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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

In From The Cold


Terry Denham

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The following soldier was identified by fellow Pal, Will O'Brien, as a possibly non-commemorated casualty and I submitted the details on his behalf to CWGC/MoD on 03.01.06.

Today it was confirmed that he has been accepted by MoD - the quickest example of MoD recognition that I have known - 27 days.

His name will be inscribed on the Doiran Memorial, Greece in due course and his name has been added to CWGC's database.

I'll let Will post the details of how he stumbled over this man's existance and fill in the background.

Private Victor George LORD

12702 7 Bn Ox and Bucks Light Infantry

Died 09.05.17

Doiran Memorial, Greece

NOT FORGOTTEN

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NOT FORGOTTEN

Well done Will and Terry

Kate

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Well done, another has come home and been recognised.

Rob

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Yes, Well done chaps !!

Even after all this time, nigh on 90 years it is important that the forgotten find there rightful place and their sacrafice is remembered.

Best Wishes

James

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Well done the both of you, great work and a good way to start of the new year.

Andy

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I have to say I almost fell off my chair when checking my emails earlier tonight & found one from Terry confirming the MOD decision. Knowing the length of time some of these decisions can take, I'm feeling pretty pleased that from submission to confirmation took only 27 days.

I came across Victor Lord a few years ago whilst researching the names on the Fenny Stratford/Bletchley memorial (this being my local one so to speak). Fellow forum Pals from MK will know it as a fairly bleak looking thing sandwiched between two school buildings. As with most memorial research, my initial efforts left a number of names which I couldn't marry up to casualties, Victor being amongst them. Periodically I would return to these names & whittle them down a couple at a time. I had found references to Victor Lord & his family in the local newspapers circa August/September 1914. The family was quite large & many including Victor had volunteered. These initial snippets indicated he was an Ox & Bucks man. As there was no listing on CWGC (I tried just about every variation of his name I could think of) & no entry in SDGW I suspected Victor had died after discharge & didn't qualify for war grave status (The memorial he is listed on has a couple such entries so the precedent was set). However whilst looking for information on a completely different casualty I came across an entry in the North Bucks Times & County Observer from October 1917, which related to him. The article advised that his family despite the Red Cross Society making enquires on their behalf had heard nothing in relation to Victor since he had been posted missing in May 1917. It wasn't sufficient proof that he'd been killed, but it did put a pretty big question mark against my theory he had died after discharge. The newspaper unfortunately ran dry after that & I couldn't find anything further regarding Victor at all.

Work & other things meant that Victor's story was put on a back burner for a few months until the opportunity arose at Christmas to obtain his MIC & roll. You will all remember the sterling work done by Aliebee, Brian & Leslie Talmer to raise some funds for the forum by doing MIC & roll look up's. My lookup request was Victor. At this point I would publicly like to thank Brian Talmer for also going out of his way to check whether Victor's service record still existed at the same time (alas it wasn't to be). When the MIC & rolls turned up, they clearly stated Victor had died still in service. (As an aside it also showed his medals had been returned) With this I sought advice from Terry who double checked Victor wasn't hiding on the CWGC as a mis-spelling or something similar. Terry also very kindly found Victor's death certificate reference, which made ordering it very simple for me. The death certificate confirmed Victor had been missing presumed killed in action on the 9th May 1917. With this it was back to Terry who again did much of the leg work by checking my evidence & submitting it to the CWGC. They came back pretty quickly confirming they were happy to forward it to the MOD & I settled down for a long wait. I remember Terry warning me it could be months or even a couple of years before the MOD made their decision. I think I told him something to the effect that Victor had waited nearly 90 years so the least I could do was be patient for a couple more. Here we are a mere 27 days later & Victor's wait for recognition is over.

In memory of Private Victor George Lord 12702, 7th Service Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry who was killed in action aged 26 on the 9th May 1917. Son of Mr & Mrs Lord of 13 Tavistock Street, Bletchley. Remembered on the Fenny Stratford memorial & soon to be on the Doiran Memorial, Greece.

Prior to the war Victor had worked at a local brush making factory called Root's Brush Works. He was also known locally as a talented footballer, having played for the Fenny Stars & Bletchley St Mary's Clubs. Victor had been a Territorial soldier, serving with the Wolverton detachment. but in September 1914 he left the Territorial Army to enlist as a Regular. He was drafted to France 12 months later & served for a few weeks on the Western front before the 7th Ox & Bucks transferred to Salonika in the autumn of 1915.

Fallen but not forgotten

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RIP Pte Victor George Lord.

Well done Will and Terry.

Roy

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Well done Will and Terry. Now just need to arrange the trip out to Salonika to see it on the memorial.

Arm

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