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Washington H Duke of Wellington's


BrendanLee

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Looking for information on this soldier Washington H 4603001, private 2nd Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). KIA 20/09/1920. I want to find out where he died . I am researching soldiers KIA in Ireland during the War of Independence.

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BL

An interesting item,as according to CWGC he was 15 when he died,and is buried in Salford Lancs. As SDGW doesn't show deaths after 1919 it may be down to newspaper info for the date of his death/burial.

Sotonmate

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Hi there,

There was a Harold Washington's birth registered Dec 1/4 1904 at Salford, Lancashire, could be your man.

If he was killed say in Ireland in 1920, who would issue the death certificate and where would it be registered, as I cant find one for him for England and Wales.

Cheers Roger.

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He was killed in Upper Church Street, Dublin when a party of seven men from the Duke of Wellington's Regiment were attacked outside a bakery whilst on a regular visit there. Another soldier (460264 Pte T Humphries ?) died of wounds the next day.

Aled

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Thank you all for the information. Not only was I able to confirm Washington as an Irish causality I was able to place where Humphries (I had him on a memorial list but did not know where he died) I also found another causality Marshall Whitehead who was killed in the same ambush.

As Carmania said they were ambushed while collecting the bread ration, one of the ambushers, Kevin Barry, was captured and later executed for his part in the ambush. Much propaganda was made relating to Kevin Barry’s age, he was 18 years old.

www.irishmedals.org

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Hi there,

There was a Harold Washington's birth registered Dec 1/4 1904 at Salford, Lancashire, could be your man.

If he was killed say in Ireland in 1920, who would issue the death certificate and where would it be registered, as I cant find one for him for England and Wales.

Cheers Roger.

Hi Roger,

Thank you for the information, if it is the same Washington that would make him 15 when he died. Because he died in Ireland his death should be registered in Ireland but because of the situation in Ireland at the time inquests were held by the military authorities. I have been told that it is possible to get a death certificate for a British soldier KIA in Ireland but any I have applied for could not be found, maybe the military took all these type of records back to the UK.

Regards,

Brendan.

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Wasn't there a thread recently (Knock, knock?) showing a tank / battering ram at a bakery in Ireland? I think this relates....

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According to the 1911 Census the only Harold Washington who fits the age and area was the son of George and Harriet Washington who lived at 189 Regent Road, Salford. George was a shoemaker who worked from home.

The death of a Harold Washington was registered in the Dublin North Registration District in the September Quarter of 1920. His age was given as 19 but it looks like too much of a coincidence?

I've had a quick search amongst the Ireland Civil Registration Indexes for those soldiers who had uncommon surnames and have had a surprisingly good return - Boast, Bayliss, Sharman, Grieve, Marshall Whitehead, Squibb, Lendrum, Gammon, Staves, Brackenbury, Hodnett, Hotblack, Tennant, Peek, Cornwallis, Whichelow, Madell, Hesterman.

Aled

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Another soldier I am having trouble finding is Bandsman A E Whitear 2 Hampshire Regiment. There were seven soldiers from the Hampshire Regiment killed when the truck they were travelling in detonated a road mine, they were on their way to a rifle range in Youghal County Cork on the 31st of May 1921. I have found the other six on the CWGC site but cannot find Whitear.
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Albert Edward Whitear died of wounds received when sodiers were attacked in Cork on the 28th February, before the Youghal incident, although I haven't been able to find him in the CWGC.

According to my records the seven Hampshire Regt men who died on 31st May were: McCall, Evans, Simmons, Burke, Hestermann, Washington and Whichelow.

Aled

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Albert Edward Whitear died of wounds received when sodiers were attacked in Cork on the 28th February, before the Youghal incident, although I haven't been able to find him in the CWGC.

According to my records the seven Hampshire Regt men who died on 31st May were: McCall, Evans, Simmons, Burke, Hestermann, Washington and Whichelow.

Aled

Hi Aled,

The Whitear case has been submitted to the CWGC, I had made inquiries on the possible non commemorations section before but completely forgot, and it was only when I searched the forum I realised. Whichelow was the man I was missing from the Youghal incident, I had his name on an Irish Times list but thanks to your information I was able to place him with the other Youghal KIAs.

Brendan.

www.irishmedals.org

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  • 3 weeks later...

Re: Harold Washington

His brother William was killed in action during WW1 address of parents is still Regent Rd (a few doors up and opposite original address). They are both inscribed on their family grave stone at Weaste Cemetery, Salford.

Name: WASHINGTON

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Northamptonshire Regiment

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 19

Date of Death: 17/10/1918

Service No: 50968

Additional information: Son of Mrs. Washington, of 207, Regent Rd., Salford, Manchester.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. B. 24.

Cemetery: BUSIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Regards,

Garry

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  • 1 year later...

I came across this thread and will add my bit. As Irish readers know Kevin Barry is a very emotive subject. I am just trying to establish the age of Harold Washington.

You can get my notes on this link including a photo of his grave.

The essence of it all was that his grave says he was 16 and that is what he was

1.The family grave says his brother William was killed in action on 17 Oct 1918. From that CWGC gives son of Mrs. Washington, of 207 Regent Rd., Salford, Manchester

2. This grave says Harold Washington age 16 died Dublin 20 Sep 1920

3. The 1911 census has Harold and his parents living at 1911 census gives him living at : 189 Regent Road Salford

4. William Washington (who was KIA in 1918) is not there, but is with his grandparents Thomas & Elizabeth Watmough at 6 West Dixon St, Regent Road, Salford.

5.William and Harolds parents married in 1893 (the marriage of Harriet Whatmough (sic) to George Washington is in Jul/Sep 1892 at Salford)

6. This ties Harold and William unquestionably (OK nothing in Ireland is unquestionable) as brothers, and the boys on the gravestone, and in turn proves that Harold Washington born Oct/Dec 1904 is the man who died in Dublin in the Kevin Barry ambush and that he was 16

Not a popular conclusion in Ireland.

But Harold Washington did lie about his age, and he was not 19 when he died as on his death cert. Correspondence between various departments of the Army in Dublin show that they certainly thought that he was 19.

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  • 1 month later...

I have now got Harold Washington's Birth Cert and this shows that he was in fact born 4 Oct 1904 and we know that he died 20 Sep 1920

He was therefore 15 years old when he died.

Kevin Barry was 18 when he was hanged by the British (20 January 1902 – 1 November 1920) Wikipedia's comment is "His execution outraged public opinion in Ireland and throughout the world, because of his youth."

The British Army at the time had no idea of his age. From the GRO entry of 19 years old, I assume he added 4 years to his age to enlist

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  • 1 year later...

According to the 1911 Census the only Harold Washington who fits the age and area was the son of George and Harriet Washington who lived at 189 Regent Road, Salford. George was a shoemaker who worked from home.

The death of a Harold Washington was registered in the Dublin North Registration District in the September Quarter of 1920. His age was given as 19 but it looks like too much of a coincidence?

I've had a quick search amongst the Ireland Civil Registration Indexes for those soldiers who had uncommon surnames and have had a surprisingly good return - Boast, Bayliss, Sharman, Grieve, Marshall Whitehead, Squibb, Lendrum, Gammon, Staves, Brackenbury, Hodnett, Hotblack, Tennant, Peek, Cornwallis, Whichelow, Madell, Hesterman.

Aled

I have stumbled onto this thread whilst looking for Brackenbury casualties in Ireland..... what is the information regarding the Brackenbury mentioned here please... Jonathon Brackenbury.

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Jonathon

Welcome to the forum.

4792757 Sgt Martin Brackenbury of the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment was killed on the 24 January 1921, an outline of the circumstances is given in the cutting from The Times of 25 January 1921. He is buried in St Margaret's Churchyard, Thimbleby, Lincolnshire.

post-35329-0-40293700-1355170756_thumb.j

Aled

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