stephen p nunn Posted 15 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2009 I would try the appeal in the paper, you will kick yourself, and as sure as eggs is eggs, it'll happen that the miute you publish, new information will appear. Maybe some of the more experienced members can offer better advice. It's a difficult choice. Mike. Thanks Mike - yes, frustrating isn't it! But I have had great help from you and other friends on this forum - marvelous! I have just heard from Neil about Ernest Hitchen and have asked if he knows of a link with Samuel Hitchen. Keep your fingers crossed! Regards. SPN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 15 February , 2009 Share Posted 15 February , 2009 I don't know whether this might help you? but I will have to go back to take another photo. My wifes relative surname is Wiggins, last name on dedication. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2009 I don't know whether this might help you? but I will have to go back to take another photo. My wifes relative surname is Wiggins, last name on dedication. John Thanks John. Yes, have a copy of this Roll (from inside All Saints Church). Great to make contact with you. The entry that I have for the book on your relative is as follows: (133) WIGGINS, CHARLES Private (91180) Royal Army Medical Corps (55th General Hospital) Born in Maldon. Son of Edward Albert and Sarah Wiggins of Maldon. [A] [C] [T49] Died 20/2/1919 (aged 28) Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille (XIII.E.29) [V] Just to explain my codes - [A] means he was claimed to be a parishoner of All Saints parish: [C] means he was claimed to be a Congragationalist: [T49] means there is a tree dedicated to him on the Promenade. [V] means I have visited his grave. Can you add anything - address, occupation, dob etc? Do you have a picture of him? Regards. SPN. Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 15 February , 2009 Share Posted 15 February , 2009 Maldon His name is Sidney not Charles Wiggins. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2009 Maldon His name is Sidney not Charles Wiggins. John Thanks John - OK it's this one then: (132) WIGGINS, SIDNEY THOMAS Private (250179 and 1714) Essex Regiment (1st/5th Battalion. 'D' Company) Born and lived in Maldon. Son of William and Elizabeth Wiggins of 63 Victoria Road, Maldon. [T76] Died 2/11/1917 (aged 24) Jerusalem Memorial (Panels 36-39) Enlisted at Maldon. First served in the Balkans 9/8/1915. Killed in action near Gaza. Although already wounded, he stuck to his gun and was killed by an enemy shell. Anything you can add please John - any picture? Thanks. SPN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 15 February , 2009 Share Posted 15 February , 2009 Yes thats him, he was my wifes Great Uncle. Sorry no picture. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2009 Yes thats him, he was my wifes Great Uncle. Sorry no picture. John Thanks John. That's a shame. Anything to add to the entry before I go to print? Best regards (and thanks for responding). SPN. Maldon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 16 February , 2009 Share Posted 16 February , 2009 No, Sorry John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 16 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2009 Dear all - although I have been undertaking research into the Great War for many years now, I am new to this forum so I hope that my approach is correct. According to the Maldon (Essex) War Memorial there were 146 men from the town killed in the Great War. However, the true number (including Heybridge) was nearer to 250. Over the years I have traced the stories behind all but 14 of them. I feel that I have exhausted all of the possible sources and wondered if any of you know who these men are and why they have Maldon connections: On the main Town Memorial George Boreham Edwin Hatley Samuel Hitchen George William Howard Gerald Pearson Frederick J. Pitman Frank C. Stammers On the brass plaque in St. Mary's Church John Anderson George Lee Bastin George Beatty Claude Fitzroy Clarke James E.B. Macaulay Joseph Pinches Arthur Alfred Robotham Thanks very much (in advance) for any help. SPN Dear all - this is the latest: Still to identify: George Boreham Samuel Hitchen Gerald Pearson John Anderson George Beatty Joseph Pinches. Regards. SPN. Maldon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 17 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 February , 2009 Dear all - this is the latest: Still to identify: George Boreham Samuel Hitchen Gerald Pearson John Anderson George Beatty Joseph Pinches. Regards. SPN. Maldon. Dear all, I have an appeal out tomorrow in the local paper for these last six. Let's hope it brings some leads! Regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 17 February , 2009 Share Posted 17 February , 2009 Hi Maldon you probably have seen this but just in case http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ausvsac/Maldon.htm Also on Ancestry community there is someone looking for the meaning of the name Pinches, they mention a Joseph Pinches born in Chester 1898 orchard st, eldest of 7 brothers and 1 sister, one of which is still alive. Not sure if it helps Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 18 February , 2009 Share Posted 18 February , 2009 Hello Maldon - I'm going to the Essex Record Office on Friday. If there's anything I can look up while I'm there, please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 18 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2009 Hi Maldon you probably have seen this but just in case http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ausvsac/Maldon.htm Also on Ancestry community there is someone looking for the meaning of the name Pinches, they mention a Joseph Pinches born in Chester 1898 orchard st, eldest of 7 brothers and 1 sister, one of which is still alive. Not sure if it helps Mike Thanks (as ever) Mike. I knew about the Maldon Cemetery stuff - sad to report I have a mate who is an undertaker and has been through all the cemetery records! Didn't know about the Pinches search. Will look at that. The appeal went into the newspaper today. Best regards. SPN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 18 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2009 Hello Maldon - I'm going to the Essex Record Office on Friday. If there's anything I can look up while I'm there, please let me know. That's everso kind of you. I was there on Monday hopeful of looking at a faculty record in relation to the instilation of the Maldon St. Mary's plaque but they couldn't find the document! Good luck with your research - what are you looking for? Regards. SPN. Maldon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 18 February , 2009 Share Posted 18 February , 2009 I will be looking through the Colchester papers for an obituary/death notice for Sgt Major James Bruce DCM, 1st Gordon Highlanders. May have been put in there by his wife, who lived in Colchester. Good luck with some replies to your newspaper appeal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 18 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2009 I will be looking through the Colchester papers for an obituary/death notice for Sgt Major James Bruce DCM, 1st Gordon Highlanders. May have been put in there by his wife, who lived in Colchester. Good luck with some replies to your newspaper appeal! Thanks and good luck with your work. I spent hours going through the Essex Chronicle and Essex Weekly News looking for Maldon men. As you proably know, those two papers are on microfilm in the Local Studies section (upstairs) in Chelmsford Library. Best regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 18 February , 2009 Share Posted 18 February , 2009 This is my first search! Just finding out what is where. Apparently Colchester Library has been completely closed for re-furbishment (including the local studies section) and has only just started to re-open, in stages. (First stage is the children's library - this week. Presumably to catch half-term.) That's why I'm going to the Records Office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2009 This is my first search! Just finding out what is where. Apparently Colchester Library has been completely closed for re-furbishment (including the local studies section) and has only just started to re-open, in stages. (First stage is the children's library - this week. Presumably to catch half-term.) That's why I'm going to the Records Office. Thanks CGM - shame because the Colchester collection is really good. It's always worth a look at the Chemsford (Library) collection as well. Best regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 20 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2009 Thanks CGM - shame because the Colchester collection is really good. It's always worth a look at the Chemsford (Library) collection as well. Best regards. SPN Maldon Found a fascinating file in the Essex Record Office today, full of correspondence about who should/should not appear on the Maldon Town Memorial. Some interesting arguements taking place with the town clerk. Of my remaining 6 men: George Boreham is added to the list as an after thought. The three that are not on the memorial (but are on St. Mary's) were originally on the main list but then crossed off! Odd or what? SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 21 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 21 February , 2009 Found a fascinating file in the Essex Record Office today, full of correspondence about who should/should not appear on the Maldon Town Memorial. Some interesting arguements taking place with the town clerk. Of my remaining 6 men: George Boreham is added to the list as an after thought. The three that are not on the memorial (but are on St. Mary's) were originally on the main list but then crossed off! Odd or what? SPN Maldon Had a phone call today in response to my newspaper appeal - looks like I have a lead in relation to George Boreham. Best regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 22 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2009 Had a phone call today in response to my newspaper appeal - looks like I have a lead in relation to George Boreham. Best regards. SPN Maldon Evening all - Going to see a picture of George Boreham next week. Apparently he is uniform but not wearing a hat - so no cap bage - but hope some of you might notice some kind of ID? The papers that I discovered in the Essex Record Office recently make for interesting reading. The unveiling of the war memorial in 1920 was by ticket invitation only! Some of the parents said they didn't want to be there anyway as they would prefer to be at home with their surviving family. All very sad! SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPAE Posted 22 February , 2009 Share Posted 22 February , 2009 Stick with it Maldon. The difficult we do now, the impossible may take a little longer. Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 22 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2009 Stick with it Maldon. The difficult we do now, the impossible may take a little longer. Phil. Thanks for the encouragement Phil - I am enjoying it and pleased that I am doing my bit to keep the Maldon lads memories alive. I must say this forum is fantastic! All the best. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 24 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2009 Thanks for the encouragement Phil - I am enjoying it and pleased that I am doing my bit to keep the Maldon lads memories alive. I must say this forum is fantastic! All the best. SPN Maldon Now have a county newspaper wanting to run a feature on the search for Maldon's casualties - along the lines of - "we must find the last 6 men". Keep your fingers crossed! I have mentioned my "friends on the Great War Forum" in the acknowledgements section of the draft text of my forthcoming book on the subject. Thanks all. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 1 March , 2009 Author Share Posted 1 March , 2009 Now have a county newspaper wanting to run a feature on the search for Maldon's casualties - along the lines of - "we must find the last 6 men". Keep your fingers crossed! I have mentioned my "friends on the Great War Forum" in the acknowledgements section of the draft text of my forthcoming book on the subject. Thanks all. SPN Maldon As a result of the newspaper appeal, I now have a photograph of one of my "lost" men - George Boreham. The owner knows nothing about George or his family. He is wearing the usual tunic but there is a (very difficult to see) sholder badge and some kind of lanyard on his left side. No cap or badge though! When I work out how to attach a copy of the picture (no joy yet!) I will see what you experts think. There are at least 3 possible regiments for a George Boreham (maybe even 5) but I wont list those with the picture. Regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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