AH Swayne

[JohnBelcher]

On the Chippenham, North Wiltshire, War memorialis the name AH Swayne. I have looked and looked and the best match that I have managed to come up with is

44121 Pte HA Swayne. 24th Works Btn, the King's (Liverpool Regt) transferred to 183rd Lab Coy, Labour Corps

But there is no obvious links to Chippenham or even to Wiltshire - I know that is often the case but I was not convinced that this was the right man. So today I was doing some more searches and had an idea - maybe the name was spelt wrongly on the memorial? So doing a search for SWAIN I found...

33916 Pte Harold John Thomas SWAIN 10th Loyal North Lancs Regt.

This man seemed a far more likely contender as he was born in Lowden - an area in Chippenham as were his parents. But again not a perfect match as the initials do not fit.

So...appealing for any help that anyone might be able to offer in trying to identify AH Swayne.

Many thanks for any help

An area of Chippenham has the street names named after men on the memorial. So if it is the case that it is SWAIN not SWAYNE....will Wilts County Council have to rename....

[ralphjd]

There is a G H SWAYNE 2937 on the CWGC and Soldiers Died born and lived Semington enlisted Trowbridge. ? Ralph.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

John

This is one I had no luck with before I passed my files to you..years ago now.

However I do believe that the spelling SWAYNE is correct as it is a common name in Wiltshire and there are connections in Chippenham and the surrounding villages.

If my memory serves me correctly (I left Chippenham in 1995 ) the Swayne family in Chippenham were related in some way to the Boulter family who had connections with Monkton Hill Methodist Church.

Dave

[grantowi]

John,

On the Army GRO list there is a

SWAYNE, Arthur H, pte, 257658, Lab Corp, 1919 , H2 (poss M2) 265

When you look this number up in TNA :

SWAYNE, Henry A

Which is the chap you found on CWGC:

Name: SWAYNE

Initials: H A

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: The King's (Liverpool Regiment)

Unit Text: 24th Works Bn.

Secondary Regiment: Labour Corps

Secondary Unit Text: transf. to (257658) 183rd Coy.

Date of Death: 24/01/1919

Service No: 44121

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VII. C. 4.

Cemetery: DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN

Grant

[apwright]

1901 Census:

17 Springfield Bldgs, Langley Burrell, Chippenham

SWAYNE William, Head, 52, Fitter & Turner [married Emily REEVES Q4 1874]

SWAYNE Emily, Wife, 52, born Melksham

SWAYNE Edwin J, Son, 21, Moulder (Iron) [Edwin James, b Q2 1879]

SWAYNE Arthur H, Son, 19, Blacksmith [Arthur Henry, b Q3 1881]

SWAYNE Ellen J, Dau, 15, House Domestic [Ellen Jane, b Q1 1886]

SWAYNE Martha L, Dau, 13 [Martha Louisa, b Q1 1888]

(all except Emily born in Chippenham district)

Adrian

[JohnBelcher]

Sorry for the late response....

Thaks for the replies and comments....

It looks to me then the AH Swayne was Arthur H Swayne but his initials have been reversed in some records. Hopefully his service records survived and will be on Ancestry before too long.

Many thanks again for the help

John

[girlywhirl]

33916 Pte Harold John Thomas SWAIN 10th Loyal North Lancs Regt.

Hi long time no speak!

Just been surfing this site after a long period away.

It may be of interest that I have researching the above chap.

He was born in Chippenham, but lived in Bath, which is why he did not make the memorial (many others with even stronger links are missing).

I have his name on an unknown memorial plaque photo. I have established that it was from a school in Bath, as it lists ex pupils who died.

I also have a photo, and cap badge of this soldier. He changed regiments, which is how the badge survived.

The most interesting part, is that it is for the Army cyclist corps! Before the war Harold worked in a cycle repair shop.

Harold is on the Arras memorial.

I have never found any records for Harold, except his medal card.

Chris