HC Haycraft

[watchdog]

This is one of more than twenty requests for information and help that I am hoping to post today. They are all in relation to TF soldiers who enlisted on or about the 5 August 1914 and almost all of whom survived the war. The common denominator is the fact that they were all patent examiners serving in the Patent Office prior to the outbreak of war.

Normally I would be able to pursue most of the basic work myself and would only be coming to all of you for help with the 'extras' but I am under some pressure of time. I hope you don't mind. But then again it's the sort of thing almost all of us enjoy – finding out about these men who fought in the Great War. So I'm hoping that you will appreciate the challenge.

The work is in support of my dissertation for the Birmingham MA in First World War studies and therefore if any of you do have information which might assist me I would be grateful if you could also quote the source of that information.

I'm not acting entirely blind of course and here is the information that I've already found out about HC Haycraft:

Haycraft attended the Central Technical College where he gained a B.Sc before joining the Patent Office in May 1895. Before the war he was licenced by the GPO for experimental wireless telegraph work. He may or may not have been a pre-war territorial but he clearly chose to enlist in the 15th London (Civil Service Rifles) where he is shown as a private before January 1915. In 1916 he appears to have transferred to the RE but is shown as working in the Ministry of Munitions.

The sorts of information I'm hoping to glean are: His first names!!? Did Haycraft deploy with the CSR to F&F ? Why did he transfer to the RE? Any 1911 Census details? And of course anything else that might occur to all of you.

Thanks

[Phil Evans]

The service record of Hermann Clark Haycraft, 113112 Royal Engineers, has survived, in part and is available on Ancestry, which you should be able to access through your local library. He was released from 15th London Regiment on enlistment to the Royal Engineers on 17th August 1915.

He served from 1895 to 1902 with the 12th Middlesex.

He joined the 15th Londons in December 1914. Service number 3208.

Phil

[sotonmate]

watchdog

His name was Hermann Clark HAYCRAFT and he has a service record or two on Ancestry UK. Shown on MIC as 3208 London Regiment and 113112 Royal Engineers. Looks to have shipped out to France in Aug 1915 and proceeded to OC Special Companies RE.There is a reference to M Special Company RE and 188 Company RE and later a letter stating that he was to forego his appointment on Commission to the RFC and instead to proceed to the Min of Munitions nd Inventions and to commence work there from 20 March 1916. He was disembodied on 14 Dec 1918.

You should read it,a bit singed but then it's only living up to the general name of these records.

Sotonmate

[SteveE]

Confirmation of his name in the London Gazette on joining the Patent Office...http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/26621/pages/2557

Regards

Steve

[watchdog]

Thank you both. I wonder if after Aug 1914 he ever owned up to the name Hermann or did he start calling himself Clark