British dog tags?

[FosseWay]

I've found him in the 1939 National Register, living at 51 Victoria Avenue, Elland, Yorkshire, with the same date of birth, 20.8.97. He is a cloth finisher and living with his wife Leonore V Upton and three individuals whose details are redacted because they are still alive, presumably his children.

[brandm24]

It's likely then that he was a Canadian sailor and not necessarily English. Lots of interesting information to consider. I love it when a face can be attached to a piece of metal like this. It makes it real.

You guys always come through on these tags and I appreciate it very much.

Bruce

[FosseWay]

It's likely then that he was a Canadian sailor and not necessarily English. Lots of interesting information to consider. I love it when a face can be attached to a piece of metal like this. It makes it real.

You guys always come through on these tags and I appreciate it very much.

Bruce

No, the Canadian guy turned out to be a red herring. The one Eurocoin found is your man, who I then found living in Yorkshire in 1939.

[malj1]

Ah, yes, well done - that will be the right person alright. I tried searching on the service number but got nowhere.

As to "Dispersed" - this is a common term used about soldiers/sailors/airmen who are returned to civilian life after the armistice. I'm not clear what the difference between "dispersed" and "demobilised" is. It may be that people who were "demobilised" were still retained on a reserve list and could be called up again directly should the need arise, while "dispersed" people were returned  to civilian life permanently and would need to be redrafted from scratch, as it were.

The reason for discharge is "Shore on demob" - i.e. disembarked and demobilised. Basically his services were no longer required as there was no longer a war to fight.

My father was demobilised in 1946 following WW2 and placed on the Z reserve. 

The Class Z Reserve was a Reserve contingent of the British Army consisting of previously enlisted soldiers, now discharged.

The first Z Reserve was authorised by an Army Order of 3 December 1918. When expected problems with violations of the Armistice with Germany did not eventuate, the Z Reserve was abolished on 31 March 1920
Following the Second World War, a new Z Reserve of soldiers and officers who had served between 3 September 1939 and 31 December 1948 were available for recall if under 45 years of age.

 Maybe dispersed means they are not required to come back

[brandm24]

My father was demobilised in 1946 following WW2 and placed on the Z reserve. 

 Maybe dispersed means they are not required to come back

Ok, I didn't read the descriptions carefully enough. Many thanks.

Bruce

[brandm24]

Here's an interesting WW i French 10 Centimes used as a dog tag. The abbreviation Pte. is used in the UK and Commonwealth countries to indicate the rank of Private. The American abbreviation is Pvt.

The name Bearpark is quite uncommon I suspect, so should help in tracking him down. I found nothing as is usual for me when I research UK tags.The coin has been holed twice but looks like two other attempts were made but abandoned.By the "washer-like " indentations around the holes it looks to have been riveted to something.

As always, your help is appreciated.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

Found a John Bearpark, from Kings Arms, Staindrop, County Durham born in 1848 here. Siblings Jane and Richard. Died 1878. Either your man was a grandson, in which case the army number should help, or - as the host coin suggests - he served on an earlier occasion, e.g. having "volunteered" to help out George V, king of Hannover against the Prussians.

Peter

[FosseWay]

Found him

Private 24217 John Ronald Bearpark, Yorkshire Regiment. His WW1 service record is rather hard to read.

Anyway, he enlisted at Stockton on 10 November 1915. He married Edith Grace on 30 Dec 1917 but had no children by the time of his discharge. Given the coin he used for his dog tag, it won't be a surprise that he was posted to France on 30 September 1916 and served there as far as I can see until demob on 12 February 1919.

Aha, now I found a more legible front page... he was 18 years 4 months at enlistment, which would make him born in 1897. He lived in Appleton Wiske near Northallerton in North Yorkshire and was a bricklayer in civilian life.

On discharge he had evidently been promoted to lance-corporal. Previous to that, on 18 April 1918 he suffered a gunshot wound to the left wrist and was evacuated to England for treatment.

Info from other sources:

- Born 3rd quarter of 1897 at Northallerton. 18/8/97 according to his death record.
- In the 1901 census, he is living at Appleton Wiske with his parents John and Ada, and three siblings.
- Likewise in 1911, but with more siblings. He is an apprentice in the building trade.
- Married Edith Coultas in 4th quarter of 1917 at Hartlepool.
- In the 1939 register he is back in Appleton Wiske again working as a bricklayer. He has a wife Edith and daughter Marjorie.
- Died 3rd quarter of 1982 at Northallerton.

[brandm24]

Many thanks to you both for the information.

This is the type of coin that really brings history alive for me and adds the human touch. You find a lot of this with counterstamped coins, but none so much as with a dog tag. The type of coin, the date, denomination or condition mean nothing. The real interest is in the story it tells.

Bruce