War Office 1916

How would I go about trying to find somebody who was at the War Office in 1916 ? ... I have no idea in what capacity - but I'm thinking fairly " high up " !

I'd appreciate any ideas !

Annie

 

Are we talking military or civilian, or is it all hush-hush?

 

I'm not sure to be honest Phil ! .... on the service papers of one of my "boys" ...

it gives his brother at the War Office and a sister in Essex !!

 

Tried searching TNA for a service record?

Some of the top Staff seem to have MICs without stepping outside the UK as well.

 

No ... I didn't try that ... I did the usual Google ... in case he was a head honcho or something ... but nothing !

His name is Walter Furlong ... and that's absolutely all I know !!

 

And I just found sister was living in Buckhurst Hill Essex !!

 

That was like getting blood out of a stone.
So that was why you were looking for Buckhurst Hill as well.

Apart from the fact that a firm I worked for about thirty years ago had their head office there, I know absolutely nothing about the place.

I was trawling through the National Archives Catalogue earlier, but couldn't see any major deposits of War Office staff files.

 

I was looking to see if I could find the Woodford Times .......... just in case there was any mention of the family ... but Walter probably lived in London !!

 

I can't see anything in the MICs or Officers Service Records.

Do you reckon he's likely to warrant mention in the Times?
I can access the archive through the library and can take a look tomorrow night, if you want.

 

I looked in MIC's too ... but I really didn't think I'd find anything ... because I don't believe he was military .... !! ... it did have (F4) after his name ... does that mean anything ... or is that just a doodle or something ??

Annie

 

There's no W Furlong in the Army List for October 1916. The closest matches are an A W Furlong and a D W Furlong; could either of these be your man?

Gareth

 

I have no idea I'm afraid Gareth .... ... all I know is ...... his name is Walter !

Are they just initials that you have there ?

Annie

 

From London Gazette, Issue 31772, page 1657. 9th February 1920.

General Staff Officers 3rd Grade.
Lt D W Furlong, OBE, MC, Royal Berks Regiment, relinquishes the temp. rank of Captain, 6th Oct. 1919.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/31772/supplements/1657

There should be a bit there to work on, to see if he's your man or not.

 

His name is Dennis Walter Furlong.

He has at least half a dozen mentions in the London Gazette, all Royal Berks Regiment and mostly Staff.

I've jotted down the Issue/Page references if you want them.

 

A W Furlong may be Alfred William Furlong, Royal Garrison Artillery.

London Gazette Issue 32146, page 11894.

Possible MIC

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=2418612&queryType=1&resultcount=11

 

Oh my !!!!!!!!!!! ....... Thank you !

D W sounds good doesn't he ??

 

If you'd rather email me that stuff .... that would be OK too !

Interesting he got an OBE too !!

Annie

 

Look what I found ......

FURLONG, DENNIS WALTER
Initials: D W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Brigadier
Regiment/Service: General Staff
Secondary Regiment: Royal Berkshire Regiment
Secondary Unit Text: and
Age: 43
Date of Death: 05/09/1940
Awards: D S O, O B E, M C
Additional information: Husband of Nancy Furlong (nee Charrington) of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 76.
Cemetery: KILHAM CEMETERY

Annie

 

Though I don't think this is him ! .... oh now I don't know !

If he was only 43 when he died in 1940 ..... he would have been too young in 1915 to be NOK wouldn't he ? ...

though I say that - he would have been 18 and old enough to serve !

Grr I can't think .... on the blacksheep site they have a photo of him ....

photo dennis walter furlong

http://www.blacksheepindex.co.uk/WARA_K.pdf

Brigadier/ D.W. FURLONG/ D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C./ The Royal Berkshire Regt/ 5th September 1940. Aged 43

http://www.driffield.org.uk/KilhamMIs.html

 

DWF was born Sept Qu. 1897; Brentford 3a 77
Married Dec Qu. 1929; Wokingham 2c 1171 to Nancy Isabelle Cecil Charrington. She remarried to Field Marshall John Greer Dill in 1941.

I would guess that back then, if you were under 21, you were a minor; but does that affect being next of kin?

Do you know why he was awarded the OBE. It looks like it was 1920, so only 23.

This is his MC citation from the London Gazette Issue 30001, Page 2983, 26th March 1917

Lt. Dennis Walter Furlong, R. Berks. R.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion
to duty. He made a dangerous reconnaissance
under very heavy fire, and sent in
an invaluable report. Later, he moved up
some men to fill a gap and placed several
machine guns in a favourable position.

The only other Walter Furlongs I can find around that time are a Boston priest and a member/leader of the Republican Youth Association.