Edwin Dalton (5779)

[DDP1955]

Pals

The more I learn about researching the military of world war one, the more brick walls I find!!! I stupidly thought it would get easier at this point!!!!

I'm now running into problems with this chap, one of my Wheldrake lads. Sadly though, although born in Wheldrake his name doesnt appear on the Wheldrake roll. He was a CSM and I dont know what that is. He is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial after dying in 1916 in action and I thought the first battalion were in India for the duration. Does that mean that he may have transferred to another battalion but it isnt recorded on his MIC. Nothing fits, can anybody throw me a lifeline

Dianne

[SteveE]

Dianne

You've got the wrong regiment according to CWGC. CSM (Company Serjeant Major) Edwin Dalton was in the 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment and not the 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment. Unlike the 1st Battalion DOW's who did spend the duration of the war in India the 1st West Yorkshire Regiment landed in France in September 1914.

Regards

Steve

[SteveE]

MIC confirms 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment.....

[mmm45]

Hi Dianne

He may have been away from Wheldrake for a while....He was Sgt then WO2(csm) so as a pre war regular he would have had lots of service.Have you checked 1911 census?There maybe a family link somewhere? Ive just found a farm labourer on a South Yorks war memorial also on my local one in West Yorks probably down to a parents birthplace.

Ady

[SteveE]

Hi Dianne

He may have been away from Wheldrake for a while....He was Sgt then WO2(csm) so as a pre war regular he would have had lots of service.Have you checked 1911 census?

There is an Edwin Dalton (born 1881) listed as Overseas Military on the 1911 census, I'm out of credits on the site but it could well be him.

Regards

Steve

[SteveE]

This appears to be him on the 1891 census....

Name: Edwin Dalton

Age: 9

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882

Relation: Son

Mother's Name: Theresa

Gender: Male

Where born: Wheldrake, Yorkshire, England

Civil parish: Wheldrake

Ecclesiastical parish: Wheldrake

Town: Wheldrake

County/Island: Yorkshire

Country: England

Household Members: Name Age

George Dalton 71

Mary Anne Dalton 52

Theresa Dalton 29

Herbert Dalton 11

Edwin Dalton 9

He's not immediately obvious on the 1901 census so it's possible he had already enlisted by then and was overseas.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[DDP1955]

Gawd. I love making myself look stupid, I've even surpassed myself by getting the wrong regiment. Thanks for sorting out the regiment for me though. Can you give me some idea of what a CSM would do, I've never come across this rank before.

I have also nailed down the census for 1891 and think he was in the Army and off out of what looks like a very strange family group by 1901, when I cant find him in Wheldrake or anywhere else. I have got some 1911 credits so will check him out on the census for 1911. He must have racked up quite a few years service before the war to get to WO

The Wheldrake memmorial is a bit of an oddity, it doesnt have my great uncle Tommy Hartas listed on it either, and he was born in Wheldrake and lived there for more than 20 years, but for the year before the war wasn't living there. So my Wheldrake lads are now part of a village study not a memorial study. Technicalities really

Dianne

***EDIT***

The 1911 census shows Sergeant Edwin Dalton abroad with the military and he has got married, which I didnt know about

It is definately him, correct year and place of birth