From: Sheila Khan <[email protected]> > I have the discharge papers for one of my ancestors, James Godber, > who was in the Royal Nottinghamshire Militia. He was apparently enlisted in > 1798 at the age of 18 for the space of 5 years and during the war. He > actually had served over 35 years by the time he was discharged in 1835. > > Could anybody tell me which war this would be? > > Thanks > The Napoleonic Wars against France, obviously. Many thousands of men enlisted in their local militia in the late 1790s when Britain was threatened with invasion by Napoleon's forces and some went on to join the regular army. A great-great-great-grandfather of mine, John Midgley from Bradford, joined the 53rd Regiment of Foot which was a Shropshire regiment but in those days men took the King's Shilling, as it was known, all over the place. Remember that the Napoleonic Wars went on for many years, only ending with Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. So it looks as if your ancestor found army life to his liking and remained in the forces long after Napoleon had been seen off! -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE