TOPIC:

Hi,
I have been searching for any information on my great grandfather for quite a while, and today had a breakthrough, I hope!!
I found someone with his name, same spouse name and same daughter's name on a site on Ancestry, UK Army Register of Soldiers Effects 1901-1929, but there's no date of birth so I'm not 100% sure its the right man?
His name is John Roche. Date of Birth 15th June 1873. From Mallow, Co. Cork Ireland.
Spouse Hannah Roche Child Ellen Roche
Regiment 1st Royal Munster Fusiliers.
Rank Private
Number 3412
Date of Death 31st May 1901
Place of Death Standerton and Mooifontein.

Where can I find out if its the same John Roche or not?
All the details point to it being him, but I need a date of birth for this man to be sure...

Thank you, hopefully , his great granddaughter,
ORLAITH.

Hello Orlaith

There is a chance his service papers have survived, check FindmyPast.

I understand you can get a death certificate for this man, whether it gives you more information I can't say.

From the matches you've got it would appear this is the same man, so what are the chances of it being someone else? What other information do you have from other sources that the husband and father of this woman and child died in 1901?

Regards
Meurig

Thanks for that...
I registered with Find my Past, and couldn't find any papers there, only a little more information on where he died, which was on his profile. Are army papers in a seperate section do you know?
Its frustrating that all I need to confirm it's my great grandfather.
You see, nobody in the family has ever been able to remember anything about him, as my Mum is dead, I find it strange that the others don't know anything.
This was my first breakthrough as to what might have happened him and where he died...

Thanks.
Órlaith.

Daffy,

There are no service papers for him in FindMyPast



This is a reference to his medal entitlement in WO100/208p66:



As a deceased solder my understanding is that the service papers will have been destroyed so these are not an option to verify this is him. The papers would have listed his DOB so this is frustrating.

Do you have any access to online, local newspapers? They sometimes carry stories like this.

David,
Thanks do much for that link.
It is so frustrating, a simple date of birth is all I need to verify he's my great grandfather!
Do you know, as he fought with the Royal Munster Fusiliers, and was Irish, where were the Irish dead buried? Would they have been interred in S Africa or where?
I've seen references to a book by Steve Watt, which is the name on his reference in Find my past.. Apparently this book lists interment locations as well, I must try and locate a copy somewhere, hopefully here in Ireland, though its quite expensive.....
Thanks again
Órlaith.

Watt, simply confirms his details as 3412 Private J Roche 1st Battalion, the Munster's and shows him as died of wounds on the 31st of May 1901 at Mooifontein, interred at Standerton, with his name on the main monument.
Although, the remarks suggest he was wounded on the 25th of May and his remains were actually exhumed at some point.

Daffy wrote: David,
Thanks do much for that link.
It is so frustrating, a simple date of birth is all I need to verify he's my great grandfather!
Do you know, as he fought with the Royal Munster Fusiliers, and was Irish, where were the Irish dead buried? Would they have been interred in S Africa or where?
I've seen references to a book by Steve Watt, which is the name on his reference in Find my past.. Apparently this book lists interment locations as well, I must try and locate a copy somewhere, hopefully here in Ireland, though its quite expensive.....
Thanks again
Órlaith.