George Frederick Hemens

[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 George Frederick Hemens:

Hemens attended the Royal College of Science where he gained a B.Sc before joining the Patent Office in February 1908. He appears to have been mobilised as a pre-war territorial in the Bucks Yeomanry (Royal Bucks Hussars) where he is shown as a private. By 1916 he appears to have transferred to the RE first as a Cpl then as a 2Lt. In 1918 Lt Hemens appears to have been wounded.

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

Thanks

[Verrico2009]

There are some papers for this man. If it's the right one, definitely pre-war! Assistant Examiner at the Patent Office.

Name: George Frederick Hemens

Estimated birth year: abt 1879

Age at Enlistment: 23

Birth Parish: Islington

Birth County: London

Document Year: 1902

Regimental Number: 649

Regiment Name: Royal Bucks Hussars

However, there's also this man. Could there be confusion? Going on age, they're not the same.

Name: George Frederick Hemens

Estimated birth year: abt 1887

Age at Enlistment: 28

Residence: 69 Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea

Document Year: 1915

Regimental Number: 120529

Regiment Name: Royal Engineers

[Edit: the 120529 number is written at the top of the older papers, so must be the same man! How did he shave so much off his age?! And 1902 must have been a guess: seems to be 1911]

[Verrico2009]

Yeah - released after 1911-1914 service as he re-attested for the Chemist Coys Royal Engineers. Service 1-3-11 to 7.9.15 Home. Wife referred to only as "Mrs Hemens" (Ella Mildred) of the same address. Embarked for France - illegible stamp [915]? and later appointed Tempy 2nd Lieut (26.2.16 - discharged due to appointment to temporary commission). Def same man - refers to previous service.

[mandy hall]

Watchdog

1911 census George Frederick Hemens (recorded under full name) living on his own at 69 Lavender Sweep Battersea S W occupation given as Assistant Examiner H M Patent Office which is what you are looking for age 23 so date of birth around 1888 note different date of birth to above born Islington London.

Someone on ancestry has a public tree with him in it and his papers survive on ancestry joined R E on 8th September 1915 gives details of previous service 4 years with (T) Royal Bucks Hussars and occupation of Assisitant Examiner H M Patent Office

Mandy

[watchdog]

I need to start putting their DOBs with these requests (I have them all). Sorry. His DOB was 15 June 1887 which made him 27 in 1914.