Walter Vernon Falkiner

[corisande]

Here is a very strange case of a man relinquishing his commission after he died.

Walter Vernon Falkiner died in an IRA ambush while an ADRIC cadet. I have death ref from Irish GRO and burial reference in London, and LG reference to resigning his commission.

1921 Mar 12. The train from Listowel to Tralee was ambushed by the IRA at 8.45. Falkiner and another Cadet (2nd.Lt E of W. Yorks Regt) Lomas, were on the footplate. Falkiner died on the spot

1921 Mar 17. Walter Vernon Falkiner buried in East Sheen Cemetery. Burial Number 2334. Section C Grave 510. I got this from online database for cemetry

1921 Apr/Jun Walter Vernon Falkiner death registered in Ireland. Tralee vol 5, p343

1921 Apr 16 His widow is awarded £9000 compensation at Tralee Quarter Sessions.

1921 Sept 21 Relinquishes his commission on completion of service. Durham L.I. Temp. Lt. W. V. Falkiner, MC. and retains the rank of Lt. Gazette Ref on this link. The ref to the date of the relinquishing is on the previous LG page.

I have a fuller history of Walter Falkiner and the ambush on this link

Falkiner would appear to be a serving British Army officer, while employed by ADRIC. Many of you will know that this is a particularly fraught/grey area.

I would appreciate advice on this case. It looks as if he relinquished his commission after his death. Is this just "tidying up the records" by the Army. Is he entitled to consideration for recognition by CWGC.

[chrisharley9]

I would say his file at the NA should answer these questions

Chris

[chrisharley9]

From The Times of 14th Mar 1921

[David_Underdown]

I've just looked at WO 338, the only Walter V Falkiner listed has a "P number" (P/82407), implying that his file is still with MOD. Slightly odd given his reported dates of death and relinquishment of commission

[corisande]

Thanks David for the input.

I have done a lot of "CVs" of men killed in Ireland, and this one looks odd to me.

My first thought was that he had not been killed, and had been badly wounded in the attack, then recovered and British never bother to put out a clarifying statement.

However there is certainly a death registered in his name and a burial at Sheen, and his widow got £9000 compensation

But the combination of the relinquishing his commission supposedly after his death looked odd and if his file is withheld looks even odder.

You know more than I on the significance of the "P" suffix

[corisande]

Can anyone cast any more light on P numbers.

Here is another one

2nd Lieutenant Cecil Duffy, M.C. of the 3rd Battalion of the 23rd Regiment, i.e. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The entry records that his long (service) number was 249234. But a P number, P/59811, is also recorded, which indicates that his record is one of those still held by the ministry of defence in Glasgow. You should contact them with the P number for a copy of his full service record.'

As far as I can tell Duffy retired in 1919. Joined the RIC in 1921 and left RIC in 1922.

Again the question as to why a P number was allocated

[David_Underdown]

May have signed up for TA later on and had the files merged

[corisande]

But what is a "P" number

[David_Underdown]

Just the numbers allocated to officers after they decided to reorganise the files from the previous "long number" filing system, and the "vowel sequence" used for wartime temporary officers

[corisande]

Thanks very much for that info

[PaulC78]

@corisande Was just wondering if this case had any merit as a non-com? I can't seem to find a service file for him on TNA.

[Matlock1418]

Pension record card at WFA/Fold3

Image thanks to WFA/Fold3

The OA.113663 [Officers, Army] claim reference number suggests to me to be a disability claim by him - as opposed to a dependant's/Widow's OAF [Officers, Army, Family] claim

The 3rd Durham L.I., as a reserve battalion, being used for admin purposes I might surmise.

M

[corisande]

Thanks. I am in deepest Chile at the moment, and will have a look when I get back