Neil Clark Posted 29 October , 2008 Share Posted 29 October , 2008 I have been investigating this case since 2001 and STILL have not much. The Ashford Grammar School lists him in their Book of Remembrance as follows - Alexander FLEMING (attended school 1908-1912), London Scottish Regiment. His brother Frank FLEMING MM is mentioned below his entry (and he does has a CWGC listing). You will note that he too is listed as London Scottish when in fact he died as a Gordon Highlander. Here is his CWGC entry - Second Lieutenant Frank FLEMING MM. 4th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (26th Brigade, 9th Division). Formerly Gordon Highlanders. Formerly (N.C.O)(1717) 14th Battalion (London Scottish), London Regiment. Killed in Action 11th April 1918. Resided 22 Stuart Road, Acton, London. Born 15th October 1894 at Manor Farm, Guildford, Surrey. Son of Alexander and Mary Fleming of Manor Farm, Guildford, Surrey. Brother of Winifred Fleming of 6 Coleville Square, Bayswater, London. Brother of Mrs B Kenny of 44 Stanhope Gardens, Kensington, London. Brother of Percy Fleming of 7 Glengall Road, Brondesbury, London NW6. The school book of remembrance lists Frank’s unit incorrectly as the 14th (London Scottish) Battalion, London Regiment. Frank did serve in this regiment as a Private soldier. It was probably with the London Scottish that Frank won his MM. This is where the confusion arose. The school obviously thought that Frank was still serving with this unit when he was killed. From what I can see Alexander FLEMING NEVER served in the London Scottish! How he came to be recorded like this is a total mystery. If I can't establish a link between him and his war service then I will be forced to finally bin it once and for all. Here is what I have managed to find out about him (and his brother) - FLEMING A – Attended school from 17th January 1908 to Christmas 1912 Alexander FLEMING. 14th Battalion (London Scottish), London Regiment. Date of death presently unknown. Born Woking, Surrey circa 1897. Son of Alexander and Mary Fleming (nee Lindsay) of (1901) Hoe Bridge Farm, Mayford, Woking, Surrey. Formerly Manor Farm, Guildford, Surrey. Brother of Winifred Fleming of 6 Coleville Square, Bayswater, London. Brother of Mrs B Kenny of 44 Stanhope Gardens, Kensington, London. Brother of Percy Fleming of 7 Glengall Road, Brondesbury, London NW6. Alexander Fleming is not listed as a war casualty by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It seems likely that poor Alexander may have been one of those men who was invalided from the service and died soon afterwards. His death was probably attributable to his war service and therefore his name should have been recorded as a war casualty? Educated Ashford Grammar School, Ashford, Kent 1908 - 1912 Kyle Tallett has searched the PRO (National Archives) for Alexander’s service papers. These were not found which indicates that Alexander was probably not a commissioned officer. Frank’s mother Mary died before 1914. It is recorded in the school records that his father was at some point made bankrupt. The 1901 Census gives – Hoe Bridge Farm, Mayford, Woking, Surrey (St Peter’s Parish) Alexander FLEMING 44 Farmer Scotland Aglaia 22 Wife Greece Frank 6 Guildford, Surrey Alexander 5 Woking, Surrey Alison A 11m Woking, Surrey Maude LOWE 15 Chatham, Kent During the Great War the London Scottish maintained two battalion’s - 1/14th London Scottish Messines, Ypres, Loos, Somme, Cambrai, Arras, 2/14th London Scottish Salonika, Egypt, Palestine. ANY IDEAS GLADLY RECIEVED. If no joy then I'm afraid I'm going to abort it for good. Thanks Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 29 October , 2008 Share Posted 29 October , 2008 Any sign of a death certificate for Alexander? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 30 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2008 No I Haven't been able to find one as yet! Didn't one ALEXANDER FLEMING invent the use of Penicillin!!!!!!!!!!!! I am assured he was a Medical Officer in the Great War too.... Probably just a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 2 November , 2008 Share Posted 2 November , 2008 Neil Just a couple of things that may be of interest. Frank and Alexander's mother Mary died in 1897 at the age of about 39 years. The two boys would have been only about 1 and 2 years old when their mother died. Alexander senior remarried in 1899. I also found this entry in CWGC via Geoff's wonderful search engine. It may be just a coincidence although it may indicate that Mary and Alexander had a son when they were much younger. If this is their son it may narrow down an area of Scotland for further newspaper research. I realise that your Alexander senior was not deceased by 1915, however whoever filled out the CWGC form may have thought he was. FLEMING, ROBERT WALLACE Initials: R W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: First Engineer Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine Unit Text: S.S. "Jacona" (Dundee) Age: 42 Date of Death: 12/08/1915 Additional information: Son of the late Alexander and Mary Fleming (nee Lindsay). Born at Broughty Ferry. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 2 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2008 Myrtle, Thanks very much for that information, I shall add it to what I have already. I reckon you're right. I'm starting to realise now that this case will most probably have to be aborted. Perhaps he survived the war and his name was recorded by mistake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 2 November , 2008 Share Posted 2 November , 2008 Neil It seems strange that the school would have made a mistake with a book of remembrance. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esskay Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Neil It seems strange that the school would have made a mistake with a book of remembrance. Myrtle Possibly depends on the school Myrtle - there was a thread started by Memorial Man about the ROH for Epsom College - 1 man in particular appears to certainly not have died in 1917 with the Bedfordshire Regiment as the school had recorded. He went on - per LG to serve in MGC, RFC/RAF, and RASC and then RASC in WW2 and was married in 1918 and had 2 children! - threads are - if you are interested - http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...l=epsom+college and http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...l=epsom+college As Memorial Man (Martin) said at the time - "I have found many irregularities in the Register and this may another one" Cheers Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroline@linkagecomputing.co.uk Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 This seems to be Robert W Fleming in 1881 Scotland Census Cottage Place Broughty Ferry Monifieth Alexander 43 father grocer Alyth Forfarshire Mary L 46 mother Alice M. 13 Annie McG 10 Edward A 15 Frank L 5 George F 1 James F 19 Jessie C 17 John L 3 Robert W 8 Monifieth Forfarshire Change of profession for father? I have not found the same family in Scotland in 1891 at present. Caroline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Caroline Thank you for 1881 details. It's now clear that Robert Wallace was not Alexander Senior's son and that it is just a coincidence that Alexander junior's mother's first name & maiden name were the same as those of Robert's mother. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroline@linkagecomputing.co.uk Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Just realised that there is an open family tree on ancestry with the same 1881 family that I have listed but it is not helpful having no more details on this part of the family ....no mention of your Alexander and no deaths listed for any of these people, it seems to relate to a brother of Alexander (father). Caroline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Could always be one of those invalided out and died of an un related cause (influenza perhaps). Some one doing the school records might have heard that he'd been wounded and later died and put two and two together to make five. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroline@linkagecomputing.co.uk Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 I am not sure how these details move this on but having gathered them it seems as well to add to your details: Birth Alexander Fleming Guildford Surrey Mar 1896 2a 65 His birth? Death Mary A. Fleming Guildford Surrey Apr 1897 2a 38 1858-1897 mother? Alexander Fleming Guildford Surrey Oct 1916 2a 173 1861-1916 father? /age? marriage Alexander Fleming to Aglaia Massaouti Mar 1896 2a 65 father's 2nd marriage but still not the vital death certificate! If the father and mother were both dead if Alexander returned injured he could of course have returned to a different part of country. Caroline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 3 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Could always be one of those invalided out and died of an un related cause (influenza perhaps). Some one doing the school records might have heard that he'd been wounded and later died and put two and two together to make five. I did that 5 years ago - http://www.kentfallen.com/PDF%20REPORTS/AS...AR%20SCHOOL.pdf There are loads of mistakes in the book! Caroline, That is very helpful thank you for taking the time to look. It looks like you are a family history buff with a good knowledge where to look for information. This is one area that I admit to not knowing much about. I often require the back up of someone like yourself... The only time I ever come into contact with Familiy Historians is at the National Archives - they infest the whole place and often damage military docs with their pencil marks! I will add that information to his record. I really don't know where to go from here with this one. Perhaps he died overseas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroline@linkagecomputing.co.uk Posted 3 November , 2008 Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Well Neil I am guilty of the family history charge but I have not taken a pencil to any military or other historical documents. I have checked again for a death for Alexander Fleming in this country but still nothing it seems he must have died abroad after all. I have followed many of your non-commemoration searches so I know you will have given this search your all. Keep up the good work I really admire what is happening to commemorate all the "missing" Caroline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 3 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2008 Caroline, I have P.M'ed you. I'm grateful for your valued advice here... Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now