"Help with research - Royal Marines Plymouth Division" Topic

The national archives seem to have added more records since i last looked and ive found my grandfather on my father's side.

link

His service number shown here agrees with the medals i have. I also have a Princess Mary tobacco box which is believed to belong to him. With the colourful history of the Marines in this period, Antwerp, Gallipoli, the western front etc. ive often wondered where he served.

Does the attached link give any clues, is the Plymouth Division particularly relevant or is that just do with where he enlisted. It says something about a pdf for £3.50, what further information will that provide? Where is the next step in research?

Although not sure, I would opine that the Plymouth Division was the administrative headquarters where he enlisted and probably to which he stayed assigned for his career as a Royal Marine.

Jim

He might have enlisted anywhere, most likely near home. All recruits were sent to the training depot at Walmer. The three administrative Divisions (Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth) were established in 1913.

The pdf should give his service history and what medals he was awarded.

you may want to track him down through the Royal Naval Division, which if he was where you say then he must have been with the RND in one of the marine battalions.

Look in the British Public Records Office and track down his medal entitlements, it can be accessed on the net and it may give you an idea of his service history.

The Plymouth Division was the admin base not the fighting base.

Ive downloaded his records and from 1914 to 1916 under ship or division it lists Blake and short periods for Plymouth Division. Im guessing that refers to HMS Blake which was a depot ship? Then during 1917 to 1918 it looks like Fox, again could be the ship, which was in the middle east at that time.