Just wondered if anyone can point me in the right direction please. ive never really looked at Military records and not sure where to start. My grandad Herbert Hillier - Dob (1898) Manchester Was adopted by the Boardman Family - William and Sarah Ann Boardman. My grandad died of accidental poisoning when he was 27 yrs old. I’ve always wondered if he was in the First World War but have never looked really So I was hoping someone could help me where I look for starters ...
National archives have surviving WW1 service records. However many records were destroyed by fire but you might get lucky if he served. The medal index cards are complete and held by National Archives and have been loaded on to Ancestry. They show names but sometimes only the initials of the first names. Unfortunately they do not include age etc. Those would be my starting points. Did he marry during WW1 and if so do you have his marriage certificate? They sometimes recorded the grooms occupation as soldier.
This might assist also. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk...rch-guides/?research-category=first-world-war
Thank you Doug I’ll have a go with the Archives - I’ve always found it confusing when trying to look on there but I’ll have a go Thank you x
Have a look here Wendy; https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q="herbert+hillier"&_col=200&_hb=tna&_p=1900
@wendymac forgot to say if you register or sign in at the National Archives you can still down load documents for free.
Do you know if he used the Boardman surname? Anc have the discharge records for a Herbert Boardman b1898. NOK is listed as 'Brother', but he is consistent with an address of Albion Street, Westhoughton. I had a look for a Herbert Hillier, but I couldn't see any service records that were likely to be your man, and the medal card need you to have a regiment or service number to find the correct one.
im not sure if he used the Boardman name at that time. They lived in Osborne Street Manchester. He is buried with William and Sarah Ann Boardman and their eldest son under his own name Hillier in Phillips Park Cemetry.
Thank you to all who have posted replies to my query so far - I will hopefully get chance over the weekend to have a toot at the links you have provided for me xx