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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Sapper Harold Christopher Gaisford


watchdog

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65029 Sapper Harold Christopher Gaisford's details are on the CWGC website. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. I believe he is related to the three Gaisfords I am currently researching in relation to the war memorial in the village of Bulkington, Wiltshire but I am getting conflicting information about him from the sources that I have at hand. I would be grateful for any help that members who have ready access to relevant databases can give me in getting more information about Harold or about 130 Fd Coy (which I know was part of 25 Div). Thank you.

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Watchdog

Farnham is the place,Wull !

From the date of death 10 Apr 1918 we can find the War Diary at Kew,which will likely tell you of his activity at that time. It is under WO95/2237 which runs from Aug 1917 to Jul 1919. Not knowing when your subject began service in a War Theatre there is a previous Diary if you are looking to see his complete war service,it is WO95/2236 and covers Sept 1915 to Jul 1917. Both are with 25 Division.

Sotonmate

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SDGW show

Born Wrecclesham Surrey

Enlisted Guilford

Residence Farham

All the best

Wull

Wull,

thank you. That entry in SDGW is one of my conflicts. My Harold Christopher Gaisford died in 1918 and it makes sense that, aged 27 in 1918, he was more likely than not to be a serviceman. But his branch of the Gaisfords does not seem to have strayed far from the Wiltshire/Somerset border so I can't work out the Surrey connection. It of course entirely possible that I'm dealing with a different HC Gaisford but that name combination (and year of death) would be fairly unique don't you think?

Dudley

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Watchdog

Farnham is the place,Wull !

From the date of death 10 Apr 1918 we can find the War Diary which will likely tell you of his activity at that time. It is under WO95/2237 which runs from Aug 1917 to Jul 1919. Not knowing when your subject began service in a War Theatre there is a previous Diary if you are looking to see his complete war service,it is WO95/2236 and covers Sept 1915 to Jul 1917. Both are with 25 Division.

Sotonmate

Sotonmate,

I'd picked up on Farnham :D

Thank you for the leads on the War Diaries... that's saved me some time at Kew (or on the website) :D

Dudley

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  • 3 months later...

I've now established the link with 'my' Gaisfords thanks to Fr Philip Gaisford of Worth Abbey, Sussex.

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Would this chap also be connected?

Name: GAISFORD, WILLIAM

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Unit Text: 1st/7th Bn.

Age: 25

Date of Death: 20/08/1916

Service No: 2516

Additional information: Son of Mrs. Letitia Gaisford, of 5, South Front, Dews Rd., Salisbury, Wilts.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 9 A 9 B and 10 B.

Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

You certainly have an eclectic mix of Gaisfords on the Memorial, no wonder you are looking for links.

The village should also have this chap, I think....

Name: WHITE, ROWLAND GEORGE

Initials: R G

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Rifleman

Regiment/Service: London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles)

Unit Text: 15th Bn.

Age: 18

Date of Death: 07/05/1918

Service No: 537172

Additional information: Son of Harry George and Elsie Gertrude White, of Jaggards Farm, Corsham, Wilts. Born at Bulkington, Wilts. Educated at Chippenham Secondary School. An auctioneer by profession.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: LXVI. B. 18.

Cemetery: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

errr..... and him?

Name: WILTSHIRE

Initials: H

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Wiltshire Regiment

Unit Text: 2nd Bn.

Age: 28

Date of Death: 08/07/1916

Service No: 7972

Additional information: Son of John and Jane Wiltshire, of Bulkington, Devizes.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: G. 22.

Cemetery: BERNAFAY WOOD BRITISH CEMETERY, MONTAUBAN

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Kevin,

thank you very much for this. William is a very strong family name (and thus frustrating when you get dozens of them in the database ;) ) and he is not familiar (yet). I'll start tracking him down.

Wiltshire and White are real finds - thank you so much. In fact they suggest to me a new thread which I'll try to put out tonight under memorials.

Dudley

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Dudley

Rowland White is named on the Chippenham Secondary School War Memorial as Roland White. He is not named on any other memorial in Chippenham.

Photo of the Memorial from PAL John Belchers web-site on Chippenham memorials here:

http://www.pro-patria.co.uk/Images/Memoria...ool%20Large.jpg

This link to John's site refers to Herbert Jesse Wiltshire. As you will see John has not been able to identify the man who is named on two memorials in Chippenham - one possibility being your man.

http://www.pro-patria.co.uk/Text/herbert_jesse_wiltshire.htm

Here is the 2 Wilts War Diary entry for 8 July 1916:

https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/wardiary.php...7&year=1916

Dave

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