HARRY DIBBEN

[ralphjd]

My neighbour (a lady) very interested in WW1 through myself has asked if I can find anything on the following article which appeared in the Mirror yesterday :- Great War hero buried. A First World War hero has finally been given a proper burial nearly a century after he died. Army private Harry Dibben 33,was killed at Fromelles in 1916 and put in a mass grave. He was identified after a great nephew Richard Dibben, of Dorset, sent a DNA sample . Richard said: " Its very poignant but now we know where he is " I cannot find anything on him at all, anybody help ? Ralph.

[johnny_doyle]

I think this may be your man : Edwin Henry Dibben, from UK but in the AIF :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12...g-relative.html

http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.as...mp;I=1&SE=1

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=721009

[ralphjd]

Thanks for the info, thats the man, never thought about the Aussie connection his gt nephew coming from Dorset. Ralph.

[grantowi]

Ralph,

Found a Harry Dibben (b 1882, Dorsetshire) married to an Annie Greedy (b 1890, Porth) working as a Labourer in Porth, South wales in 1911

Cant see no H Dibben's on the migration list

Ancestry are doing a limited free period for Aussie soldiers - http://www.ancestry.com.au/anzacs

Grant

[johnny_doyle]

Thanks for the info, thats the man, never thought about the Aussie connection his gt nephew coming from Dorset. Ralph.

there are 5 public family trees on Ancestry that include Edwin Henry and his father (also Edwin Henry). The father appears to have died in 1901. Edwin appears as a boarder in Dorchester in the 1901 census. There appear to have been 5 brothers and a sister in the 1891 census.

His service records quite interesting - first time I've seen German documentation re a casualty. The letter from his brother in New Zealand mentions 2 other brothers back in Dorset/England.

[grantowi]

Knew I should have read Johnny's post first :-(

Here's the family in 1891:

DIBBEN, Edwin H Head Married Farmer born 1850 in Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, Annie Wife Married born 1850 in Alton St Pancras Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, Reginald H Son born 1875 in D Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, Joseph W Son Scholar born 1878 in Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, John Son Scholar born 1880 in Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, Edwin H Son Scholar born 1883 in Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, Barwell J Son born 1886 in Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

DIBBEN, Mable A D Daughter born 1890 in Sharnel Green Dorsetshire

And going to SA in 1906:

Name: Mr E H DIBBEN

Date of departure: 16 November 1906

Port of departure: London

Passenger destination port: Cape, South Africa

Passenger destination: Cape, South Africa

Date of Birth: 1881 (calculated from age)

Age: 25

Marital status: Single

Sex: Male

Occupation: Coachbtor

Ship: GOORKHA

Official Number: 106917

Master's name: G W Armstrong

Steamship Line: Donald Currie & Company

Where bound: South Africa

Square feet:

Registered tonnage: 3975

Passengers on voyage: 33

Grant

[ralphjd]

What a terrific response, such a lot of information, thanks guys. Ralph.