battalion left for France.
Maybe he was killed at Forset Hill railway station.

If I can help any further please feel free to get back in touch.

Regards,
Sandie

Hello again Joe,

I've checked the Register of Deaths for Jan, Feb & Mar 1915. The death of Arthur J Prior, aged 32, was recorded in the Register of Deaths Volume 1d Page 1733 at Lewisham, London.

Forest Hill Station is in Lewisham so I think the newspaper report is almost certainly correct.

Kind regards,
Sandie

Many thanks Sandie, but unfortunately you too have found the same information as me. Yes, he did die at Forest Hill railway station in Lewisham and I have a copy of the coroner's report from the Kentish Mercury of the time. What I still don't understand, though, is why there appear to be no military record of his death. As I said, what I'm trying to do is find his service number so that I can obtain a copy of his service record and whether or not his widow (my grandmother) received an army pension.
Regards,
Joe

Hooold it! The article does not refer to the 13th (Service) Battalion in France but to a unit of the home-based National Reserve.

Quoting my own page at http://www.1914-1918.net/reserve.htm:

"The National Reserve was, in essence, a register maintained by Territorial Force County Associations of all those who had military experience, but who had no other reserve obligation. It was divided in three classes: Class I for those under 42 in age, II officers and senior ranks under 55 and junior ranks under 50 for home service only, III those who were not medically fit for Classes I and II. Its strength as at 1 Oct 1913 was 215,000 all ranks.

In October 1914 the National Reserve was formed into Protection Companies, which were attached to existing TF battalions, for the guarding of railways and other vulnerable points in Britain. That November, all Class I and II men were ordered to present themselves for enlistment. In March 1915 the Protection Companies were redesignated as Supernumerary Companies TF. In July 1915 there was a widescale trawl of these companies to identify men capable of marching 10 miles with a rifle and 150 rounds of ammunition. Those who were classified as medical Category A went to Service battalions, while Category C's were posted to Provisional battalions. Cat B men were formed into the 18th-24th Battalions of the Rifle Brigade. These battalions were sent to Egypt and India at the end of 1915 to replace TF units committed to Gallipoli and Mesopotamia. The rump left in Britain eventually formed the 25th Battalion Rifle Brigade TF and served as a Garrison battalion at Falmouth. As for the Supernumerary Companies, they were eventually formed into the Royal Defence Corps".

Not much for you in terms of specifics about 13th Company, but at least it is a bit of background.

Many thanks Chris,
That certainly gives me more of an insight as to what my grandfather was doing guarding Forest Hill station!
However, do you have any advice as to how I might obtain his service number? Also, do you have any comments about the Kentish Mercury's description of his unit as "13th Company of the Middlesex Battalion National Reserve"?
Joe