My Great Grandfather: William G Squire, Cambridgeshire Regt.

[gibba1008]

Hi Guys, I havn't had much luck with my research of my Great Grandfather, he was against the war but was arrested and having no trial, posted on the front lines in France, he was wounded by a shell, gassed, and shell shocked, survived the war but spent most of his life in a mental hospice in Great Yarmouth, I know all this because his 98 year old daughter, Edith, is still alive and well and lives in the same village! I downloaded his medal card index, but that was as far as my research went. It still sadderns me deeply to think his young life was destroyed by a war that he never believed in. Any one know any firms who do research?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi, a very sad story. But thanks for posting about him. It is right he is remembered.

Your relative Edith could apply for his service records free of charge. I am sure you could help her. But I have to caution that many WW1 records were destroyed courtsey of the Luftwaffe in 1940.

Please see here:

Service records

Cheers, Ade.

[OKW]

Would he have had attestation papers seeing as he was drummed in rather than volunteered? If he was hospitalised as a result of war service and presumably discharged as unfit for service there may be a pension record for him at Kew although the military were quick to fire people back onto the Parish then thus reducing the amount they would have to pay. The Parish mental health facilities being part of the poor house system then with its social stigma and feeling of horror attached to being an inmate of this system.

[gibba1008]

Hi okw,
thanks for the imput im not sure to be honest, all i no is that he was a conscientious objecter, he did not believe in the war, as a matter of fact he was a very gentle man by all accounts and would rather open a window to let a fly out than kill it!! he was arrested by all accounts and drafted, he gave his watch to the officers and asked them to send it home, wasnt till his return he found out they did honour his request, i now have this watch....he didnt talk much of his times in france but did mention that whilst out on an "op", he jumped in a shell hole for cover and a German jumped in too, he said before either of them reacted another shell exploded killing the German, and covering my Great Grandfather... the war affected him deeply, he did survive unlike his brother who died in France fighting with the New Zealanders. He might not of volunteered but I'm still very proud of him.

Thanks Ade, no records survived in the first lot, but i think the burnt records are still being restored but this has not reached as far as "s" in the alphabet as yet, i have his medal card index and this is what it shows... William G Squire, Cambridgeshire Regt 7857 rev/1743/k.r.1912 8/8270/am.
I think k.r. is Kings Regulations and 1912 is the code for a discharge because of being unfit to fight??

Would love any imput if you guys can help?
many thanks

[OKW]

Hi Gibba, there is a copy of K.R at Kew but you need to attend there to view it. If you have a picture of his medal card and you can post and see what the forum can tell you?
Regards