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i am trying to trace my relative who is my great great uncle william edwin rea, my father told me he was allways called uncle john and was in the coldstream guards in the first world war, i have his medals that im stuck finding reaesrahc on ther are as follows the 1914-1919 medal with number enscribed (8321) w e rea then the star medal 1914 dmr w e rea c gds numnber enscribed (8321) then the great war for civilisation medal 1914-1919 w e rea with number enscribed 646243 and then he was in later life awarded the imperial service medal for fatihfull service and has his full name enscribed william edwin rea
i have googled and askjeeves and cant find anything on my great great uncle at all any help or information would be gretafully recived. steve mason

Hi Steve

When and where was William born?

Hello Steve - do you know roughly when and where he was born? That will help with finding records.

Just one thing though, around 60% of WW1 army records were destroyed during WW2.

Just to add, The Guards regiments have always maintained there own service records.

Here is the link to the Coldstream Guards, but they do charge irrespective if they locate records or not.

http://rhqcoldmgds.co.uk/shop/page/3?shop_param=


George

If they aren't on line (see MC's post) , this link might help

http://www.1914-1918.net/records.html
**The Guards regiments maintained a separate set of records and these are accessible via the Archivists of those regiments, all of whom can be contacted at the respective regimental headquarters at

The Regimental Archivist of the [name] Guards
Wellington Barracks
Birdcage Walk
London
SW1E 6HQ.

Some of the Guards regiments require payment for supplying a copy, others invite a donation. In all cases you should at first write, asking for a copy of the form that the regimental archivist requires in order to carry out a search.

I (the author) have found plenty of Guards records in WO364; fewer in WO363. **

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
about William E Rea
Name: William E Rea
Regiment or Corps: Coldstream Guards
Regimental Number: 8321

1911 England Census
about William Edwin Rea
Name: William Edwin Rea
Age in 1911: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1894
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Chelsea, London, England
Civil parish: Farnborough
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Street Address: Ramillies Barracks, Wesleyan Soldier's Home, Churchill, Terrace, Centre Square, Fire Brigade and Post Office, Marlborough Lines, Aldershot
Marital Status: Single
Military unit: 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards
Registration district: Hartley Wintney
Registration District Number: 109
Sub-registration district: Farnborough
ED, institution, or vessel: 13-14
Household schedule number: 47
Piece: 6263

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
Name: William Edwin Rea
Record Type: Baptism
Born Oct 8th 1893
Baptism Date: 29 Jul 1894
Father's Name: Charles Worthy Rea <<Bootmaker
Mother's Name: Emma Louisa Rea
Parish or Poor Law Union: Chelsea St Luke
Borough: Kensington and Chelsea
Register Type: Parish Registers

1901 England Census
Name: William E Rea
Age: 7
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1894
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Charles W Rea
Mother's Name: Emma L Rea
Gender: Male
Where born: Chelsea, London, England

Civil parish: Kensington
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary Bolton
County/Island: London
Country: England

Registration district: Kensington
Sub-registration district: Brompton
ED, institution, or vessel: 20
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 428
Piece: 37
Folio: 76
Page Number: 57
Household Members: Name Age
Charles W Rea 33
Emma L Rea 36
Charles W Rea 9
William E Rea 7
Henry A Rea 4
Emma C Rea 1
Caroline Guilliam 49 <<Lodger and children below are hers
George Guilliam 18
Kate Guilliam 16
Florence Guilliam 15

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
about William Edwin Rea
Name: William Edwin Rea
Birth Date: 8 Oct 1893
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1979
Age at Death: 86
Registration district: Slough
Inferred County: Buckinghamshire
Volume: 19
Page: 0584

thank you gins for your help very much apprecciated , can you also see if you can find marriage for william edwin rea and see if they had any children and what area they were born in please , thanks gins again for your help

Steve, you can check for his marriage and any children born to that marriage on freebmd

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

Roy

The only marriage I can find is 1948 in Yorkshire but there is birth for a William E Rae in 1927 which is probably a better fit for that marriage.

You really need to get the death cert to see who the informant is.

Household transcription
1911 census

Person: REA, Emma Cassie
Address: 10 Barker St S Kensington

REA, Charles Worthy Head Married M 43 1868 Journeyman Bootmaker London Chelsea VIEW
REA, Emma Louisa Wife Married19 years F 46 1865 Sussex Brighton VIEW
REA, Henry Albert Son M 14 1897 Errand Boy London Fulham VIEW
REA, Emma Cassie Daughter F 11 1900 School London W Brom VIEW
RG number: RG14
Piece: 125
Reference: RG14PN125 RG78PN4 RD2 SD1 ED38 SN599
Registration District: Kensington
Sub District: Kensington South
Enumeration District: 38
Parish: Kensington
Address: 10 Barker St S Kensington
County: London
(5 children born, 4 living, 1 had died)

Marriages Dec 1910 ? If this is him he married very young but its still a possible

Hennessy James W Bristol 6a 93
Plumley Esther E Bristol 6a 93
Rea William E Bristol 6a 93
Turner Lily A Bristol 6a 93

possible birth to that marriage
Births Dec 1911

Rea Ivor Plumley Bristol 6a 273

Roy

other possible marriages
Marriages Dec 1928

REA William E Rushton W. Bromwich 6b 1538
REA William E Leslie St. Geo. H. Sq. 1a 1169 ( a good Possibility)

Marriages Jun 1939

Rea William E Kendall Rowley R. 6b 2339


Roy

edit, this is the spouse for the one in St.Geo.H.Sq
Marriages Dec 1928

LESLIE Annie E Rea St.Geo.H.Sq. 1a 1169
REA William E Leslie St. Geo. H. Sq. 1a 1169

fao - thank you pricklyholly for your help . any further help would be greatfully recived . did henry albert rea son aged 14 in 1911 get married in later life and have kids
and did emma casie rea daughter aged 11 in 1911 get married in later life and have kids
and did charles w rea aged 9 in 1901 get married in later life and have kids and if so what areas did all three listed kids did they get married and have kids

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
about Emma Cassie Rea
Name: Emma Cassie Rea
Record Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 08/09/1899
Baptism Date: 12 Nov 1899
Father's Name: Charles Wortley Rea (County Council Clerk)
Mother's Name: Emma Louise Rea
Parish or Poor Law Union: West Brompton
Borough: Kensington and Chelsea
Register Type: Parish Registers

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
Name: Henry Albert Rear
[Henry Albert Rea]
Record Type: Baptism
Birth Date: June 6th 1896
Baptism Date: 22 Aug 1897
Father's Name: Charles Wortley Rear
Mother's Name: Emma Louisa Rear
Parish or Poor Law Union: West Brompton
Borough: Kensington and Chelsea
Register Type: Parish Registers


England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
Name: Henry Albert Rea
Birth Date: 6 Jun 1896
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1981
Age at Death: 84
Registration district: Surrey North Western
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 17
Page: 0680

Just a guess without the certificate

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005
Name: Henry A Rea
Spouse Surname: Lilain M Tipping
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1938
Registration district: London City
Inferred County: Middlesex
Volume Number: 1c
Page Number: 61