Can you name and find out details of 5 people who died in WW1 who lived or enlisted in the place where you live now ? ( not relatives !! ) Annie
I have 4 ..... but I've been up half the night ..... thought I had at least 5 ....... but although they were Colorado ... they weren't Denver .... so I'm still looking !! http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=744 http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=743 http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=745 http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=747 EDIT ... OK I did it !! ... heres the 5th ! http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=2664#post2664
Here is my contribution from Canada: http://21st-battalion-8.tripod.com/hughes_wsp.html http://twenty-first-battalion-9.tripod.com/jones_ew.html http://21st-battalion-8.tripod.com/danaher_j.html http://twenty-first-battalion-10.tripod.com/esdon/esdon_a.html http://21st-battalion-3.tripod.com/verdon_l.html
Well there are quite a few locals that I have details on but I will give you five that I have the medals too. Lord Gerald MARDEN, Leading Seaman, # Z/120, RNVR, Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division. Lord Gerald was born on 24/12/1892 in Alexandra Street, Southend-on-Sea, the third son of Albert and Mary Marden. His father was the Chief Superintendent of the Southend Constabulary, as it was then. The 1901 Census confirms the Marden's living at 13 Chelmsford Avenue, Southend. He was educated at Clacton and Brentwood Council Schools and finally at Sir Anthony Brownes Grammar School. After school Lord became a bank clerk for the City & Midland Bank at Threadneedle Street, London, and after two years moving to their Aldgate Branch. At this time he moved to 37 York Road, Southend to set up his own home. On 4/9/14 he enlisted in the Royal Navy, much against his father wishes causing quite an arguement within the family. He was sent to the Royal Naval Division depot at Crystal Palace and on the 22/10/14 he was posted to the Nelson Battalion. He trained on the Thames, Betteshanger(Kent) and at Blandford Camp. On completion of his training he was sent to Egypt and was promoted Able Seaman on 1/3/15. On the 24/5/15 he was one of the first troops to land on the Gallipoli Peninsula. In August 1915 he was wounded by a gunshot to the right arm appearing on casualty list #246, in according to the local paper, a bayonet charge, and was evacuated to Kaar - Al - Aini government hospital, Cairo on 17/8/15, appearing on hospital list #634. His next of kin were not informed of his being wounded at his request. After hospital discharge he was sent back to the peninsula, rejoining his unit on 22/12/15. Ffrom there he was sent to Mudros and then Salonica. On 16/5/16 he and his unit embarked on the HMT Ionian at Mudros bound for France, disembarking at Marseilles on 22/5/16. He, at this time received another promotion to Leading Seaman on 2/6/16. Having served for over 2 years he was granted leave and left his unit on 4/10/16. Whilst on leave he married Miss Robinson, daughter of Mr. W. Robinson of Avenue Terrace, Southend, on the 11/10/16 and rejoined his unit on the 15/10/16. Lord took part in the Battle around Beaumont Hamel suffering gassing and gunshot wounds to his back on 13/11/16. He died as a result of these gunshot wounds on 14/11/16 at the 44th Casualty Clearing Station. A report of his death was received by his uniot on 19/11/16 from the OC 44th CCS in RND list #80 and his NOK were informed. He was interred in Puchevillers Military Cemetery on 25/11/16 where he still lies in plot VI.A.29. CWGC and SDGW list his details correctly, however BMD have him dying during the bayonet charge of August 1915. Despite my best efforts, having sent them CWGC & SDGW records, a copy of his service records and his death certificate they appear unwilling to alter their records stating, and I quote "We obtain our information form outside sources and researchers." Alfred WATTS, Private, #G/13257, 7th Battalion, East Kent Regiment. Son of Mr & Mrs Frederick Watts of Goose Cottage, Rawreth, Battlesbridge. Husband to Mrs Mary J. Watts of 25 Sea View Road, Shoeburyness. Born Thundersley, Resident of Shoeburyness and enlisted in Southend. Alfred was a foreman at a local engineering works and enlisted on 11/12/15 being posted to the 7th Hussars and later transferred to the 7th East Kents on 29/11/16. He went over to France on the 2/12/16. Alfred was reported as missing on 4th August 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele whilst carrying an important message on the battlefield at Glencourse Wood. Officially he was accepted as having died 4/8/17 on the 9/5/18. His house seems to have been used as a boarding house after he joined up as the address appears on a couple of other local lads enlistment papers. Alfred is buried in Bedford House Cemetery in Enclosure IV, Plot IX. B.12. Thomas William Dowsett Serjeant, #679, Honourable Artillery Company Unfortunately Thomas' service papers do not survive, however he was the son of Thomas and Mary Dowsett, his father being a local MP of past, a local JP and very well known local dignatory. The HAC on the 28th of January 1915 went into the trenches at Kemmel. Half of No.1 Coy and half of No.4 Coy went in and 50 of No.2 Coy. Battalion HQ at the Chalet Kemmel. Private Kidd of No.2 Coy was wounded. On the 29th Kemmel was shelled at 2.30pm, 9 South Lancs Regiment men were killed with 15 wounded and Private Johnson of No'1 Coy was wounded also. On the 30th January 1915 the War Diary records that Serjeant Dowsett of No.2 Coy was killed and Private Drysdale of No. 3 Coy was killed. Thomas is remembered in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. William Ernest TURNER Rifleman, #3547, 4th Rifle Brigade William was an old hand enlisting in the Rifle Brigade on 19/11/09 where he was initially posted to the 3rd Battalion and transferring to the 4th Rifle Brigade in September 1911. He spent time overseas with the Rifle Brigade in Egypt and India arriving back to the UK on the 19/11/14 being sent out to France on 19/12/14. William seemed to enjoy the fleshpots of India and Egypt with two doses of Gonorhea being recorded on his medical sheets and was confined to barracks for 8 days due to gambling in the barrack room. He was recorded as missing on the 10/5/15 where the war diary records "Very heavily shelled all day. Heavy casualties in A & D Company who were in the front trench. Returned to Support trench (Cavalry Trench) where we were reinforced by the 3rd KRRC and 1st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders due to casualties. William is remembered on the Menin Gate. Roy Kemp Private, #41661, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Roy was the son of Mr & Mrs Kemp of 22 North Street, Leigh-on-Sea. He was 19 and educted at Southend High School for boys who have recently completed a memorial book on their pupils who lost their lives in the Great War. He was subsequently employed in a bank in Leigh. Roy's two elder brothers served in the war also, Frank who served in the Suffolk Regiment was killed eaxctly one year beforee Roy on 10th April 1917, and, his other brother was severely wounded and discharged due to his wounds whilst serving with the RGA. His parents received news that Roy died as a POW in Germany on 10th April 1918, the news coming from the Red Cross Society in Geneva who reported his death as being in Bochum, Germany. There are a few anomolies in the reports of Roy's death, the 2nd Bedfords were in 90th Brigade, 30th Division and were on the extreme left frontage of the BEF, north of Ypres. It is reported that Roy died in Germany from wounds received and yet is buried in Premont British Cemetery in France. The war diaries for this battalion records that on the 5th & 6th they marched from Rousbrugge station to Dragon Camp, 7th April they marched to Huddleton Camp and took over two sections of the battle zone, A & B Companies responsible for E section, C & D Companies responsible for F Section. From the 8th to 12th dispositions as on 7th. Tracing his battalions movements and its actions we come to reality. His battalion was subject to probing attacks on the 7th & 8th of April by an advancing German Army who attacked in force on the 8th. Premont is a village that was within the 2nd Bedfords area of responsibility and some 19.5 km S.E. of Cambrai on the road to Guise and a little of the main road from St. Quentin to Le Cateau. The cemetery is 1.5km S.E. of the village on the southside of the road to Bohain. He did in fact die as a POW but the similarity between Bohain and Bochum where he was initially reported to have died, could explain the anomolies in the reports of his death. Andy
Hi Fritz, Thank you for that, I was aware that his enlistment was around November 1911 some time but not the actual date. Andy
Located on Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, just south of the village of Forest Row and bordering the training camp established there throughout the war, are several country houses, each with its own tale of tragedy. Ashdown Place: The home of General, the Hon. Sir Herbert Alexander Lawrence KCB, who lost two sons in the war; Temp. Captain Michael Charles Lawrence, 1st Bn Coldstream Guards, who died of wounds 16/09/16, age 21 and 2nd Lt. Oliver John Lawrence, 8th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment, (Post Office Rifles), who was killed in action 26/05/15, age 21. Cherry Orchard: The home of Lt. Algernon Hyde Villiers of the Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry, attached to 121st Machine Gun Company, who was killed in action 23/11/17, age 31. Greenhall: The home of Francis R. Lucas (Managing Director of Telcon 1906-1925), whose son, Captain Keith Lucas, Royal Flying Corps, was killed in a flying accident over Salisbury Plain on 05/10/16, age 37. Kidbrooke Park: The home of Lewis Pendarves Kekewich, who lost three sons, two within 10 days of each other; Captain John Kekewich, 8th Bn, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), killed in action 25/09/15, age 24; Captain George Kekewich, City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders), died of wounds 28/10/17, age28; Captain Hanbury Lewis Kekewich, Sussex Yeomanry, killed in action 06/11/17, age 32. All of these men are commemorated on the Forest Row war memorial, on which, out of the 65 men named, 19 are officers. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=113134370478332755451.0004612d96c37b8af1eb5&t=h&z=14 http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Middlesex/LordsKekewich.html
