On speaking to my 94 year old Grandmother in the sunshine this weekend just gone, it turns out that my Great Grandfather was a Dispatch Rider 1914-18. Due to his service apparently he was always ill after the Great war because if gas or just constantly being on the road never eating properly or a combination of both. She was a bit vague on detail of course, but apparently he was awarded an OBE or somthing similar for his services in France (she was slightly wrong about my Uncle's awards a few years back) but I was wondering how or where on earth I would start looking up his records and finding out what he actually did, even if its just the vaguest of info. William Lister-Bird was his name, she was even vague about his first name, but I think its a good start point with the double surname.
Thanks...
(When she passes on I told her I'd buy & name a motorcycle after her as I've done with my M20, she rather liked that idea and she laughed, I'm sure I've seen a photo of an WL or M20 with Beryl on the side somewhere)
Re: WW1 Dispatch Rider lost family info hunt/research
try the imperial war museum in london or the national archive at kew and if you know his regiment their museum an OBE seems strange for a soldier during the war this is a civilian award he might have got it if he was some sort of civilian working in the war also you could check the OBE list they may say why it was awarded
Re: WW1 Dispatch Rider lost family info hunt/research
Kit, you probably need to join a specialist forum.
The Great War Forum springs to mind. If not, there are plenty of people on the World War Two talk forum who will be happy to guide you. Although most WW1 Service records were destroyed in the blitz, the separate medal cards have survived and will give service number and unit.
A decoration such as MBE or a Mention in Dispatches will have appeared in The London Gazette and can be traced.
As far as I'm aware, 'Ancestry' (the bloody Mormons) have got the on-line medal cards sewn up so it means either subsidising polygamy or talking nicely to someone who has already signed up.
Re: WW1 Dispatch Rider lost family info hunt/research
The great source for WWI info is : http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/power-search.asp?searchType=powersearch
You'll have to play around with spelling of the last name. I didn't see any Lister-Birds pop up in there, but about 105 William Listers - you might be able to narrow down to your great-granddad if you can guess which regiment he was in.
As someone else noted, ancestry.co.uk is a good place to try too. I think they have some free search utilities. Without much info, its a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack at first though. Might help to search for your Granny in there first, then work backwards using info you find about her to get your great granddad's name 100% sure.
