TOPIC:

I have a pension number for my late Grandfather who served on the British side during the conflict, and am trying to find his service details. He passed away in South Africa, in 1956, and his WV pension number is given on his death certificate. Can anybody assist...are the service number & pension one and the same, and can I trace his service record?.

Hello

Service papers etc. in the public domain are searchable by service number.

Search on FindmyPast by name, birth year, place of birth etc. The searches are free.

Regards
Meurig

Thank you for your input thus far...we only have a pension number and date of birth/death...everything else remains a mystery!. My Grandfather came to South Africa with the British forces and stayed after the war, raised a family, and never spoke of his earlier years. He left us with no clues whatsoever!. So the question remains...how far does his pension number take us??.

Two optiona:

1. Try FindmyPast
2. Write to the Ministry of Defence and ask for their help, this may cost £30 or so and take weeks. Google "mod request for personal data"

Niether route guarantees success.

What are his full names? That way we can try and work back from the medal rolls and then the nominal rolls if he was attached to a Colonial unit - if Imperial then it gives us a starting point to see if papers are available on FMP for him.

It would help if you gave us a date of birth as well.

Rory

Hello Rory...We have always assumed that my Grandfather came to South Africa with the British forces, but he just as likely could have arrived here earlier...we just don't know!. His details:- Charles Smith // date of birth 2 Feb 1872 // date of death 7 Nov 1956 @ Pinetown, Natal, S/Africa // War Veteran pension number 40987. These details are from his death certificate.
Trust this helps. Thank you.