Tag Archives: War

Henry Umfreville Wilkinson

The memorial to Henry can be found inside the church at Milton on Sea, but who was Henry ?

Well, he was the son of Henry Marlow Wilkinson (b 4 Aug. 1827 Godshill, I.O.W d 9 Dec 1908, Milford-on-Sea ) and his wife Florence Amy Kemp-Welch (b 1852 in Brixton, Surrey, died on 5 Jun 1927 in Milford on Sea) who married in Christchurch in the winter of 1886.  Henry Marlow Wilkinson was a clergyman living with his wife, family and servants in Milford vicarage at the time of the 1901 census – Henry Umfreville was aged 10 and like his sister Marie he was not listed as a scholar. Henry Marlow was from a family of clergymen.

Ten years before in 1891, Henry Marlow Wilkinson was aged 63 while Florence his new wife was aged 38 and for children she had 3 under 5 – John, Cyril and Henry aged 10 months.

By the time of the 1911 census Florence was a widow and living at Milford Corner with her 4 children and 4 servants in a 17 roomed house.  Good news for family historians Florence added that she had had 7 children but had lost 3 by the time of the census.  Who were the other children ?  In 1911 John Rothes Marlow Wilkinson was 23 and a student ; Cyril Hacket Wilkinson was 22 and a student ; Henry Umfreville Wilkinson was 20 and a student  and finally, Marie Cecile Florence Wilkinson aged 17 and also a student.

2012 C Sklinar

From the memorial we know that Henry Umfreville was a student at Oxford and attained a B.A., he also was a member of the Civil Service and it was during this service in Mlanji, Nyasaland that he died on 17 March 1916 that he died aged 25. I’ve not found a lot about Henry but will his brother who was a soldier during the Great War be any different ?

John Rothes Marlow Wilkinson, as we know he was the elder brother of Henry U but he has more of a story to tell.

In the London Gazette John is mentioned as to be a Second Lieutenant in the Territorials dated 17 December 1909.   Another mention gives information regarding Second Lieutenant Wilkinson being transferred from the 7th Bttn Hampshire Regt., to the Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regt.,) He was a University candidate on 24 March 1911but would not be getting pay of allowances prior to 7 February 1912.

2012 C Sklinar

Soldiers who Died in the Great War tells us information we have already gained from the London Gazette but that he was Killed in Action on 10th September 1914 near Mons.  But a look at De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour gives an insight as to who the young man was.  He was a handsome young man, with I suppose you could say he had film star looks – well you could if this was the 1940’s or 50’s.  He had good strong features and a neat moustache.  His education was at Winchester College and Worcester College (1907-1911) and was Captain of the colleges boat club.  We know he was killed near Mons, but what happened ?  A Private from C Coy., 4th Middlesex Regt., wrote “On Sunday 23 August, we were entrenched in front of a convent, when Capt., …..gave Lieut. Wilkinson an order to take half his platoon (two sections) to reinforce A Coy.  The Coy. was at the left of our positions and was hard pressed.  We took up position under heavy fire at a group of houses.  Your son went into one of the houses, and was heard directing the fire of his two sections through the skylight of the root.  He directed his fire so well that he forced the Germans to retire from his front.  it was from this house that he was overwhelming numbers of Germans coming through the wood to his front.  The Germans came on again until they were within 200 yards.  Lieut. Wilkinson came out of the house into the trench.  It was here that he got the order to retire.  He got the order twice, but would not take it, as he thought it was not an official order.  Eventually he got the order from the G.O.C. to retire.  It was then I noticed he was limping.  To retire we had to go through barbed wire ; here we got separated owing to the heavy shell and rifle fire.  I am very sorry to say that I was not the only man of those two sections to get away from that place.  No officers could give me any information of Lieut. Wilkinson.  I reported to the C.O. what had happened and told him that Lieut. Wilkinson was a very brave man.  He replied, ‘Yes, I know that, and I am very sorry to have lost him’ … I must say your son was a man in very sense of the word.  I think he was as brave a gentleman as one could meet here.  I told this to Capt.,……. I think I have an idea of a brave officer, as I went through the South African War and have eight clasps to my medal”  Such sad news for a family to hear but good to know that a Private thought enough of his Lieutenant to write to his family and inform them what really happened.  So many other families could only wonder or imagine the fate of their loved one.

He was 26 years old when he was KIA and rests in St. Symphorien Military Cemetery, Hainaut, nr Mons, Belgium.

Within a two year period Florence  had lost another two of her boys but she did live on for another few years.

Papers of the Wilkinson of Milford  family can be found in the Bodleian Library

James Marlow Wilkinson was one of over 2000 people who corresponded with Darwin

Roll of honour of sons and daughters who gave their lives in the Great War

Naval Dockyard, Portsmouth

The Naval Dockyard is world famous as the home of Nelson’s flagship – HMS Victory, but the dockyards are also home to the Mary Rose and HMS Warrior.  Well, everyone talks about HMS Victory, so I shall give it a miss except to say that I am glad that I went on board and can appreciate the  every day conditions the men and boys had to endure – well I can imagine.  The conditions during a battle must have been horrendous – noise, the organised and well practised Battle Stations and the accidents of one mis-timed move, all this in cramped quarters with many men not being able to stand upright.

The crew would have consisted of over 800 men and boys – 11 Officers, 48 NCO’s, 80 Petty Officers, over 500 seaman and 40 boys plus approx., 150 Marines of various ranks.  I always thought the Marines were the extra military side of a battle – the sharp shooters and able to go from land to sea and just as capable on either.  But I was told that they were what you would call a peace keeping service – keeping peace between the seaman and the officers as unruly men could cause a great loss of life during a voyage.

HMS Victory 2012 C Sklinar

So, here she is – at the moment her top masts have been removed for work to be carried out on them and part of her has an outer shell of scaffolding and part of the 150ft Bowspirit has been removed.  To make it easier for the Oldest Commissioned War Ship to survive the masts and the bowspirit are now hollow wrought-iron masts,  from a ship called the ‘Shah’ in the 1880’s. These are lighter than the original wooden masts and require less maintenance.  The original main mast would have been taken from a tree with a 3ft diameter fir, spruce or pine, such woods are known to be strong but flexible.   You can only go onboard with a guided tour but it is worth the wait for a tour to begin and there is lots to do while you wait.

HMS Warrior – The largest, most heavily armed and heavily armoured warship.  No opponent dated to challenge her. She was 418 ft in overall length (compared to HMS Victory 227ft) and the 60 years since HMS Victory showed in the technology.  She had at her centre an armour plated box to protect her guns and machinery and this was impenetrable at even close range with the latest guns. She had the recent innovation of watertight compartments only made possible by her iron construction.

HMS Warrior 2012 C Sklinar

Not only was HMS Warrior feared for her guns but she was also fast, very fast – under sail she could reach 13.75 knots but she also had steam power made possible via her 10 boilers (each with 4 furnaces) and could reach 14.33 knots using these but using both steam and sail 17.5 knots could be made.  Her armament was also impressive. Warrior had the new breach-loading guns now firing shells – normal cannon balls bounced off ironclads.  Warrior unlike Victory had only one gun deck – she was longer but much more stable and able to carry heavier guns, with each gun having a crew of 18.

HMS Warrior 2012 C Sklinar

The crew of 705 men were made up of : 42 Officers and Midshipmen, 3 Warrant Officers an d 45 NCO’s, 401 seaman and boys + plus the engineering staff – 12 Chief Engineers and Engineers, 66 Stokers and Trimmers as well as 3 Rloyal Marine Officers and 24 NCO’s and Artilliary men.  Compared to Victory the decks were a lot more spacious and airyn and brighter. Also by now sailors weren’t ‘press ganged’ and volunteered.  After serving a set time they could achieve a pension

HMS Warrior was first of the Black Battle Fleet of the 1860’s and by 1875 Britain had built a further 22 armour-plated battleships.  The latter 22 had no sails but could steam 3 times further than Warrior without refuelling, but HMS Warrior never had to fire a shot in anger, surely that shows how successful she was – a real success story.

Along with the museum sections there is also a Harbour Tour a fantastic way to see H M Fleet and the harbour.  Sadly, Ark Royal, the one I wanted to see as my father had been a guest of honour on board her some years ago.  He received a cheque, the money raised by the crew to take a Normandy Veteran back to France and my father was chosen.  He had no idea he was going and didn’t normally go on the RNA trips but he did as he was told and turned up at the muster point all suited, booted and medalled.  The group were all on one of the decks ready to be photographed by a helicopter when his name was called out and the Captain presented him with a cheque – he was both emotional and honoured that his piers had chosen him.  Another honour came later that year when he again was one of three D-Day 1 vets to be invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.  Again he was overwhelmed when he mentioned the Garden Party to another member of the RE Association, who in turn told someone else, and dad ended up being chauffeur driven from home to the Palace – the two other vets had to catch a train, not fair I know but as it goes ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’.

So, needless to say I was disappointed at how much of the Ark I saw and sad that she rests in what is basically the Government version of ebay.

It is expensive to get in but entry allows you one visit to HMS Ark Royal, Harbour tour and Mary Rose Museum but unlimited access for 12 months to the other sections of the site – a good place to visit.

Non-Resident births in Wakefield

What do you know ?

Your family came from London, the South or the Channel Islands.  You know they had children during the period 1939 – 1945.  Can you find their birth registered in that area ?  No !

Carol Sklinar copyright 2007

I found out the other  day that during the early years of WW2 families, women and/or children were sent ‘up North’ for safety.  As a result of that Wakefield had its population artificially risen, this lead to a rise in the number of births in the region.

Walton Hall, a maternity home in the Wakefield area had a great number of extra births with the addresses of the parents being London, Birmingham, other areas in the South and ofcourse, those families who lived on the Channel Islands, the only part of Britain to be occupied by enemy forces.

If you can’t find the birth you are looking for try looking in a wider area as they could have been Registered in a Yorkshire town.

Dunbarton War Memorial WWI & WWII

When we visited Dunbarton  a quick drive round the area only found the Dunbarton Memorial to those who died in the South African Campaign.  Well, it was an easy find as it was just outside the Town Hall, but I did have to get out of the car and do an ‘Anneka Rice’ impression before I found out it was not exactly what I was looking for, but a bonus.

After going inside the Town Hall and enquiring I eventually had directions to the memorial, but I must add the directions were not all that good!.  In the end I saidto my long suffering husband ‘just park the car and I’ll find it’ .

You would be surprised how many people use a park every day, walk past a large lump of stone with wrought iron fencing and don’t even know what it is – well, after having my website for over 12 years and doing the memorial transcriptions for about 8 or 9, I am not surprised, I am ashamed.

Dunbarton War Memorial by Carol Sklinar 2010

So starting with the South African Campaign Memorial, who is there ?

Peter Robert Denny, Capt., 1st Kings Dragoon Guards was killed on 24 April 1900.  Also mentioned is J M’Ghee, Pte 2101 in the Scottish Rifles.  He died at Spion Kop on 24 January 1900.   Just to name a few.

Now to the WW1 & 2 memorial.  This wonderful piece of stone stands in Lenongrove Park – close by the path that runs along the Clyde.  Although, this memorial and the South African Campaign memorial are not on my website yet, I thought I would give you a little of glimpse of what it to come……….soon!

For starters, I thought I would let you know about Pte Robert Mustarde – he served as Pte 202169.  Robert was born in Kirkintilloch and enlisted in Stirling, joining the HLI.  He is recorded as dying on 14 April 1917 at sea and is remembered on the Mikra Memorial, Greece.  Robert is more than likely 1 of over 5oo nurses, officers and men who were lost on transports and hospital ships in the Mediteranian.  Many were washed ashore, identified and buried in Thessalonika, others like Richard were not so lucky and a name on a memorial is there only memorial.

William Yuille, son of John and Catherine of 1 Beechwood Terrace, Dunbarton is also on the memorial.  He served s 43314 in the Royal Engineers.  He was born in Dunbarton, also enlisting in the town.  He was KIA on 7 December 1916 and rests in Bancourt British Cemetery near Bapaume.

Basil Withy, the son of Henry and Mary Forrest Withy of Brantford House, West Hartlepool. Henry was in the 1901 census listed as being a shipbuilder, by 1911 he is a widower and retired.  But on those census I can find no mention of Basil who was born in 1886 in Hartlepool – where was he?   Basil  served as a Lieutenant in The King’s ( Liverpool Regiment).  He Died of Wounds on 2 July 1916 and  rests in La Neuville British Cemetery, Corbie.  Henry, his father was granted Probate at Durham on 6 September with Basil’s effects adding up to £5049 15s 1d.     Note – there is an Ernest, son of Henry and Mary who is of a similar age, could this be Basil who is known to the family by a differant name……….does anyone know any different?

Just a few names and information to be going on with along with an image of the memorial and I could not let this posting go without leaving you with this view from just along the  path.

William Harold Ryder

While writing a previous blog I remembered my visit to Bardsey Church a few years ago and while clicking through the pictures I took on that morning I found one, a photo of a memorial plaque.

What do we know about this young man from the plaque on the wall of the church?
He was called William Harold Ryder, the third son of Charles Foster and Anna Ryder. Now another question arises, who are they as there is also a memorial to them.

But back to William, he served during WW1 as a Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps and fell whilst serving in France on July 6th, 1917 aged 20 and rests in Warloy Baillon.

William’s memorial plaque C Sklinar 2007

The information on the memorial inside the church gives a good start to finding out more about William.

William, as we know, was the son of Charles Foster Ryder and his wife Anna. Anna died in 1907 and a memorial in the church informs all that Charles Foster had the church floor relaid to its original level in 1914 in memory of his wife.

Charles F Ryder married Anna Potter on 7th February 1888 at Christ Church, Lancaster Gate. Charles was aged 32, a bachelor of Chapel Allerton and the son of Charles Ryder a brewer. While his new wife was aged 25, a spinster with no occupation living at 48 Cleveland Square, the son of William Potter (decd.), a merchant. Witness to this joyful event were Anna(?) L Ross and W Henderson.

Cleveland Sq. (source unknown)

Anna, in the census of 1881 was living with her father, William and mother Agnes (both from Manchester) at 48 Cleveland Square, where William gave his occupation as that of East India Merchant. In the household were the parents, Anna and her brother and 7 servants.

In the census of 1901 Charles F, a brewer is living on Leeds Road, Scarcroft with his children – Daniel G aged 8, Agnes L aged 6 and Wm H aged 4, Rosamund aged 2 and Marion E Harrison a visitor – Anna is not with her husband in the census. But a search for Anna born in 1863 in Little Missenden, find an Anna Ryder living as married Head of The Hall, Little Thurlow, Suffolk. With Anna is Georgina M Bryant a 25 year old trained hospital nurse and other staff – could Anna have been sickly and lived in the country for her health?

By 1911 Charles is a Brewery Director, more than likely Tetley’s Brewery, and living at The Grange, Scarcroft. On the census for The Grange is Charles F, Agnes Louisa, Rosamund Daphne and 7 servants. The Grange was a 20 roomed property with 10 persons living within its walls. William now aged 14 was a boarder at Uppingham, one of Englands Public Schools. The school seeing many people pass through its doors who have now become well known including:- 5 Victoria Cross recipients; Richard Thorp, actor ; John Suchet, journalist and broadcaster ; Phil Spencer, property expert ; C R W Nevison, Official War Artist in both World Wars ; Sir Donald Campbell ; Sir Malcolm Campbell and William Henry Pratt aka Boris Karloff to name just a few.
William served in the RFC and his medal card states that he had served in the Yorks Hussars as a Lieutenant but there is no mention of any medals awarded in his name, but his date of death is recorded in the remarks section.

William died on 6 July 1917 and Probate was granted in London on June 8th, 1918, to Charles Foster Ryder, gentleman.

Men from Wakefield in Lijssenthoek CWGC

Resting in Lijssenthoek CWGC Military Cemetery are over 35 young men from the Wakefield area.  I know there names and in which section they rest but only two I know very well – one being my great uncle Herbert Siddle.  Herbert was 1 of 13 children born to Charles Siddle and his wife Emma Mills – Emma lost 3 of her children within months of their births.

The siddle family lived in the Kirkgate area of Wakefield, with cousins living just up the hill on Warrengate, Stanley Road and in the East Moor area.

Herbert was born in  Wakefield in the year 1892 and by 1911 he was a driller at the local boiler works, living with his parents, 4 siblings, a nephew and a niece, an uncle and a boarder on Hardy Croft, Wakefield – 11 people in a 5 roomed house.  I was brought up in that house and I can’t imagine how it would have been living in a house with a dining kitchen, front room, 2 double bedrooms and an attic.  It would have been so different from when I lived there with my parents.

Herbert enlisted in Wakefield, joining the KOYLI and becoming Pte 242874.  He had been wounded in the Somme and sent home to recuperate before being sent back to France and Belgium.  In April of 1918 he was in a trench and was shot in the neck.  Very quickly he was taken to a Dressing Station at Kemmel before becoming one of the many who are KIA.

Kemmel Wood bunker copyright C Sklinar 2008

Mrs Siddle had 2 other sons serving in WW1, Claude served as 241166in the RFA; Edwin served as 268976 and had been in in the WRVAD Hospital – he had been awarded, along with his other service medals, the Silver War Badge which he would have worn on his lapel to show he had been injured out of service.

Coming forward many decades to the 1980’s my father and I often met and chatted with an old gentleman whom we met while shopping.  After not seeing him for many months I mentioned to dad that we’d not seen him in a while, to which I was informed that he had died.  The conversation went on about the gentleman only for it to be brought up that this man was next to or very near great uncle Herbert when he had been shot !!!  By the 80’s I’d already started the family tree and there are no words to describe how I felt at this moment – should I scream ‘Why did you not tell me?’, utter a few choice words or just throttle my dad.  The reply I got from a bemused father was ‘Well, didn’t think you’d be interested’, like hell!!

I could have throttled my dad but could give my great grandma a very big hug for she kept all the paperwork from the army, including an eye witness report from Sgt Greasby and the Red Cross along with a newspaper from the time with Herbert on the front page. The local paper tried to put a picture of the young men on the front page  when Wakefield lost a son, brother or father.

I have this about my Wakefield soldier but do you have a soldier from Wakefield or know anything about your Wakefield soldier who was KIA or DoW during WW1?  Please let me know.

Please contact me with information.

Imperial War Museum in the North

After trying to arrange a visit for a few weeks and work always getting in the way I finally got there!

Did I enjoy my visit ?  Was I disappointed ? Wait and see !

Firstly, the museum was reasonably easy to find and we only went twice around a roundabout once – I must add I was not driving and the front passenger did give good directions and in plenty of time – I say no more!

The car park was larger than I expected with enough pay machines BUT I was disappointed that people with a Blue Badge even had to ‘cough up’.  One thing I did like, but did not seem to be well advertised was a cabin, a wooden hut that gave change – a good idea.

The building seemed strange, not because it was modern and industrial but seemed lifeless, now was that a play on the subject within, I don’t know.  We entered via a large tower, at the time seemed pointless and a waste of space and money – we were peering through the slatted sides of the tower as we went in and it seemed one big void.  On entering we found it was basically a lift shaft to a viewing tower and a charge of £1.40 was made for the journey to stand over a chasm – not flippin’ likely!  Passed the lift ladies have their handbags searched, yes, for good reasons, but why only women and why only handbags?

Although the museum is free entry you are still funnelled via a ticket machine and a little persuasion is made to purchase a guide.  Ticket entry via a turnstile would be ideal, you would still get a ticket, they would still know how many people are in for fire regulations, you would not be badgered into buying a guide (unless you wanted one) and on exit you go through a similar turnstile – at the moment you are ticketed, counted on the way in, but there is no count on the way out – does not seem right when fire regulations come into it

Mini moan over, we entered the museum which is on the 1st floor.  Well, as we entered the first hall my companion and I decided the outside matched the inside – it was claustrophobic, even though the hall was very high, oppressive and depressing.  I’ve been in many military and war museums over the years and never felt this on entering.  Yes, war is a harsh subject but never have I felt this on entering a museum before, even a modern museum.

A Harrier Jump Jet was the first thing we saw, mounted in mid air – what a wonderful thing to greet you, they always seemed larger in flight.  The halls were very spacious, only the tank, a Trabbant, and other large displays on the floor – still leaving a very large amount of open floor space.  The main exhibits were in cabinets within the walls and for the amount of space there was not that many.

copyright C Sklinar 2011

The cabinets did hold some fascinating artifacts for example: – A souvenir In Loving Memory of the women and children killed in an air raid on London on June 13 1917, War Bonds and one or two cabinets dedicated to people with a definate story.  I’ll blog about those later. I was surprised that how much wall and floor space there was there did not seem a great deal of artifacts on display.  I could have spent time spelling what it was like in the trenches, what wet smelly socks smelt like or what a lot of men together for a long time with no where to wash or limited facilites also smelt like – that was one for the kids as were a lot of the displays.

While we were in the main hall a visual display started and the already dimly lit room went virtually dark apart from the illuminated images on the walls and the slide show.  If you only wanted to listen to the slide shows description, walking around without tripping over someone who was sat down or just standing around was a task.  The darkness also made reading any description in and around the displays a waste of time.  When the lights came back on it was done quite gradually.

The museums history of war started with WW1 and went up to the present, with a special display telling of the fantastic work that war correspondents do in time of conflict.  One of the displays in this section was for want of a better word a chart showing how many journalists from all over the world have had their lives taken by the very thing they wanted to tell the world about.

copyright C Sklinar 2011

Time to check out the café! Yes, it was lunchtime but the queues were reasonable apart from the picnic section and one lady with a hoard of children who could not make up their mind.  Overtaking them and going straight for the kill – coffee and cake, the prices were reasonable and the portions very good.  The pork lunch served with all the trimmings was very good value and looked fantastic.

Yes, I bought a book, again that information is in another blog, but I also bought two other items, but can’t tell you about those as they are ’stocking fillas’ for christmas.

The shop had the usual bits and bats for children and then some very nice memorabilia, gifts and some wonderful jewellery made from buttons in all shapes, sizes and colours – so unusual and very retro.  After this I, we, homed in on the WW1 books but we were both disappointed in the small display.  The sections for wars post WW1 was far better, but not really my or my companions main interest.

Would I go again to the Imperial War Museum in the North, I don’t think so; next time will venture to the original in London.

If you do wish to visit a wonderful place full of interest and packed with information, artifacts and displays that suit children, military personnel, veterans and those with an interest in all things military,  visit the Royal Armouries in Leeds.  On the various floors there are good displays from all over the world – from the UK to India and Japan , from times gone by to modern warfare and policing – go on pay it a visit.

To see information about the Imperial War Museum click here

To see information about the Royal Armouries, Leeds click here

To see information about the Royal Armouries, London click here

Unknown Soldier

Just over  a month ago I was given a framed picture, I say picture, as it is not truly a memorial.  Anyway, this picture was for a soldier who served in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry during WW1.

KOYLI Badge

It would have been quite colourful, with its curled horn with a central white rose surrounded by a horse shoe shaped wreath containing the Battle Honours of the Regiment.

The framed picture must have been on a family wall for many years as the soldiers number, rank and name are very faint and I do mean faint.

Armed with a good source of light, magnifying glass, large cup of tea and a couple of tried and trusted websites I set off on my quest.

The first two numbers and the last few numbers were easy to read, it was the ones in the middle that were the problem.  His regiment was clear, he was  a Private.  His initial was clear, an old fashioned L, you know the one, similar to a £ sign.  His name, well, I decided on M for the first letter, with a L in the middle.  Variations of the names first few letters went on for a while, varying from Mc, Ma, Me and Mo.

As you can guess one of my favourite websites was getting well and truly used and I was certainly making my subscription work.  The eyes of a neighbour and fellow family historian were also called upon and she achieved the same as me.

One thing that we both felt certain about was that he did not die as the CWGC and SWDTGW have no match for any permutation of his army number.

The frame was put on my desk and left in view, but it was certainly not forgotten.  Where else could I look? What else could I do? He was an army man.  He may not have volunteered but he was called to Serve King and Country in some way but where? Who would know the regiment better than the Regimental Museum?  The KOYLI museum is housed within Doncaster Museum, being moved from The Barracks at Pontefract.  I ‘phoned, spoke to a nice man who told me he would get someone to call me back as the person who I needed to speak to was on his holidays.  I didn’t have to wait long and Steve rang – I gave him the numbers, rank and what I thought was his name.  He’d ring me back.

Guess what ?  He rang and came up with the same as me – no trace of our man.  He did however, suggest that I go over and take the picture to the Museum, so that he could possibly, shed light on the matter.  Believe you me, it needs a lot of light !

Today was the day I ventured to South Yorkshire, that OK as it was once part of the West Riding before all that reorganisation stuff in the 1970’s.  The Museum is a nice place with nice helpful staff,  but parking is ‘iffy’ as you need a voucher from reception to say you are in the library and you need to sign in but that’s not a problem, but the car park is smallish.

Anyway, Steve looked at the picture and went on the web.  He put various variations of the army number into websites and the numbers came up but with nothing matching the Regiment of anything that even on a good day you could say was his name.

Steve, who works for the library, changes his ‘hat’ and does work for the KOYLI Museum one day a week  and he told me that he thought ‘our man’ did serve, we know that, but that he could have served and done his duty only in the UK and therefore would not get a medal.

What have we come up with in the past weeks :-

We know who gave/lent me the picture BUT NOT from where it came

We know ‘our man’ served in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

We know his rank.

We know his initial

We know that WW1 service records were damaged by the enemy in WW2 and are called ‘The Burnt Records’ for that very reason.  Some were partially  burnt,  some have water damage and others were totally destroyd.

We know that he survived the war.

We seem to know quite a lot don’t we?  But the important segments still remain a mystery.

What is his true army number?

What is his name? The surname that seems to start with an ‘M’.

Who does he belong to?

I think that this picture will be picked up and put down on my more occasions before I get totally exhausted from searching.

My thanks to Steve for his time and help and the fact that he like me, will keep looking.

King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum Collection click here

National Archives – Looking for a person incl. Military, Police, Clergy, Migrants, Wills & much, much more click here


Glen Lyon War Memorial

A short while ago a friend sent me his pictures of Glen Lyon War Memorial.  He like many others, know I collect and transcribe them, and he kindly sent me a couple of pics taken on his adventures.

image by J Hall 2011

I can’t say what a beautiful place it is, as I don’t know, but from the picture it certainly looks a pleasant place and with the sun shining and a blue sky, even a cold day would be a pleasant day in Glen Lyon.  The glen is approx. 20 miles in length and stretches from Fortingall to Cashlie and from all accounts well worth a visit.

Who is mentioned on this very special memorial, special, you will see why shortly.  Firstly, and only because his name appears first on the memorial (all names are in rank order)  is Lieutenant Colonel John Robert Beech CMG, DSO who died in Lincolnshire while in command of his troops. Next on the list is Clyde, actually, Robert Clyde Beech, the 20 year old son of John Robert. Next comes Alan Tompson, a relative by marriage of John Robert’s wife, who was the widow of John Bullough or Meggernie Castle. Also on the memorial is Francis Cowie who was before the war was an asistant factor at the castle.  So all in all, the family from ‘the big house’ didn’t fair well from the war.

The last name I am mentioning in this ‘snippet’ is that of John Alexander McCallum of Camusvrachan, KIA in October of 1918 aged 23.  It was his father Alexander, who designed and built the Glen Lyon War Memorial.  What greater gift could a father give to his son, a splendid memorial built at the side of the road that all who pass by will see and hopefully more will now know of the great love and sadness with which it was built.

Where can you read about Alexander and his son and others from the area Click Here

Odiham War Memorial – WW1 transcription

Just before Easter I spent a weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend.  The weekend started with my driving down to Ealing, meeting my daughter and visiting one of her friends and her new little one.  Then a drive to Basingstoke.

Saturday started with a yummy breakfast and then onto Winchester, lunch in Raymond le Blanc’s, a visit to the Cathedral (memorials to follow very soon ) and finally an interesting visit to see The Round Table.

So Sunday arrived and a visit to Odiham and lunch, but before lunch I was given a short tour of Odiham, including, yes, the war memorial and the church – nice village and nice company. Oh! by the way the church has a beautiful window relating to the local RAF station.  I’m not a great lover of modern stain glass but that was nice.  But, to my surprise it wasn’t even a window, but a very good deception – a light box, but it still looked impressive.

Odiham Memorial, Carol Sklinar 2011

Now to the village memorial to those who have fought and died in two world wars.

Who is mentioned on the memorial to the men and women of the Parish of Odiham ?  Geoffrey Harris Gotelee, the son of Arthur and Esther of The Old House.  Geoffrey in 1911 was a boarder at St Albans School, his parents at this time ran the Post Office.  Richard Elkanah Hownam Healy, the son of Randolph and Alice of Hownam Lodge.  1911 sees Richard living in Kensington Hall Gardens and working as a Reporter for a Daily Paper.  He is later mentioned in the London Gazette when he received his promotion.

Another young man from the area was Arthur Henry Pither, son of Stephan and Sophia.  Arthur worked in Quebec, arriving in 1908, but was back in the area by 1911.  He did however, enlist in the Canadian Army and from that we can get a fleeting glimse of what he looked like.

Guy Lutley Sclater, brother, son and husband. He served as a ~Captain in the Royal Navy and rests in Odiham Churchyard.

Now, W G Wooldridge, he was a little bit of a problem and has not been identified by others who have transcribed Odiham Memorial, but I think family history helps a great deal when transcribing and knowing people make errors and what type of error could occur – well, I found him – so visit the transcription and see who he is and where he rests.  In fact, if I had completed the transcription last week, I would have known where he was and could have visited, as I was only a matter of minutes away from him.

The last young man I am going to mention in this taster is Reginald James Moody, son of Charles and Ellen.  He served in the RFC and died on 4 March 1917 while flying with 2nd Lieut., Eric Edmund Horn.  Edmund had enlisted on his 17th birthday and died on his 19th, so, so young and very brave.  They both rest in the same cemetery.

There are still a few young men whose information needs adding to the transcription and they will be finished shortly, as will the WW2 transcript.

To read the transcription or see if your Odiham relative is there Click Here