Royal or Merchant Navy

[Patrick H]

Cannot locate the above, who is listed on the War memorial in St Mary's Church yard Lambourne Essex. I am told by a surviving member of his family that he was in the Navy but she doesnt know if it was Royal, Merchant or other.He served pre war as he was apparently something of an artist and would send drawings home of places they had docked.

He died in 1917, but I cannot trace him on the CWGC site.

Any help would be appreciated

Patrick

[kloughnane]

Patrick,

SDGW shows a Harold Lister Harlow. He was 10th Btn Lincolnshire Regt, No 42646, Died 01/11/18. Born: Winton, Hants. Resident: Gloucester. Enlisted: Epping, Essex.

CWGC have him listed as Harold Leonard Harlow, aged 19.

I don't know if this is your man?

Regards,

Kev Loughnane

[Bingo794]

Patrick

Looks like he was in the R.W. Surreys (The Queen's Regt) 51 Grad Battalion, prior to the 10th Lincolnshire (Grimsby Chums), according to his Medal Roll.

51 Grad was a training battalion for the young recruits.

Dick

[Patrick H]

Thanks Kev and Dick. Strange though since his great granddaughter insists he was in the Navy. The enlistment at Epping does ring true since this is the nearest town to Abridge and Lambourne where his family lived at the time. I did consider whether he might have retired from the Navy and then enlisted but the age of 19 wouldnt fit. Is there any more info that might place him in Abridge/Lambourne ?

Patrick

[Patrick H]

Bumping this one up again !"!

The only link between family information and the above posts appears to be that this man enlisted in Epping, but the family remain convinced he was in "the Navy"

His middle name is Lister, and the Lister family have lived in Abridge for generations and certainly before the Great War, yet this man was born in Hants and resident in Gloucester. Yet he enlisted in Epping?

Is it the same man as my search?

Patrick

[kloughnane]

Patrick,

The 1901 census shows that this family traveled around the country. Harold's father William was born in Worksop, Notts; his mother Alice was born in Yorkshire; his brother Wilfred was born in Horsham, Surrey; His brother Leonard was born in Forest Gate, Essex; his sister Alice was born in Derby. Interestingly, all the children have the middle initial "L".

At the time of the 1901 census they were all living in Parkstone, Dorset and his father's occupation is given as "Builder's Foreman". I don't have full access to the 1911 census so I can't check the family's location for that time.

Is it possible that he joined the Merchant Navy as a boy, and rather than "retire" he may have just left the MN to join the army?

I hope that somebody can come up with some sort of answer for you.

Regards,

Kev Loughnane