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Remembered Today:

Lt Eoin Colvill


fetubi

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I am looking for information on this Scot - I have photos of him with his Observer Wing, late 1918, and reference to service in France. Unusual first name, but it hasn't helped to locate info on this occasion. I know I could track him at Kew, but does anyone have information?

The photos I have are in four albums which belonged to his sister Marjorie Colvill - very interesting in her own right as she served in the Women's Royal Air Force right from the outset. She was a motor cycle rider/dispatch rider based at the training school at Shoreham and she photographed a good number of individuals and aircraft passing through there.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Trevor

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His RAF service records are probably in AIR 76/99 Collins, W C - Colyer, L J.

The only army match I have made is WO 339/117486 COLVILLE E, I realise this is probably not the chap because of the e at the end, but there could have been the usual data entry errors.

Edited by per ardua per mare per terram
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  • 8 years later...

hello, I just happened to do a google search the other day on my grandfather and came across your post.  It is quite possible that the person you are looking for information is my grandfather. its also likely that you have and know more information about his career in the observation wing than myself.My grandfather died when I was young and I don't ever remember much talk about of any part of his life, least of all WW1. If you have specific questions you'd like answers for I could make attempts through other family members to gather answers. Also if you could offer any advice as to where I could gather more information myself I'd very much appreciate it.

kind regards

Jim 

 

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Hi Jim,

 

It's great to make contact.  Let me just get to the end of the week (bit mad at work just now!) and then I will dig out the albums, and of course I'd be happy to pass some of the images on to you. 

 

I never got back to researching him, as I had bigger fish to fry, so speak, several years ago (my book, below!).  I see he was born 18th March 1897.  Does that coincide with what you know?   If you could give me any ideas on 1) whether you all believe he served in France, or somewhere, and 2) perhaps how his sister's albums finished up under a dusty pile of books in a basement in Brighton 20 years ago, that would be most interesting.  No problem if you're not sure, though.  I'm glad we're in touch.

 

Trevor

 

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Good effort.  I should go and take a look.  Fascinating to see his home was in Hove - just a few miles from where his sister's albums waited for me.  I remain kind of surprised that there is so little about him in wider documents - he was a trained Observer. 

Thanks again.

Trevor

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As I had half an hour to spare here goes

 

Eoin is miss transcribed from the 1901 Scottish census as Evin

 

1901 Scottish census transcription

Name:     Evin Colvill  Age 4

Estimated birth year:            abt 1897

Father's name:       Robert Colvill

Mother's name:     James S Colvill

 

Where born:          Huntly, Aberdeenshire

Registration Number:          507

Registration district:            Campbeltown

Civil Parish:           Campbeltown

Town:     Campbeltown

County:  Argyll

Address:                High Street Springfield Place

 

Household Members:         

Name                   Age

Robert Colvill        39

James S Colvill      36

Maggie Colvill      7

Robert McKellan Colvill     6

Evin Colvill            4

E I L Colvill            1

Maggie Mclean    20

Mary Kane            19

 

Briefly born 18th March 1897 Eoin was a career soldier he joined  the Lovalts Scouts early in the war   entered the theatre of war on the 26/09/1915 Commissioned into the Scottish Rifles - transferred to RAF 1918

 

Snippets

 

14136 THE LONDON GAZETTE, 29 NOVEMBER, 1918.

6th June 1918. Eric Reginald Airey (2nd Lt., W. Rid. R., T.F.).

R. J. Baddeley (Lt., Manch. R., T.P..), and to be Hon. Lt.

Eoin Colvill (2nd Lt., Sco. Rif., T.F

 

His BWM  + VM  medal roll shows  Pte  125735  Pte Colvill Eoin 3645 Lovats Scouts

Discharged to commission 31st /18.17 6th Scottish Rifles

(BWM + VM to be admin by air ministry

 

Star roll shows entitled to 15 star

 

HIS MIC   ANCESTRY LINK

 

Marriage

NAME: Eoin Colvill

SPOUSE:                Joy Ruby Chirgwin

MARRIAGE:         Jun 1940 - Brighton, Sussex

OTHER:                 Feb-Apr-May-Jun  qtr 1940

 

1939 age 42

Residence

29 Sep 1939 • 12 Rock Street, Brighton

Commercial Traveller (electrical apparatus) R.A.F. emergency reserve

 

Death

Sep 1981 • Crawley, West Sussex, England

 

Mentions Flight Global

Dec 5th  1918 flight Global Archives  ( 2nd Lieut)

 

The following are granted temp, commns. as Sec. Lieuts. (Obs. Officers) :— J. E. Kendrick, D.F.C. (Temp. Sec. Lieut., New Armies, Gen. List) ; April 7th. G. A. Hunter (Sec. Lieut., Dorset R., T.F.) ; April 18th. F. H. V. Wood (Temp. Sec. Lieut., attd. Middl'x. R.); May 4th. W. L. Kendrick (Temp. Lieut., A.O.D.), and to be Hon. Lieut. ; May 8th. H. A. Deakin (Lieut., S. Staff. R.), and to be Hon. Lieut.; May 12th. R. S. Hellier, D.F.C. (Temp. Capt., S. Lan, R.), and to be Hon. Capt. ; May 26th. R. Boyle (Sec Lieut., R.F.A., S.R.) ; May 27th. A. Smith (Temp. Lieut., Line. R.), and to be Hon. Lieut., F. Ibbotson (Temp. Sec. Lieut., Notts, and Derby R.) : June 1st. E. R. Airey (Sec. Lieut., W. Rid. R., T.F.), R. J. Baddeley (Lieut., Manch. R., T.F.), and to be Hon. Lieut., E. Colvill (Sec. Lieut., Sco. Rif., T.F.) ; A. E. Chadwick (Sec. Lieut., Durh. L.I., T.F.), E. H. Clarke (Temp. Lieut., Brit. W.I.R.), and to be Hon. Lieut., E. E. Richardson, to.M. (Temp.

 

 

September 25th 1919 flight Global Archives   (Lieut)

                                                                          Flying Branch

 Maj. (Hon. Lieut.-Col.) A. W. H. James, M.C., to be actg. Lieut.-Col. whilst employed as Lieut.-Col. (A.) ; July 19, 1918, to March 20. Maj. W. B. Hargrave, O.B.E., is graded for purposes of pay and allowances as Lieut.-col. whilst employed as Lieut.-Col. (A.); May 1 to June 30. Capts. to be actg. Majs. whilst employed as Majs. (A.) :—C. M. Leman, M.C.; D.F.C.; June 10. R. M. Drummond, D.S.O., M.C.; from May 1 to July 31. The following Capts. are graded for purposes of pay and allowances as Majs. whilst employed as Majs. (A.) :—C. J. Q. Brand, D.S.O., M.C., A.F.C. ; to June 30. H. S. Lees-Smith, L. G. S. Payne, M.C., A.F.C. ; to May 30. C. A. Ridley, D.S.O., M.C. ; to June 30. E. Selby, O.B.E. ; to June 30. G. A. Turton ; to May 28 (May 1). Lieuts. to be actg. Capts. whilst employed as Capts. (A.) :—J. A. Craig, D.F.C., D. F. Lapraik, D.F.C., M. M. Freehill, D.F.C. (June 10 to July 31) ; May 1. The following Lieuts. are graded for purposes of pav and allowances as Capts. whilst employed as Capts. (A.) :—F. J. Cunninghame, A. F. Hordern, H. J. Hunter, A. W. Vigers, M.C., D.F.C. (to May n) , (Hon. Capt.) L. W. Jarvis (to July 31), K. B. Lloyd, A.F.C. (to July 31), J. J. Williamson, A.F.C. (to July 31) ; May 1. Lieut. P. L. Stephens to be Lieut. (A.) from (Ad.) ; April 19, 1018. Lieut. (Hon. Capt.) G. M. Smyth to be Lieut. (Hon. Capt.) (A.) from (S.O.) May 18 (substituted for the notification in the Gazette of July 15). Sec. Lieuts. to be Lieuts. :—I. B. Hyslop ; July 18, 1918. R. Clark ; March 26. E.Colvill; May 1 . A.Russell; July 10. L. F. Homer ; July 30.

 

Ray

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More than happy to assist

 

Eoin aged 14 can also be found on the  1911 Scottish census on Scotlands people  unfortunately  I have no credits to access it

 

 Ray

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  • 1 year later...

Hello All,

 

Im sorry for the delay in responding Trevor. 

 

My goodness, I turn my back for what seems 5 minutes and lots more information arrives.. It’s amazing to discover what information you’ve all been able to access on the web.

Sadly at the time of my earlier conversation with you Trevor, I was unable take the matter further at my end. Due to one reason or another and it will be difficult for me to answer any questions about his life. With the extra information which is now available upon this thread I can confirm that Eoin Colvill was indeed my Grandfather, my Grandmother was indeed Joy. 

As stated earlier I know very little about my grandfathers life. It’s often difficult for me to now if what I do recall was make believe or true now.  I was only just 11 when my grandfather died and it’s fair to say I hadn’t spent a great deal of time in his presence. 

 

A tale of him being shot down or having to crash land in WW1, having to bail out, without parachute and landing on his head. Is the only story from the war I Believe I heard as a child. 

 

  He was however in his younger years a fairly talented sportsman and I believe represented his country at either rugby or athletics or possibly both. He enjoyed a game of golf and to my knowledge was a member of a golf club near the devils dyke (close to Brighton). 

 

I hope some of what I've written is useful or a little interesting to some of you. 

 

Thank you all for the input you’ve all made on this thread. 

 

Trevor if you are still in possession of some family photo albums, if you are interested in passing them on, would it be possible to do that? 

 

again many thanks 

 

kind regards

 

Jim

 

 

 

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Evening Jim,

I can take a look at what I've got in the next couple of weeks, and take it from there.  How's that sound?

Best regards,

 

Trevor

 

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On 27/03/2019 at 08:30, jimerthy sticks said:

Hello All,

 

Im sorry for the delay in responding Trevor. 

 

My goodness, I turn my back for what seems 5 minutes and lots more information arrives.. It’s amazing to discover what information you’ve all been able to access on the web.

Sadly at the time of my earlier conversation with you Trevor, I was unable take the matter further at my end. Due to one reason or another and it will be difficult for me to answer any questions about his life. With the extra information which is now available upon this thread I can confirm that Eoin Colvill was indeed my Grandfather, my Grandmother was indeed Joy. 

As stated earlier I know very little about my grandfathers life. It’s often difficult for me to now if what I do recall was make believe or true now.  I was only just 11 when my grandfather died and it’s fair to say I hadn’t spent a great deal of time in his presence. 

 

A tale of him being shot down or having to crash land in WW1, having to bail out, without parachute and landing on his head. Is the only story from the war I Believe I heard as a child. 

 

  He was however in his younger years a fairly talented sportsman and I believe represented his country at either rugby or athletics or possibly both. He enjoyed a game of golf and to my knowledge was a member of a golf club near the devils dyke (close to Brighton). 

 

I hope some of what I've written is useful or a little interesting to some of you. 

 

Thank you all for the input you’ve all made on this thread. 

 

Trevor if you are still in possession of some family photo albums, if you are interested in passing them on, would it be possible to do that? 

 

again many thanks 

 

kind regards

 

Jim

 

 

 

I'm on the case.  6 or 7 albums retrieved from storage!

Trevor

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  • 4 weeks later...

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