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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

The Buffs 6th batt East Kent


jands

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Hi all

Just recently started to research our family history ,had several family members who participated in the ist ww ,2 unfortuneately failed to return ,one served with the Buffs 6th Batt East Kent reg ,his name was Frederick Powell he died on the 14/3/1916 the regimental records state this was at the somme ,doas anyone have any reg or company pics of around this time or any other info would be greatly appreciated,

His brother we believe his name was Albert (isnt it a shame that someone can fade from a familys memory) sorry i digress we believe Albert Powell was serving as a Royal engineer ,havnt been able to find out anymore about him from any site, lots of A Powells but no matching info ,they both came from Canterbury sons of Alber and Mary anne Powell ,

Thanks for taking the time to read this ,i hope someone can help .

Many thanks

John

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John, this is what I have on Powell

He was born at Northgate, Canterbury and enlisted in The Buffs in September 1914 at Canterbury. He joined the 6th Battalion and went overseas with them on 1/6/1915.

The Kentish Express and Ashford News of 2/12/1915 notes that he was wounded.

As he died of wounds it is not possible at the moment to tell when or how he was mortally wounded (I say "at the moment" because you never know when some more records will be uncovered). If his service record survives it may give an answer.

I have a few platoon photos of the 6th Buffs but none are named

Mick Mills

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Hi Mick,

Thanks very much for your reply - We really appreciate you taking the time to help us.

Would you mind please letting us know how you discovered this much detail about Frederick, as we were only aware of the basic facts. We do know he unfortunately died on 14/3/16. We have an old photo of Frederick that we are currently getting restored and will scan you a copy if it would be of interest to you?

Frederick had a brother called Albert, do you know anything about him please? Our remaining family have no details at all apart from his name, that he served in the army (possibly the Engineers) and died in WW1. Again we gleaned this information from another old photo (being restored as very brittle).

Once again thank you, it's very kind of you.

John & Sara

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Name: POWELL, FREDERICK RICHARD

Initials: F R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)

Unit Text: 6th Bn.

Age: 22

Date of Death: 14/03/1916

Service No: G/553

Additional information: Son of Albert and Mary Ann Powell, of 2, Spring Lane, Sturry Rd., Canterbury.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: V. B. 31.

Cemetery: BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

There are about 4 A Powell's on CWGC in the Royal Engineers.

Ellie

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John

If Albert was in the RE then this is the only eligible candidate (the family info on the others is incompatible):

Name: POWELL

Initials: A H

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Sapper

Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers

Unit Text: 12th Field Coy.

Date of Death: 17/09/1917

Service No: 58964

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. G. 55.

Cemetery: BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Regards

Mel

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John

Welcome to the forum.

Do you have anything else on Albert as there are quite a few MIC'S on Ancestry for A Powell's in the Royal Engineers?

Ellie

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No luck! This one is an Arthur which means that Albert was not in the RE - or at least not when he died.

Medal card of Powell, Arthur H

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Engineers 58964 Sapper

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I have just checked the 1901 Census. Can you confirm that we are looking for Albert W?

Name: Albert W Powell

Age: 9

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1892

Relation: Son

Father's Name: Albert

Mother's Name: Mary A

Gender: Male

Where born: Canterbury, Kent, England

Civil Parish: Canterbury

Ecclesiastical parish: Canterbury St Gregory the Great

County/Island: Kent

Country: England

Registration district: Canterbury

Sub registration district: Canterbury

ED, institution, or vessel: 5

Neighbors: View others on page

Household schedule number: 99

Household Members: Name Age

Albert Powell 34

Albert W Powell 9

Alice M Powell 1 month

Bertie M Powell 4

Emily W Powell 2

Frederick Powell 6

Mary A Powell 32

Rose M Powell 10

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There is this Albert W that ended up in the RE:

Albert W Powell Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Engineers 157474, 237881

Is it possible he died shortly after the war?

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Name: Albert Walter Powell

Year of Registration: 1892

Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun

District: Canterbury

County: Kent

Volume: 2a

Name: Frederick Richard Powell

Year of Registration: 1894

Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun

District: Canterbury

County: Kent

Volume: 2a

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I have just checked the 1901 Census. Can you confirm that we are looking for Albert W?

Name: Albert W Powell

Age: 9

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1892

Relation: Son

Father's Name: Albert

Mother's Name: Mary A

Gender: Male

Where born: Canterbury, Kent, England

Civil Parish: Canterbury

Ecclesiastical parish: Canterbury St Gregory the Great

County/Island: Kent

Country: England

Registration district: Canterbury

Sub registration district: Canterbury

ED, institution, or vessel: 5

Neighbors: View others on page

Household schedule number: 99

Household Members: Name Age

Albert Powell 34

Albert W Powell 9

Alice M Powell 1 month

Bertie M Powell 4

Emily W Powell 2

Frederick Powell 6

Mary A Powell 32

Rose M Powell 10

Thank you so much - yes this all makes sense! He would be Albert W & these names all tie in.

We really appreciate your help & kindness in assisting in our reseach.

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Name: Albert Walter Powell

Year of Registration: 1892

Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun

District: Canterbury

County: Kent

Volume: 2a

Name: Frederick Richard Powell

Year of Registration: 1894

Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun

District: Canterbury

County: Kent

Volume: 2a

Thanks you for your help - will look into this.

Appreciate you taking the effort to assist us.

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There is this Albert W that ended up in the RE:

Albert W Powell Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Engineers 157474, 237881

Is it possible he died shortly after the war?

We will look into this further thanks - the family story has always been that Albert was killed during the war?

Appreciate your help.

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Thanks & apologies to everyone who helped in our search for Frederick & Albert Powell.

We discovered all was as we found for Frederick, however the family story surrounding Albert

ie died during WW1 was incorrect. He actually died in 1912, the details of which we are still

researching.

There was however, another brother called Bertie Matthew - It was him the story related to we

discovered - not Albert -as being the second brother who served in WW1. He died on 18/4/18 and

served in the Welsh Regiment, 1st/6th Battalion.

The names had become confused through the generations - apologies for the mis-information

but thanks very much for the assistance.

Kind regards

Sara & John

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Hi Mick

As soon as weve got it sorted ill send you a copy , is it just the buffs your interested in ,or the men of Kent who enlisted.

Many thanks again for all your help.

John

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  • 3 years later...

Hello,

I'm working on a short record of war dead of my local parish (North Hill, Cornwall).

One listing is for a member of the 6th Batt G/6708 Ernest Thompson who died on 18th March 1916. His name is recorded on the Loos memorial. Has anyone got any further info on this man? Was he wounded and later died?

Many, many thanks in advance.

Nick Deacon.

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He was KIA

Posted to France on 8 June 1915

Name: Ernest Thompson

Birth Place: Launceston, Cornwall

Residence: Launceston, Cornwall

Death Date: 18 Mar 1916

Death Location: France & Flanders

Enlistment Location: London

Rank: Private

Regiment: Buffs (East Kent Regiment)

Battalion: 6th Battalion

Number: G/6708

Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

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Hi,

THanks so much for this info. I have a few others on the memorial I'd like some more info on. Can I post for these as well?

Cheers,

Nick Deacon

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Your probably better off adding each as a new topic. (unless you've got loads)

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  • 1 year later...

Further to Nick's posting on Ernest Thompson, details above, can anyone help out with the action he was involved in which resulted in his death?

I noticed from another document which relates the story of Bert Swift, a Buff who died on the same day, that there was an incident described in The History of the 12th (Eastern) Division in the Great War 1914-1918 which talks about a canteen that was destroyed. It's worth a read .. go to http://www.kentfallen.com/PDF%20reports/SNARGATE.pdf . I noticed that Bert had a service number beginning with L whereas Ernest's service number began with a G. Is there any significance in this?

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Thanks, it's The Buffs that I'm interested in

Mick

http://www.northhillhistory.co.uk/wm/images/et/1916_Plaque_StTorney.jpg in North Hill Church, Cornwall.

Ken

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Hello Ken,

I have checked the Regimental History, and as far as I can see, there is no mention of anything happening on the 18th March 1916. The History does jump around a bit and can be scant on detail because it has a lot of battalions to cover. I am afraid I do not have the War Diary which might at least tell you what happened that day, even if only in brief detail.

Just for your information, there are 33 men of the 6th Bn. listed as killed that day on the CWGC website. You might think that would warrant some mention in the history. 31 out of 33 of these men are listed on the Loos Memorial:

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx

Regards,

Chris

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