Tag Archives: War

The Blog is back!

Due to technical problems – basically the blog decided it did not like being updated and said ‘NO, I’m not going to work’, which was a little annoying but after a break of not knowing which way to go I had decided to do a version 2 where the old blog would still able to be viewed, enabling  you to still see what I got up to in the past, but you would also be able to read about what I’ve been up to, what has interested me and what I am up to now!

So……………..when asking my son yesterday, to link the new blog to my website.  After trying to explain what I wanted him to do and why, I was told not to be daft, why should I have 2 blogs when I already had one, even though it refused point blank to update and come back to life.  After a few minutes of copying, pasting and button pressing, my blog like the phoenix rose from the ashes back to life! Who’s a clever boy then?

I am back!  A lot has happened in the world in the past 12 months – we have had the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, seen the Tower of London basque in a blanket of poppies remembering every soldier from the Commonwealth who gave his life for King and Country.  We have seen the world remember the outbreak of the Great War and many military projects have been granted funding. The funding is not a bad thing,  nor is the remembering but there have been many groups and individuals, who for many years have remembered, started and completed projects on their own without any form of help both physical and financial.  I know of a couple of local projects that a group of people have been wanting to undertake, only to be told that ‘we now have funding for that’  – lets wait and see.  A few years ago I contacted an establishment with the view to adding to a project I had done years ago.  I was told ‘oh! thank you for the offer but we are doing that ‘in-house” – that ‘in-house’ project is still to be started!

Anyway, what have I done in the past year, well, the book I told you all about, Lizzie Riach with Family and Friends, in one of my previous blogs has been published by myself and is on sale – I’m on my second print run.  I fondly remember

Lizzie Riach with Family and Friends charity cookbook

Lizzie Riach with Family and Friends charity cookbook

the day I went to the prints to collect my proof copy, I’d been welcomed as I had been on my previous visits.  Then I was handed a proof copy, my book.  I must admit I was overcome with emotion – glad that it was nearly all over, sad that some very important people would never see it but happy and proud of what I had achieved, and very grateful that a wonderful young lady had given her time to work her magic, making the book so totally different to how a self funding charity cookbook should look – it is amazing.

The book is for sale from yours truly and the profit from each book – £2 goes to Macmillan Cancer Support – now how good is that, you get the book full of wonderfully donated recipes and a charity gets your donation, everybody wins!

2014, dosn’t seem to have been a bad year but with events planned for 2015, that should be an even better year,

 

Faces behind the headstones

Last year I found a leaflet asking for relatives of those WW1 soldiers who rest in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetary to come forward with any information or documents they may have and as I have original documents relating to my great uncle, there was only one thing to do and that was make contact – well you would, wouldn’t you, it is only being polite after all!

I made contact and as I have a little ‘bolt hole’ quite close to Poperinghe I made several visits to my contact who at the time worked out of Toc H and had many cups of tea there, if I may say, the best cups of tea in Belgium.  So, with my documents copied and information regarding my great uncle passed on I awaited the day I could visit.  I was invited to the opening in the autumn of 2012 but a few days holiday was not available………..so I waited.

The summer of 2013 in August was very hot and on one of the cooler afternoons I crossed the border to my uncle’s ‘little piece of England in a foreign land’.  The visitor centre is situated on a parcel of land at the side of the cemetery.  I did see the work in progress last year but then it was hard to imagine the building and ideas used.  The people at Toc H had told me of the ideas they wished to use and it sounded wonderful.

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

My first stop was, you guessed, the centre and after parking my car took the short walk to the single story centre.  Inside there is a plain red wall with two rows of speakers – for the tall and the short, each tells of the happenings from the area in a soldiers words and is available in four languages.  At the rear of this wall is the main archive area, all in white with red accents.  This could be symbolic of death and blood or red for the poppies.  My aunt a nurse would never have white and red flowers together in the same vase.  The room has a central work station with banks of computers listing all the men and one woman (Nellie Spindler) who rest within the boundary of the cemetery, and is easy to search.

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

I searched for my uncle, as I expected the CWGC information was there but also my pictures but I was disappointed not to find the original documents I had taken in were not available – never mind, may be at a later date or they may save them for a display, must keep visiting.

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

The displays on the wall are ‘clean looking’ and very informative.  There are photographs or the original wooden crosses, maps and aerial photographs, Director of Graves photographs, casualty records, letters requesting monies for extra working on their relatives headstones (my family paid the extra charge).  You will have seen this if you have visited a WW1 headstone – the wording at the bottom i.e. Much loved son, Dearly loved husband and father.  One wall has a plan showing the happenings on the Ypres Salient and a series of red spikes show when the most deaths occurred.  To say the Salient was on for quite a long time the spikes occur in a small time span.

When I visit any CWGC cemetery I am either overwhelmed by the number of headstones of men, young and old who gave their lives, for example a visit to Lijsenntheok or Tyne Cot brings this home very well, but there are also small off the beaten track cemeteries with sometimes only a dozen or so men.  Moving as this can be you don’t know who the men or women were, do you?  What did they look like, what colour eyes or hair did they have, how did they comb their heir, did they have a parting?  Were they clean shaven? For some of the men this now can be answered thanks to a red box like structure in the centre.  Pictures of the men and the one woman are placed within what

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

looks like a pencilled rectangle – one space for each headstone.  I am pleased to say that my great uncle, Herbert Siddle, Pte., 242874, 1/4th K.O.Y.L.I who died of a bullet wound in his neck, is positioned on the photo wall very close to Nurse Nellie Spindler, also from Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, as it was during their time.

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

In amongst these pictures is a screen displaying information regarding a soldier who died on the date of your visit.  The date of my visit – 16 August a young man named James Ernest Gordon was remembered. But what I

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

did like was that with the press of a button, you could print out information about him for example, his parents names, that he had siblings and that a fiancee never shared a special moment at the alter becoming his wife.  That he served in the Balkans and according to his second Lieutenant and was gassed helping a wounded comrade. He was overcome by the effects of the gas but did make it to No 10 CCS, the British evacuation hospital in Lijssenthoek at 9:45 and breathed his last some thirty minutes later.

After going around the centre if you care to take a walk to the cemetery you will notice that the old car park out side the main gates (if you have been before) has gone and now a path takes you towards these gates.  The path is protected from the road with what at first glance look like rusty metal pylons, but on closer inspection you can see that every one is dated – one for each day of the events

copyright c Sklinar 2013

copyright c Sklinar 2013

that took place.  The end of the war is depicted by a gap and the rusty metal continues from 24 January 1919 until 18 June 1921 in staggered dates i.e. 1 August 1915, 1 August 1918, 31 October 1920 and finally, 18 June 1921, bringing home that quite a lot of things were still going on in the area well after the war.  From here, you enter the familiar ground of a CWGC cemetery, rows of soldiers lined up in death as they were in life.

 

Was it worth a visit?  Yes!

Would I go again?  Yes!, of course, as the displays could change and I may get to see the original documentation kept by his mother at the bottom of a blanket box, along with the local newspaper, his picture on the front page as KIA and the insertion by his parents and family later in the paper saying how saddened they were at his loss.

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Lijssenthoek Visitor Centre click here 

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And finally, my reward for a nice afternoon out – only one eaten at a time – promise!!

Cosens, H S F, KIA

I first came across the person above while photographing memorials in St Mary Abbotts church in Kensington.  I homed in on the war memorial outside after spending a wonderful time in Wholefoods – what a fantastic place and their cheese room is to die for!!

Cosens, H S F, who is he?

Harold Stanley Frederick Cosens, born 2 December 1889, the son of Frederick George Cosens and Fanny Louisa Ambrose who had married in Kensington in the spring of 1877.

Frederick was a Sherry Shipper born in Streatham in 1855, his wife was born in Marylebone in  the same year.

In the census of 1891 the family were living at 8 Airlie Gardens, Kensington – just off Campden Hill Road. Harold was the youngest of three children.  The family employed three staff, one of which was a nurse.

Ten years later in 1901, Frederick and Fanny still had three children but the number of staff had increased to four.

A further ten years on only one of the children is at home – 24 year old Winifred but now back to three servants.

Harold by the census of 1911 was a Second Lieutenant serving in the East Yorkshire Regiment and was one of 330 men and 80 women at Aldershot Barracks.  We now know he was a career soldier.  But his early had been at St Paul’s School and later Sandhurst Military College.

Harold was Killed In Action at Rue du Bois, Armentierre, on  27 October 1914, according to a number of sources,but the memorial in St Mary Abbots gives the date of 28 October 1914.

The medal card for Harold gives quite a lot of information. Firstly, his regiment and rank was confirmed.  His date of death is given as 27 October.  Other information is taken from Routine Orders, Staff Book, Disembarkation Returns and medals awarded.  In March of 1918 F L G Coens, Esq., applies for the 1914 star in respect of his late son.  Mr Cosens requested the medals address given 7 Observatory Gardens, Campden Hill.  There are a number of notes on the card and one says ‘medals to’ 15 Vicarage Gardens, Kensington.  One other adress is for F G Cosens, Esq., Beech Bough, Bacton, North Walsham, Norfolk.  Harold parents must have moved to Norfolk as he is remembered on the village war  memorial.

His Commanding Officer, Major M Boyle wrote of Harold  “He was my subaltern and I never want a better, always cheery and ready for any work that came in his way, and to take on any hard job, even when out of his turn, as so often happened when I wanted a man I could trust to do any difficult or jumpy piece of work. I could not want for a nicer, more cheery and hard working officer to soldier with……. The exact circumstances are these. He had led his men to retake some trenches from the Germans and had carried out his work successfully, and was actually in the trench, doing a kindly act to one of the enemy, who wanted to surrender, when a sniper shot him from another direction. It is extremely painful to write thus, as it was sheer bad luck! My company are very cut up indeed. He died a gallant gentleman.”

Harold rests in Ration Farm Military Cemetery, La Chapelle-D’Armentieres

Sources:

Ancestry ; Masonic Great War Project ; Freebmd ; CWGC

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery – Who is resting in peace

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery nr Poperinge has a very special place in my heart, not only does my great uncle rest there but Nellie Spindler from my home town also calls Lijssenthoek ‘home’.  But recently while doing a bit of research I came across another man whose final resting place is also Lijssenthoek – Conrad Hugh Dinwiddy.

I think his name sounded similar to a place we used to stay on our way up to Lhangbryde when I was a child, so what do you do, or should I say ‘I do’ but find out a little about him………you know the thing, who were his parents, where did he live and what did he do before joining the forces and who survived him.     Here goes….

While waiting for a website to open I thought I’d try Wikipedia – lots of info there, not always correct but is somewhere to start and to my surprise there was not an established page for Conrad, there is an opening if any one wishes to start a page for him.

Here we go !  Conrad was born early in 1881 to Thomas Dinwiddy and his wife Eliza Charlotte nee Rooke (b. 1845 Marylebone).  In the census shortly after Conrad’s birth Thomas was aged 37 and was working as an Architect and Surveyor (b 1844 Bristol).  The family lived at 12 Croom’s Hill, Greenwich (now the London Fan Museum)– the road was home to other professionals and retired servicemen incl. William Rivers Retd., RN; Gay Shute, Surgeon; Thomas Creed(?), General Practioner MRCSE St Andrews Uni.; others include Stationers, Annuitants.

Thomas Dinwiddy is noted for having designed the main administration block (Grove Park Workhouse) of what was Grove Park Hospital. The plans were approved in 1897 and the foundation stone put in place 2 years later.  The plans were presented at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900 and won a Diploma of Merit. One of the local roads is named after Thomas.  In the early 1990’s the site was sold for housing development but Thomas’s administration block and a some of the original workhouse buildings survived.  The site had not been listed by the local authorities.  One of the buildings designed by Thomas did manage to get a listed status – Laurie Grove Baths including : swimming baths, slipper baths and launderies were designed in the mid 1890’s commissioned by the Vestry Board of St Paul’s Deptford under the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act of 1846.  The building is of Jacobean style and still has many of its original features.  A few other buildings by Thomas were Greenwich Board of Works Offices and Roans Girl’s College, Greenwich.

Ten years later, 1891, Conrad was hard to find on the census but eventually by just putting his year of birth +/- 2 and Greenwich as his place of birth he is found. He is at a school with some of his brothers in Walmer, Kent.

Another ten years on in 1901 the family are at The Manor House (?), Croom’s Hill – Eliza with her children, Conrad by now is classed as a student, and four servants but no Thomas.  Thomas was in fact staying at the Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh Place, Liverpool with people from all walks of life incl. George Herbert Lindsay of Edinburgh a Distiller; Daniel Shurmann a Merchant  born in Russia.  That solved that problem, so now forward a few years.

On 27 September 1909, Conrad’s elder brother Malcolm, Capt., Royal West Kent Regt., who had served in Singapore, married  married Miss Laura de Satge, dau. of the late Mr Ocar de Satge, late member of the Upper House of Queensland.  The wedding took place in Folkstone and Conrad was the Best Man with various cousins from both sides being bridesmaids.  Guests included Lords and Knights of the realm and serving regimental Officers

The 1911 census finds that Conrad is now a newly married man.  He had married Winifred O Pochin in the Autumn of the previous year.  Conrad worked as a Surveyor employing a number of people and they lived at 76 Warwick Gardens, Kensington, a nine roomed house, with a number of servants and was a member of the RICS, which held a portrait of him.

Conrad served in the military and various entries in The London Gazette have him serving in various ranks incl. Temp Captain.  But it is The Medal Rolls Index Cards that tell a better story.

Conrad initially served in the RFA as 157860.  Later serving in the RGA as a 2/Lt., and now has no service number as Officers were not issued with a number at this time.  He is later in the 13/Siege Bty, RGA as an A/Major, then Major, with a medal entitlement of The Victory Medal and The British Medal.

Conrad was the inventor of the ‘Dinwiddy’ Range-finder for detecting enemy aircraft – this was adopted by the War Office. He was also a Councillor for the Borough of Kensington and a known mountaineer.

C H was one of five children and had three brothers in the services.

Conrad Died of Wounds received on 27 September 1917 aged 35, leaving Winifred and a young son, Hugh P Dinwiddy born in 1912.

Conrads brothers – Major Malcolm J Dinwiddy, as we have already said he married in 1909.  He served in  the Royal West Kents  and applied for his service medals in June of 1920.  He died on 19 November 1925 aged 46 and had at least one child. Probate was granted to Laura Emily Dinwiddy, widow or Fairview, Osborne Road, South Farnborough.

Donald Dinwiddy, married Ella May Jones in 1909.   He died on 19 February 1937.  Probate was granted to Ella Mary Dinwiddy of Red Cottage, 54a Parliament St, London

Harry L Dinwiddy. Harry Lurwyche Dunwiddy  married Ethel Maud MacArthur in 1903 and by 1911 they were living at 13 Pond Road, Blackheath with their son Thomas Lurwyche and a number of servants – Harry working as a solicitor.  He was living at Little Paddock, White Beam Way, Tadworth when he died on 21 April 1950.  Probate was granted to Thomas Lutwyche Dinwiddy, solicitor on 8 June of that year.

Conrad also had a sister – Dora, she married Stanton Freeland Card, a Royal Navy Instructor, in 1902 and by 1911 they were living with their three children and a few servants at Parkhurst, Westcombe Park Road, London.  Stanton of 24 Crown Lane Gardens, Streatham died at Putney General Hospital on 6 October 1940 with probate granted in Llandudno on 2 July to Westminster Bank Ltd.  Dora of Lawrence Road, Hove died on 24 March 1945 with Probate being granted in Llandudno on 20 December of the same year to Harry Lutwyche Dinwiddy, Solicitor.

Sources :

Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Issue 29 Mar 1909, page 5

Ancestry.com.

Freebmd

The Fan Museum

Heritage-explorer.co.uk

Archiseek

Lost Hospitals of London

Flight Global

Wakefield voices from the Crimea

Crimera War Musings – Wakefield Voices from the Crimea.  Anthony Dawson will be at Westgate Chapel on Wednesday 27 June with a 7:30pm start.

The talk based on letters from young men give an insight into navy and army lives at the battles of Alma and Inkerman and the fall of Sebastopol.

The Crimean War was the first war to be photographed – Roger Fenton a pioneering photographer ventured far to photograph this event in world history.  His reports were widely published, as were his photographs, but many seem staged and orchestrated.

Now letters from the soldiers, that’s real!   Life as it was happening.

Entrance is FREE.

Tedbah Siddle ??

I started my family history nearly 30 years ago.  I had no grandparents and only one parent.  After my Scottish grandfathers death that side of the family seemed to drift off a little – as families do when the hub goes away.  That has, I am very pleased to say been rectified.

But, back locally, my grandmothers maiden name was Agnes Siddle and she married Ernest Wilkinson.  My aunt was born in 1907 before grannies marriage to Ernest.  I remember asking her as a child ‘why does daddy have a different name to you?’  I was told that grandma married twice – a plausible answer and as a youngster it shut me up.  Oh, aunty, if you knew what I knew now!!!!

While looking though Ancestry for any trace of my great uncles military service – 4 of my grandma’s brothers fought in the Great War, with 3 coming home again to their family, I kept coming across this young man – Tedbah Siddle.  Who is he ? And does he link into my Siddle line?  Tedbah can sometimes be found with the spelling, Tedbak and Tedbor.

Anyway, who is he?

Well, I know he has a service record, so I’ll come back to that later but starting with the census, 1911 as I know he served in WW1 and that’s the nearest census to that milestone in his life.

The 1911 census has Tedbah aged 28, being born in Heckmondwike, a worsted spinner, living with his mother and 4 siblings at Walker St, Littletown, Liversedge.  Tedban’s mother was either very formal or chose to be a rebel as she wrote in red and her entry reads:- Mrs Siddle, head, aged 50, married 29 years, 10 children with 8 surviving to the census, works at home and was born in Gildersome.  But she signed Mrs E A Siddle – a small clue there.

Tedbor Siddle, according to Freebmd was registered in Dewsbury in the September Quarter of 1881 and this was confirmed by looking at the GRO Indexes.

Back to the census – I thought Tedbor or the variations in his name would be the stumbling block in this trail.  I searched the census for all the ways his name had been found – Tedbor, Tecbak and Tedbah and still none of his family could be found.  A search for his mother would be very long and hard as all I had found in the 1911 census was her as Mrs E A Siddle.  A sibling, that would be the way to go, try and find one of Tedbor’s siblings who was a similar age and hopefully pick up the man himself.

One of Tedbor’s siblings, Amanda was born in 1892, therefore she should be in the 1901 census.  Amanda Siddle born 1892 +/- 5 years found nothing.  So in for the long haul – a search for an Amanda born around 1892 in Yorkshire that could take time.  But, not as hard as I thought just around 460 entries and I quickly started at the last page and worked back, came to the s’s and there she was Amanda Siddal and I thought Tedbor would be the stumbling block.  So 1901 who were this family and were was Tedbor.   Well, Mrs Siddal was there and her name was Emma, she was aged 40 and a cloth weaver born in Gildersome.  Tedbor was there now entered as Ted aged 18 and a woollen twister.  There was a Jane aged 16 and a worsted spinner.  Alonzo aged 13 also a worsted spinner.  Robert aged 7 ; Ada 5 ; Norah 3 and Amanda aged 9 – no idea why she is out of age order.  But where is Mr Siddal as Emma states she was married.  Back another 10 years to find out as he must have been around within the last 3 years at least – well according to the ages of the children !

What I find in the 1891 census, I did not expect.  We have Emma A Siddal, giving her status as mother, aged 30 and still a cloth weaver.  We have Clara E Haigh, daughter aged 11 a scholar born in Dewsbury. There is, what looks like, Delert Siddal (our

Carol Sklinar 2010

Carol Sklinar 2010

Tedbor) aged 8. Jane A is there aged 6, along with Alonzo C aged 3 and Olive C aged 1.  But, as the head of the household is one Joseph Crawshaw aged 40 a warp dresser born in Dewsbury.

Tedbah Siddle was in a marriage entry for the December Quarter of 1911 in North Bierley to Gertrude Wooller the exact date being 11 December 1911.

Back to the service record, where I initially found Tedbah – There are four entries for Tedbah with the first being dated 1905 when he is Attesting for the Militia or Reserve Div.,   He  joined the 3rd West Riding Regt., no. 14948.  He was single and aged 22 years 6 months and a millhand – all this we know from census and birth entries.  He said that he had served/ was a currently serving with the Volunteers 1st Bn W R Regt., and that he had purchased his discharge.  Further paperwork goes on to bring him more to life – he was 5′ 3″ tall, weighing 113lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and hair and worshipped within the Church of England and had no distinguishing marks. The Army Recruiting Office wrote to the local police to enquire about Tedbah, the reply came back that they knew him to be of good character.  A reference from Joseph Armitage, Manager stated that he had know Tedbah for over 12 years and last saw him 3-4 days ago (from date of signing Jan 13 1905) – Joseph commented that Tedbah was sober, honest and respectable.  Tedbah attending various training sessions.

In 1913 he re-enlisted after notice, by now he was a married man, his writing had become a more confident hand.  He was part of the B.E.F and rose through the ranks becoming a  Company Sgt., Major.  He ceased to be a CSM when he was transferred to the Heavy Branch – M.G.C and now his army number changes to  7870644.  He was wounded  and a letter from Mrs G Siddle of 4 New Brighton, Oakenshaw, Bradford dated July 14th 1921 asks  if she could be supplied with the following information.

“Is 14948/7807

644 Sgt T Siddle MGC yet demobilised or is he yet serving in the H M Forces.  He has been in India for the last two years (or there abouts) and is at present in this district, and is reported to be on six months leave prior to been transferred to South Africa.  I was given to understand that in July 1919 he had re-enlsited for a period of four years.  I am his lawful wife and am curious to get correct information on the matter and herby appeal to you for such. Thanking you in antisipation for an early reply.  I am Sirs, yours truly, Mrs G Siddle”

A reference in his army records gives the answer to Mrs Siddles question.  A margin note for Tedbak said that he was placed on the married establishment list, in view of the fact that he is separated from his wife by mutual consent.  There was a type written reference to this by his Commanding Officer, basically saying that as he had entered a status of married on the Attestation that had stood as there had been no update to this saying he was now separated.  The regarding his marital status would be altered and that ‘the soldier’ would proceed to Deolali enroute to the UK.

Note – Deolali – a town in India where the Deolali transit camp was based.  It was known for being an unpleasant environment and boredom and many soldiers with psychological problems pass through its portals – hence the terms ‘gone doolally’ and ‘doolally tap’ – terms for someone who  has ‘lost their mind’ possibly due to the stresses of war.  In Urdu the word tap meals a malarial fever.

One part of his service records was an award for the D.C.M. and he should be presented with such in accordance with the Northern Command Authority.  His citation reads “For conspicuous gallantry and resource at Ypres on the 20.3.1915 when he held on to a position with his section, although the trench was destroyed by the enemy;s shell fire, throughout the day until relief arrived.  During the defence of his post he managed to take back a report to his company, from whic

h he was cut off, under heavy shell fire, and then returned to his section. He was wounded during the day. “ This report answers an earlier entry in his records.

Further information gives information that Mrs Siddle was requesting that her husband acknowledge that he is the father of at least one child, a child that will come into the world very soon. He acknowledge two children, Gladys Irene born 15 April 1912 and Mabel born 12 October 1916 (Mabel is the unborn child referred to)

I’ve done a potted history of Tedbor and his siblings, found out his mother’s name and eventually his father’s.  But I still don’t know where his name comes from – is it a family name ? A search of Freebmd only lists one Tedbor and the Army Records, as we already know, shows up Tedbah, while the GRO gives a zero result.  I am no nearer to know where nor why he was given that name………………May be someone reading this knows !

Addendum – Cleckheaton Advertiser and Spen Valley Times Page 2 July 1st 1915 has an interview with Tedbah about his exploits – he was in line for a V.C. but received the D.C.M. instead.

Prince Maurice Victor Donald of Battenburg

On a recent visit to Belgium I was able to visit the grave of Prince Maurice and as a result of that can now add more information to my previous blog.

While reading my newest purchase – yes it has either family history or military connections I came across an entry for the following and found it quite interesting as years ago I transcribed Eton College War Memorials for no other reason than something to research and with a couple of family members who were KIA – I was hooked and as my family and friends know I can now spot a war memorial at a great distance !

So, who caught my interest this time?

Prince Maurice Victor Donald of Battenberg, was the son of Princess Beatrice and cousin to the Tsar and Kaiser.

Maurice was born in October of 1891 at Balmoral and was the first prince to be born in Scotland for nearly 300 years.

He served as a professional soldier in the KRRC – into which he was commissioned in 1910 and moved with his battalion France in August of 1914.  A few short months later there were only 10 of the original officers left.  On the 13th of October Prince Maurice was Mentioned in Despatches.  The battalion moved to near Zonnebeke and on the 27th of October, while leading his men forward he was killed by a shell burst.  During this time, his cousin, Prince Arthur of Connaught, was an ADC to Sir John French and he made every effort to attend his cousin at the dressing station – but was too late.   Kitchener suggested that he be brought ‘home’ but his family, mainly his mother, decided he should rest with his friends and his men and to this end Prince Arthur made the arrangements.

The family had a memorial service in the Chapel Royal attended by King Geore V and Queen Mary along with other members of the family, the Prime Minister and Lord Kitchener.  The Prince of Wales is reported to have said that he had found the names of many of his friends and fellow officers on casualty lists, including his cousin Prince Maurice, his equerry, Major Cadogan and two of his father’s equerries.  He is also reported to have said that he should not have a friend left soon.

The Prince’s elder brothers also fought in the war – Prince Alexander was invalided home with an injured knee and Prince Leopold, a platoon leader in the Grenadier Guards was hospitalised with a chill and he was sent home – according to some, this was not a bad thing.

Prince Maurice Victor Donald of Battenberg rests along with many others in Ypres Town CWGC Cemetery & Extension.  The cemetery has two sections – one is CWGC only, walk up the steps at the far right and you enter the town cemetery with a small CWGC section to the left of the path.  But, as  you reach the top of the small run of steps don’t focus on the commonly recognised CWGC headstones, take a look to your left and you will see a lone headstone, with the plot marked out by kerbstones.  Here rests Prince Maurice

Carol Sklinar 2012

To visit the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website click here

To visit Major and Mrs Holt’s Battlefield click here

To purchase any of Major and Mrs Holt’s Battlefield Guides visit Pen & Sword  click here

Titles as first names

When searching through volumes of parish registers – yes,  in the days when you actually could look through the registers, I remember coming across many titles as christian names.  My initial thought, as a beginner in family history, was wow! Someone of note in my tree.  Yes, that feeling lasted only a few short weeks until I realised that many parents gave their children such names as Squire, Baron, Duke and Earl.  The girls were also given titles as their first name for example, Lady and Princess.  A search of  one of the census found one young lady was named ‘Lady May Mafeking Pretoria Barnes Smith’.  What had been happening around the time of her birth to warrant her names?

Before we learn a little more about Lady May, I looked in the 1901 census for Squire Ramsden and within a small area there are 5 men with that name ranging in ages from late 50’s to teens.

Leading up to the time of Lady May’s birth, Britain and her forces were fighting in South Africa.  Mafeking was one of the most famous British actions in the Second Boar War (Oct. 1899- May 1900), most of us have heard of the Relief of Mafeking.  Pretoria, the city surrendered to the British in June of 1900 – all this was happening at the time that little Lady May was getting ready to come into the world.

Well, who is Lady May ?  Firstly, as in my previous post, her name has been mis-transcribed – What’s new ?  In the 1901 census Lady May can be found on the index as ‘Lady May Magekins’ aged 10 months (being registered in the June Qtr of 1900) and her parents are James Barnes and his wife Annie.  James and his wife also fell fowl of a mis-transcription – there names should be James Barnes Smith and Annie Barnes Smith.

James, born and living in Hull was a bird dealer, while his wife was born in Cardiff.  The family in 1901 was as follows :-

James Barnes Smith 59
Annie Barnes Smith 35
Alice Barnes Smith 15
James Barnes Smith 12
Annie Matilda B Smith 11
Elizabeth Barnes Smith 8
Christmas John B Smith 5
Clarisa Barnes Smith 2
Lady May Magekins 10 Months
Pretons Barner Magekins

As you can see Lady May has been transcribed over two lines and totally wrong and with her name being rather wrong the second part of her name, has given the impression of a separate person- that is until you look at the actual document.

To follow Lady May in the 1911 census I came up with nothing, but that did not dishearten me aswell, it could end up as anything in the transcription.  After trying to find her brother Christmas in the 1911 and other siblings I tried Freebmd for a death and sadly found that she had died aged 3 years old and the transcribers have cross referenced her with both Barnes and Smith :-

BARNES Lady May M P S 3 Hull 9d 167
Smith-Barnes Lady M M P 3 Hull 9d 157

It makes me wonder how many other people relatives have been wrongly transcribed  giving them no chance of being found.  I know the number will be huge and would be fascinated to learn of the unusual or funny ways these names have been transcribed and placed in the on-line indexes  –  Let me know and I’ll post them here.

Note: The Second Boar War brought Baden-Powell to the fore and Winston Churchill was taken prisoner and held in Pretoria but escaped.

Sources – Wikipedia, Ancestry, FreeBMD

Beaulieu War Memorial

What a quest to find the memorial in the village.  Before my visit someone had said they thought it was in the church.  In the village shop, and on this occasion I am not ashamed to say I spoke to two ladies, who were both convinced there wasn’t one but disagreed as to where it was.  I was told to go the the Motor Museum and ask there.  The wonderful local chocolate shop at least were honest and said they should know but didn’t.  Not one to give up I spied a lady walking across from the village school with arms full of baskets – this wonderful person said ‘yes, follow me’.  So less than 20yds off the road there was the memorial – so thank you, who ever you are!

One name seems to stand our more than any other on the Beaulieu War Memorial, could be because it is the longest.

Stanton Degge Wilmot-Sitwell born on 25 July 1896, in the Kensington Reg. District,  the son of Francis Stanton Wilmot Sitwell and Mary Innes the daughter of Capt., Charles E Farquharson.

In 1901 the family were living at The Hall, Holbrook, Derbyshire.  The family consisted of Francis and Mary and their children Robert B aged 6, Stanton aged 4 and Francis E aged 2 along with 4 servants ranging from parlour maid to nursemaid.

2nd September 1914 Stanton was one of the gentleman being appointed Probationary Second Leiutenants.

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March 1915 Stanton is noted in the Gazette as being granted the temporary rank of Lieutenant.

Stanton served in the Royal Marines, Royal Navy Div.  He was KIA during the battles of Gallipoli and died on 14 July 1915 being remembered on the Helles Memorial along with nearly 21,000 other identified casualties.  The memorial at the moment (2012) is undergoing major renovations after years of severe weather conditions and seismic activity.

The family seem to be from the Derbyshire area, so where is the link to Beaulieu ?     Well, found a link to the Lymington area – Francis S Wilmot-Sitwell died in the Lymington Registration District in 1929.  There is also a death for a Mary in Christchurch but will shelve that one until further proof comes my way.  Just as an afterthought I looked up a Probate entry for Stanton and the entry tells that Probate was granted in 1920 at Winchester.  The Lymington war memorial has no mention of the Wilmot-Sitwell family, so why the Beaulieu memorial?

Sources:

Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal

1901 census transcribed as Stanton D Wilmothwell – RG13; Piece: 3227; Folio: 108; Page: 2.

Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill

Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill was born on 16 May 1883, the son of Lt. Col. Charles Morant Churchill, JP (b 19 May 1842) and his wife Ellen Harriette Augusta Meade-Waldo (b 4 Nov 1856).

In the census of 1891 the family are living at Everton Grange, Milford, the family being : Charles Morant Churchill aged 48, Lt Col. Retired Pay, HMS, JP Dorset born in Dorset; Ellen Harriet A Churchill aged 34  born in Cork, Ireland ; Charles Waldo Lionel Churchill aged 7 born in Maidstone ; Frances C E Churchill aged 10 also born in Maidstone + Edmund Wm (?) Waldo father in law aged 61 late 1st Life Guards, JP Kent born in Dawlish, Devon ; Cicely E M Waldo mother in law aged 38 born in Derbyshire ; Margaret A M Waldo sister in law aged 9 born  in Rushall, Kent; Katherine A M Waldo sister in law born in Barmore Castle, Beal aged 7 and finally 10 servants – Daniel M Davis 29 Albert Henry Gregory 19 Charlotte Jane Brown 23 Annie Phillips 26 Mary Jane Fossey 26 Kate E Carpenter 26 Annie Saneroft 17 Emily Peters 16 Annie Palr  Htkins 49 Emma Pearson 38 all being born in Hampshire, London or Dorset.

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Charles joined the 3rd Battn., Hampshire Regt., in June of 1900.  He had been with M.I. in South Africa from December 1901 with the rank of 2nd Lieut and was attached to the 28th Mounted Infantry.

On 31st March 1902 The Damant’s Horse, part of Lt. Col. Cookson’s column were along the Brak Spruit and came in contact with a convoy of burghers and followed in to Boschbult farm.  The superior Boer forces attacked the column who managed to entrench before nightfall and the Boers retired at nightfall.  Charles was wounded during the day and died of his wounds on 2nd April at Klerksdorp.  His final resting place in South Africa has not been determined, but some websites say that he rests in Wimbourne.  His memorial is however, on the wall of Wimborne Minster.

Officers died – South Africa 1899 – 1902