21st Battalion KRRC - the original Yeomen

[mrfrank]

I've just checked with the aid of a magnifying glass, can't be 100% certain, but looks more like the Royal Arms to me. Wish the photo had been produced to a larger size! 

[JohnK]

On 8/30/2010 at 21:07, Liz in Eastbourne said:

I have found another man who has Feversham's signature on his attestation.

Alfred Percival Sleightholme, C/12136, enlisted at Helmsley on 9th November 1915. He was born in 1896 in Kirby Misperton near Pickering in the North Riding, and his family were farmers at Wold Newton in 1901 (interestingly for me, there's both a Hardcastle family and a Metcalf[e], another family connection of mine, on the same page as their census record). I hope this link to his cwgc page works...

here

You'll see he had a Military Medal and was killed or died of wounds on 5th August 1917. I found him courtesy of a Scarborough website in an extract about the 21st Bn KRRC from a book called 'Neath a Foreign Sky' by Paul Allen which seems to be unpublished except there (I'll post the link later). Does anyone know anything about this? He lists several non-farming riflemen from Scarborough whose names I will also post later but this one is included, mysteriously, because he is said to have enlisted in Scarborough. When I checked this, I found he'd enlisted in Helmsley. Anyway, he's certainly a good Yeoman Rifleman who died young - commemorated on the Menin Gate.

 

Hello, I've just joined the forum specifically as a result of searching for information about my Great Uncle Alfred Sleightholme. 

 

Many thanks @Liz in Eastbourne for posting so positively about him.

 

I have more information about him plus his brothers, five of whom enlisted in other regiments. Alf and three of his brothers fought at Passchendaele in 1917. Sadly my Great Uncle Robert was also killed at Passchendaele on 12th October. I went to the 100 year Centenary at Tyne Cot in July last year for the very moving service. I'll start with a treasured family photo of him :

 

[MBrockway]

John,

Welcome to the Rifles family here on the Forum.  Wonderful picture - thank you very much for sharing it.

 

Here's Alfred's British War Medal and Victory Medal roll entry ...

 

It looks like he went out with the Yeoman Rifles as an Acting Serjeant.  Also the same details entered twice *may* mean he was wounded, evacuated back to the UK and then rejoined.

 

Mark

 

[MBrockway]

Alfred Sleightholme's MM entry in the London Gazette ...

 

LG Issue 30243 (Suppl), 21 Aug 1917, p. 8646 - here

MM Section heading here

 

 

 

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Welcome to the forum, John, and thank you so much for posting the excellent picture of your great-uncle Alfred Sleightholme, C/12136.  (I see Mark's welcomed you to the Rifles family - this is what happens, you just pop in for a chat about the Yeoman Rifles and you get adopted!)

 

My original post was more than seven years ago and of course I was wrong to say he enlisted at Helmsley, that was my misreading of the attestation, I suspect.  He enlisted at Scarborough and then his form was countersigned by Feversham at Helmsley.  I haven't been back to look at the record which I clearly consulted then - it may confirm Mark's suggestion that he was wounded and returned, which was very likely considering he had been through the Somme.

 

But you may have information about that anyway. It would be great to see what else you have about him.

 

EDIT My original link to the CWGC entry no longer works.  It's https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/917067/sleightholme,-alfred-percival/

- not a very informative  page in itself but links to the certificate, which I'm sure you've already done. 

Liz

 

 

Edited 16 January , 2018 by Liz in Eastbourne

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Just checked and see that he was, indeed, wounded at Flers.

 

Liz

[MBrockway]

6 hours ago, MBrockway said:

Alfred Sleightholme's MM entry in the London Gazette ...

 

LG Issue 30243 (Suppl), 21 Aug 1917, p. 8646 - here

MM Section heading here

 

 

Williamson in the Great War Medal Collector's Companion, states this MM London Gazette reflects

• minor operations in June 1917
• a small number of awards for actions in April and May 1917
• awards from the Battle of MESSINES 07 June 1917

According to the 21/KRRC war diary, the battalion spent April 1917 mostly in Reserve in the ST ELOI sector.  There was some enemy action against working parties, but nothing suggesting gallantry medals were awarded.

 

Similarly May 1917 was mostly spent preparing for the upcoming attack on the MESSINES RIDGE either in the reserve areas or further back.  Little opportunities for MM awards.

 

I'd say it is most likely then, that Alfred's MM is for the 21/KRRC attacks (Second Army, X Corps) in the northern sectors S of ST ELOI as part of the Battle of MESSINES on 07 June 1917.

 

Mark

.

 

 

Edited 16 January , 2018 by MBrockway

[JohnK]

Thanks for the welcome folks.

 

Mark and Liz: Indeed he was wounded and sent home. He was shot on the 16 Sept 1916 at Flers according to his service record. He had a "Superficial wound at side of chest. Healing Well. Disch to W.C.H. Eastbourne 29.9.16"  

 

Liz I'm learning a lot from you all, how did you know he was wounded at Flers ? Was it from his Service Record ?

 

The 16th Sept was the day after Lieut-Col Earl Feversham was killed, so I've got to assume that Alfred was caught up fighting close by during that same action (described in detail in the Annals of the  KRRC by Maj Gen Sir Steuart Hare and discussed earlier at post #25 of this thread). 

 

Regarding his MM, I would love to know exactly how he earned that. I had assumed it might be for bringing back wounded under fire, but I have no evidence.  It's interesting you narrow it down to the battle of Messines on 07 Jun 1917. That would be about the right date. All I have extra (apart from the Gazette announcement you found thanks Mark) is this from the Yorkshire Gazette 04 Aug 1917:

 

Quote

Military Medalist.

Sergt Alfred P Sleightholme, eighth son of Mr. Mrs. G.H.Sleightholme late of Sherburn, now residing at West Field Farm, Wold Newton, has been awarded the Military Medal while serving in France. Some time ago he was wounded, and was sent to England, and on his recovery returned to France. Prior to joining the K.R.R. he was in the employ of Messrs Finch & Co. Malton. Mr. and Mrs. Sleightholme have four sons serving with his Majesty’s Forces.

 

Messrs Finch and Co were Drapers in Malton

 

Alfred was mortally wounded on 01 Aug 1917, I think this must have been the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, I would appreciate your help in confirming this. The War Diary for that day says:

Quote

On the morning of the 1st August a further attack was made by the 123nd Infantry Brigade, the Battalion being in close support between the points I 36.d.3.3 and the KLEIN ZILLEBEKE ROAD. The weather conditions were extremely severe and great difficulties were experienced through the heavy condition of the ground.

On the evening of the 1st August the Battalion relieved the 20th Bn Durham Light Infantry in the left Battalion Sector, with Headquarters at the CATERPILLAR at I 31.a. 91/2 81/2. There  were a few casualties during the Relief including Lieut H T WATTS who was severely wounded. There were no trenches in the front line and the climatic conditions rendered their construction impossible. Many wounded were found in the vicinity of the Front Line and Stretcher Bearers worked continuously throughout the night carrying them over almost impossible ground.

 

Alfred was probably amongst these wounded and all I know is he died whilst being conveyed to a Dressing Station. Any ideas which Dressing Station he would have been taken back to?

 

I would like your help in understanding the above War Diary entry. I don't know what the "CATERPILLAR" was. 

Edited 17 January , 2018 by JohnK

[MBrockway]

THE CATERPILLAR was a small mounded ridge on the southern flank of Hill 60 at the northern edge of BATTLE WOOD just to the S of the railway cutting.  At its western end was the large crater left by the Caterpillar mine fired on 07 June at the Battle of Messines.

 

I think the war diary map reference has a typo - it should be square 35, not 31.  The full trench reference is 28.I.35.a.95.85.  This plots to the railway cutting, so the Battalion HQ was probably dug into the bank of the cutting.

 

This later map from July 1918 shows the position reasonably well, though be aware the trenches will have moved ...

[Edit: Ooops!  Have just realised I have annotated the Bn HQ on the map below with '31' not '35'!  You'll see that the square has '35' in its centre though.  The hatched letter 'I' for the major grid square is also visible in the SE corner.]

Edited 17 January , 2018 by MBrockway

[Liz in Eastbourne]

8 hours ago, JohnK said:

Thanks for the welcome folks.

 

Mark and Liz: Indeed he was wounded and sent home. He was shot on the 16 Sept 1916 at Flers according to his service record. He had a "Superficial wound at side of chest. Healing Well. Disch to W.C.H. Eastbourne 29.9.16"  

 

Liz I'm learning a lot from you all, how did you know he was wounded at Flers ? Was it from his Service Record ?

 

The 16th Sept was the day after Lieut-Col Earl Feversham was killed, so I've got to assume that Alfred was caught up fighting close by during that same action (described in detail in the Annals of the  KRRC by Maj Gen Sir Steuart Hare and discussed earlier at post #25 of this thread). 

 

...

 

John

Yes, it was from his service record.  He will actually have been wounded on 15th, as they were not involved in any action on 16th September.  If you have the stamina to read through this thread (not sure I have any more!) you'll find many references to the fact that the record-keeping in the chaotic days after Flers was such that dates for casualties were often given as 15/17 September, or one or other of those dates, and  some men may not have reached a dressing station till the next day.

This thread originally dealt with events of 1915-16, and has been weaker on the later actions, but there are other threads dealing with men of the 21/KRRC killed in August 1917 and this evening I'll have a look for them. 

Mark is helping you as always extremely efficiently with the WD for that period and his MM. When I first mentioned your great-uncle I was very green at all this but I'm glad my mention of him brought you in to ask for more and share your info.  Photographs and local newspaper articles are so useful and evocative of the kind of men these were before they were drawn into the war. 

 

Liz

[JohnK]

Mark, thanks again that's really helpful, especially the map (and for re-reading and correcting the HQ map ref which I hadn't noticed).

 

I have another question, do you know why the month of June 1917 is missing from the War Diary ? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.

 

Liz, more thanks again. I will read this whole thread but it will take me some time to digest to say the least. I know you started this back in 2010, which is a long time for a forum thread to run, but I'm glad it's still going and you are so efficient at helping me.

 

It's interesting to know that dates in the WD are not 100% accurate. I would appreciate you looking out the other more relevant threads for the 21/KRRC killed in Aug 1917, whenever you get time.

 

Thanks also for adopting me to the Rifles family - I'm starting to feel at home

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Hello again John.

Re the missing month, I don't know.   We have had a very frustrating time with other parts of the 21/KRRC WDs - for instance, all the appendices that are stated to have existed for the Somme WDs are no longer there, though in the that case I was told that the Official Historian could have thrown them out, which can hardly have happened to a month of the WD.

 

Re other threads, here's a post from one dealing with queries about a rifleman killed on 31 July 1917.

 

Of course your great-uncle's MM cannot have been one of those as it's too soon before the newspaper announcement.  AS Mark says, it's more likely to have been from the action in June.  Gerald Dennis commented that the system had become much more organised for medals, with officers being told in advance of a 'stunt' that some would be awarded and they must get their recommendations in quickly. He thought there ought to have been more for the Somme but there  were almost no officers left to recommend anyone. I expect anyone who'd been through both deserved a medal anyway.

 

Liz

Edited 18 January , 2018 by Liz in Eastbourne

[MBrockway]

On 16/01/2018 at 18:53, MBrockway said:

 

Williamson in the Great War Medal Collector's Companion, states this MM London Gazette reflects

• minor operations in June 1917
• a small number of awards for actions in April and May 1917
• awards from the Battle of MESSINES 07 June 1917

According to the 21/KRRC war diary, the battalion spent April 1917 mostly in Reserve in the ST ELOI sector.  There was some enemy action against working parties, but nothing suggesting gallantry medals were awarded.

 

Similarly May 1917 was mostly spent preparing for the upcoming attack on the MESSINES RIDGE either in the reserve areas or further back.  Little opportunities for MM awards.

 

I'd say it is most likely then, that Alfred's MM is for the 21/KRRC attacks (Second Army, X Corps) in the northern sectors S of ST ELOI as part of the Battle of MESSINES on 07 June 1917.

 

Mark

 

 

A bit more explanation on how this all works is probably needed here ...

 

Williamson (and other medal researchers before him) went through all the London Gazette issues that contain Military Medal awards and by examining those where a specific action can be identified, has been able to make inferences about the awards that cannot.  I'm not sure how much of the research was Williamson, or how much he has simply collated research published by others in e.g. the Orders & Medals Research Society Journal.

 

The results are presented in his Great War Medal Collector's Companion as a list of LG MM issues with the battles/actions to which the MM's relate.

 

Obviously there remains some margin of uncertainty, but I think we can be reasonably certain that Alfred's MM is from 07 June 1917.

 

I believe the original MM citations were lost in the Blitz in 1940.

 

Mark

 

 

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Following on the list of men in that post I linked to, I've found another one - details incomplete, and I wouldn't be sure of the KIA/ died of wounds distinction, but it might help with the context of your great-uncle's death.  One man who died on the same day, Fred Dobson, came from Kirby Misperton, but your great-uncle's parents may have moved from there early on?

 

MEN OF 21/KRRC KILLED IN ACTION OR DIED OF WOUNDS 1st –14th August 1917
Six are ‘original’ Yeoman Riflemen with service no. C/12***, plus Major Watson.  The rest are later drafts.

Officers

July 31st
Temp. 2/Lieut Wilfred Baldwin Harmon     Age 20 
Son of Rev Frank Harmon and Matilda Harmon of Margate, Kent (and China - missionaries)
KIA                                                                                        Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

NB Included because all records give death date 1st  August but KRRC War Record states 31st  July, and this was the date of the action in which he led his company in support of the attack by the 123rd Brigade.

3rd August
Captain Charles Owen Spencer-Smith attd from London Regiment
Died of wounds aged 37 No details in Chronicle
Godewaersvelde British Cemetery 

5th August
Temp. Major A T Watson
Died of wounds aged 47
La Clytte Military Cemetery

Other ranks
1st August
1. Rfn Frederick Donald Stevens  R/12740 enlisted  Chelsea, Middx  Age 20
Son of Frederick and Jane Stevens, of 24, Stormont Road, Lavender Hill, London.
Died of wounds                                                           Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

4th August
2. Rfn  George John Christensen  R/33443  enlisted  Camberwell, Surrey  
KIA                                                                                  Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

3. Lance Serjeant (CWGC)/Corporal (SDGW) Joseph Skelton R/10883 enlisted Handsworth, Sheffield, Yorks  
Died of wounds                                                               Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

5th August
4. Rfn Albert Adair A/203381, formerly S/17172 Rifle Brigade, enlisted Leyton, London   Age 22.    Son of James Adair, of 63, Lea Hall Rd, Leyton, London
KIA                                                                                    Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

5. Rfn Elias Barnard R/26845  

KIA                                                                                     Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

6. Rfn Charles Churcher C/4650 enlisted ? From Colchester, previously 17th,7th and 10th Bns
KIA                                                                                      Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

7. Rfn John Stanley Dean C/12895 enlisted Wakefield, Yorkshire.  Age 19.
KIA                                                                                       Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

8. Rfn Fred Dobson C/12329 aged 23 from Kirby Misperton, Yorkshire 
KIA                                                                                       Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

9. Corporal (A/Sergeant) Alfred Percival Sleightholme MM C/12136  from Hunmanby, Yorkshire enlisted Scarborough,                         Died of wounds                                                         Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

10. Rfn Benjamin Crook Goldthorp C/12965     Age 38.  
Son of Sarah and Benjamin Holdsworth Goldthorp, husband of Annie Goldthorp, of Cleckheaton Yorkshire
KIA                                                                                        Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

 11 Rfn Harry Mitchell R/19404  
Died of wounds                                                                Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

12 J Nelson C/12410 from Redcar, Yorkshire Age 26

                                                                                             Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
7th August
13, Sjt Samuel Beecher Horsman C/12137 from Scarborough 
                                                                                          Boulogne Eastern Cemetery    

9th August

14.  Rfn James Hugo Duncan R/36697    Age 19
Son of James and Edith Duncan, of 14, St Albans Rd, Dartford, Kent
Died of wounds                                                                 Boulogne Eastern Cemetery    

Edited 18 January , 2018 by Liz in Eastbourne

[JohnK]

Liz & Mark - thanks again for your help.

 

It is very frustrating that the month of June is missing from the WD given that is the most likely date when Alf won his MM::

On 1/16/2018 at 18:53, MBrockway said:

I'd say it is most likely then, that Alfred's MM is for the 21/KRRC attacks (Second Army, X Corps) in the northern sectors S of ST ELOI as part of the Battle of MESSINES on 07 June 1917.

 

16 hours ago, Liz in Eastbourne said:

Re the missing month, I don't know.   We have had a very frustrating time with other parts of the 21/KRRC WDs ...

 

Well we can't do anything about that now. Also I have another question, is it likely that the WD would list the MMs and give any details why they were awarded?

 

I am calling out to my distant relatives to see if any of them have the MM citation, I will let you know how that goes. I have had some success with my other Gt Uncle Robert in locating material from my second cousins. Between us we have unearthed another photo of Alf and his brother Ernest along with another KRRC soldier Cpl W Currey which will be of interest to others on here as well. It's a lovely photo taken in Poperinge in 1917. This extract from the KRRC WD leads me to believe the photo was taken sometime in May 1917:

Quote

“On May 6 to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of the Bn in France a Concert and Play were given by the Bn in the YMCA Concert Hall in RENINGHEST”

…

18/5/17 “The Bn left for GANSPETTE training area. The Bn entrained at POPERINGE at 7am and detrained at WATEN at 11am amd marched to billets at EPERLECQUES”

 

 

 

Cpl W Currey KRRC (sitting left) - Sgt Alfred Percival Sleightholme MM C/12136 (standing) - Driver Ernest Fenwick Sleightholme T4/240467 A.S.C. (sitting right) 

 

I can't find W Burrey [Edit it's Currey - thanks Liz]  on Ancestry so maybe others here can help track him down. It's possible I misread his name, this is the back of the postcard so it might be "W Surrey" rather than "W Burrey"  ???

 

 

 

Also why do the KRRC soldiers have their cross straps going in different directions? My Gt Uncle is a Sgt and the strap is going left to right, W. Burrey's is going right to left. Is there any significance in this? Apologies for my lack of knowledge in this area.

 

 

Edited 18 January , 2018 by JohnK

[Liz in Eastbourne]

John, I think it's Currey, not Surrey or Burrey.

That's the way capital Cs were done.  You can see the Ss are quite different.

Back later.

Liz

[JohnK]

15 hours ago, Liz in Eastbourne said:

8. Rfn Fred Dobson C/12329 aged 23 from Kirby Misperton, Yorkshire 
KIA                                                                                       Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

 

Thanks Liz, they could well have known each other. My Gt. Grandparents and their family moved from Kirby Misperton in 1906 to another farm at Sherburn, Malton. Then moved again in 1914/15 to farm at Wold Newton. These places are all quite close (about 25 miles). Dobson is a good 'local' name in that area too, so there is a good chance they were pals. Some of my Sleightholme relatives still live and farm in that area by the way. When I get chance I'll try and search for more details about Fred Dobson, as you say there might be some more clues.

 

 

15 hours ago, Liz in Eastbourne said:

7th August
13, Sjt Samuel Beecher Horsman C/12137 from Scarborough 
                                                                                          Boulogne Eastern Cemetery    

 

Sgt. Samuel Beecher Horsman C/12137 enlisted at Scarborough 4th November 1915 (the previous day to my Gt Uncle) approved at Helmsley by Feversham 9th November. Born Falsgrave, Scarborough 1887, died of wounds 7th August1917, start of 3rd Ypres but not a major battle for 21st Bn.

Samuel Horsman’s Army Service Record is fairly complete and may shed some light on what the two of them did.

 

Again it's possible they knew each other or became pals during training or overseas.

 

Here's another question, how come Samuel Beecher who enlisted the day before has a service number greater than  my uncle i.e. 12137 and 12136 - surely they would be issued sequentially in numeric order?

[JohnK]

22 minutes ago, Liz in Eastbourne said:

it's Currey, not Surrey or Burrey.

 

Ah yes I see you are right - I will edit my above post so anyone else reading will not be confused.

That is a very common surname so I can't find any Military records so far.

[MBrockway]

2 hours ago, JohnK said:

 

Also why do the KRRC soldiers have their cross straps going in different directions? My Gt Uncle is a Sgt and the strap is going left to right, W. Burrey's is going right to left. Is there any significance in this? Apologies for my lack of knowledge in this area.

 

 

The photo is actually inverted about the vertical axis.  It should be like this ...

 

SD jackets button left over right and wound stripes (Cpl Currey has one up, you'll see) were worn on the left cuff.

 

The straps are for their Small Box Respirator haversacks worn in the 'Slung' position.  The eyelets were used with a hook to shorten the strap and raise the unit up to the chest for use in the 'Alert' position.

 

I don't think there was a prescribed position of wear when in off-duty 'walking out' dress as these men are here.  Which side the haversack was slung would be a personal choice and probably reflects whether the wearer was left- or right-handed.

 

Mark

Edited 18 January , 2018 by MBrockway
Wound stripe is on Currey not Sleightholme!

[MBrockway]

2 hours ago, JohnK said:

 

Ah yes I see you are right - I will edit my above post so anyone else reading will not be confused.

That is a very common surname so I can't find any Military records so far.

 

This is C/12135 Corporal William CURREY.  As his service number immediately precedes Alfred's, one strongly suspects they enlisted together and were surely pre-War friends and probably from the same village.

 

His BWM & VM roll entry ...

 

Probably also worth investigating C/12235 A/Sergeant Thomas Stanley CURREY - I'd say there's a good chance Thomas and William are related.  Thomas was discharged with a Silver War Badge.

 

Thomas's BWM & VM roll entry ...

 

Mark

 

Edited 18 January , 2018 by MBrockway

[JohnK]

35 minutes ago, MBrockway said:

This is C/12135 Corporal William CURREY.  As his service number immediately precedes Alfred's, one strongly suspects they enlisted together and were surely pre-War friends and probably from the same village.

 

Wow that is amazing. I have found William Currey living in Sherburn on the Census's of 1901 and 1911 - Sherburn is the same village as where my Gt Uncle lived. The head of the household is Thomas so putting 2 and 2 together (and making 5 ?) I reckon you have hit the nail on the head there Mark. William Currey is the same age as my Gt Uncle. The father, Thomas Currey was 51 in 1911 so would have been rather old to fight but not unheard of. So it all stacks up.

 

So that photo of the three of them together in uniform in Poperinge of my two Gt Uncles and their childhood friend all finding time to meet up during a lull in the fighting in May 1917 is quite moving for me, so tremendous thanks to you Mark. Also for pointing out that the photo is flipped vertically. I guess that has happened at some point in the past when my cousin scanned it in.

 

I can't find any Service History for William Currey or his father - I guess that was burnt in the blitz. However I will ask my cousins who still live in Yorkshire if they know of the Currey family.

[MBrockway]

3 hours ago, MBrockway said:

 

This is C/12135 Corporal William CURREY.  As his service number immediately precedes Alfred's, one strongly suspects they enlisted together and were surely pre-War friends and probably from the same village.

 

Probably also worth investigating C/12235 A/Sergeant Thomas Stanley CURREY - I'd say there's a good chance Thomas and William are related.  Thomas was discharged with a Silver War Badge.

 

Mark

 

 

3 hours ago, JohnK said:

 

Wow that is amazing. I have found William Currey living in Sherburn on the Census's of 1901 and 1911 - Sherburn is the same village as where my Gt Uncle lived. The head of the household is Thomas so putting 2 and 2 together (and making 5 ?) I reckon you have hit the nail on the head there Mark. William Currey is the same age as my Gt Uncle. The father, Thomas Currey was 51 in 1911 so would have been rather old to fight but not unheard of. So it all stacks up.

..

..

I can't find any Service History for William Currey or his father - I guess that was burnt in the blitz. However I will ask my cousins who still live in Yorkshire if they know of the Currey family.

 

It would extremely unusual for a man aged 54 in 1914 to serve as an infantryman and indeed, on checking the Silver War Badge roll entry for C/12235 A/Sergeant Thomas Stanley CURREY, he enlisted on 13 Nov 1915 and was discharged due to wounds on 08 Aug 1918 aged 25 years 24 days, so he cannot be William's father.

 

That SWB age on discharge would put his birth month as July 1893 and indeed there is a birth registered for a Thomas Stanley CURREY in the Scarborough Registration District for Q3 1893.  Scarborough RD includes SHERBURN, whereas Kirby Misperton was in Pickering RD and Wold Newton in Bridlington RD.

 

There is a birth registered for a William CURREY in Q4 1895 also in Scarborough RD.  Another William Currey birth registered in Darlington RD in 1896 died in the next quarter aged 0 years.

 

I cannot find Thomas Stanley CURREY, born 1993 in Scarborough RD in the 1901 census. 

 

There is a Thomas CURREY, born ~1885, waggoner on a farm in the household of Elizabeth VASEY in Sherburn, but reading the census closely, I think this household is actually lodgings run by Vasey for the farm of John Foster.  Whatever, this Thomas Currey is almost certainly Thomas Linskill CURREY birth registered in Scarborough RD in Q1 1885, not our chap.

 

There is a Stanley CURREY, born ~1894, son of Jonathan Currey, gamekeeper at Sherburn.  A possible candidate?

 

I found a marriage between a Thomas S CURREY and an Elsie BRADFORD registered in Scarborough RD in Q2 1925.  A Thomas Stanley CURREY of Whitegates, Sherburn, Malton, Yorks., appears in the National Probate Calendar, death 12 Jan 1964 and leaving his estate to Elsie CURREY.  That is clearly our C/12235 Thomas Stanley CURREY, so we can at least definitely place him as residing in Sherburn despite his being elusive in the census!

 

Neither of these riflemen appear to have surviving service or pension records.

 

Thomas was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for devotion to duty while the battalion was in Italy.

 

The London Gazette report of his MSM here confirms he was from Sherburn.

 

Mark

 

Edited 18 January , 2018 by MBrockway

[MBrockway]

Liz,

That London Gazette MSM announcement for the Italy campaign contains these C/12xxx range KRRC men, who are undoubtedly from 21/KRRC.  You may find their listed home locations useful ...

CURREY, Cpl. T.S., C/12235              - Sherburn
DALE, Sjt. J., C/12009                       - Helmsley
MUSSELWHITE, L/Cpl H., C/12295 - Cherry Burton

 

Mark

 

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Thanks, Mark.  We know Sjt Jim Dale of course, brother of Tom who went with Eden to find Feversham's body in  October 1916.  Musselwhite from Cherry Burton was one of Claud Burton's recruits.

 

Glad to see that you've been able to make so much progress on Cpl Sleightholme and friends. John's research has had a terrific boost. 

 

I'm a bit preoccupied with other things at present so may not be back on the forum this weekend, apologies.

 

Liz

[JohnK]

Thanks Mark and Liz again, yes I have made a tremendous amount of progress on finding out about my Gt Uncle. It's amazing you have found the right Thomas Stanley Currey so quickly, so well done Mark.