It can still happen !

[Guest exuser1]

Visited Blighty on Tuesday for a visit and at close of day went in to a local collectors shop which I have known for years , the owner was on the phone discussing medals , at the end of the call I asked about the medals , oh it's to 3 brothers and quite good , 2 trios one a 1914 Star trio to the army and a 1915 trio to the navy , and a single BWM. , and the trios both have plaques ! In cardboard with the letter , and interesting casualties ?

yes the army lad killed in action July 1st 1916 Somme ! the details were 8882 1st Bn ,Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment , Alfred Steward ,so some what surprised and asked what about the navy lad ? oh he's Jutland !PO William Ernest Steward 214883 HMS Indefatigable ! all checked out he had even printed the research off , the last medal the BWM 10473 Pte R A Steward R Lanc , though at present can not find any details of his full entitlement could this be his only medal and served in India ? Have noted Robert A Steward Royal Lancaster and RGE 1303 AVC .

Needless to say I made a offer before they went on e bay and now am the proud owner ,interesting how many brothers killed on these 2 historical days .

[KevinBattle]

... and just over a month apart... must have been hard on their parents.

At least they have a home where they are appreciated for the sacrifices made.

[Guest exuser1]

Thanks , the Kings lad I have found is 1st Battalion and must have seen so much hard service from August 1914 ,they were based in Dover before the war and the family are from the Charlton area of Dover so I assume he went to the castle to join the colours ? have contacted the regimental museum and the battalions War Diary is on cd so that's next , also as living only 30 miles from the Somme going over on Saturday to photograph the memorial to the missing and the area near Serre where they go in on July 1st .

The single BWM a mystery at present .

Will do all the work I can to jell it altogether .

[KevinBattle]

You'll have most of this, but hope it helps...

Name: Alfred Steward. Age in 1911: 23. Estimated Birth Year: abt 1888. Birth Place: Woolwich, Kent, England

Military: Soldier, 1st Battalion Kings Own. India.

Name: Alfred Steward. Birth Place: Woolwich. Death Date: 1 Jul 1916.

Death Location: France & Flanders. Enlistment Location: Woolwich.

Rank: Private. Regiment: King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Battalion: 1st Battalion. Number: 8882

Type of Casualty: Killed in action. Theatre of War: Western European Theatre.

Name: Alfred Steward. Regiment or Corps: The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). Regimental Number: 8882. Medal Index Card shows entitlement to 1914 Star on Supplemental Medal Roll but no date entered France.

STEWARD, WILLIAM ERNEST. Rank: Petty Officer. Service No: 214883. Date of Death: 31/05/1916. Age: 30.

Regiment/Service: Royal Navy. H.M.S. "Indefatigable."

Panel Reference: 11. Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of William Alfred Steward, of 3, Armstrong Rd., Welling, Kent. Born at Charlton, London.

Name: William Ernest Steward. Age: 30. Birth Date: abt 1886. Death Date: 31 May 1916. Cemetery: Plymouth Naval Memorial. Father: William Alfred Steward. Service Number: 214883. Region or Memorial: Memorial Register.

Name: William Ernest Steward. Rank: Petty Officer. Birth Date: 26 Jul 1885. Birth Place: Charlton, Dover, Kent

Branch of Service: Royal Navy. Cause of Death: Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action.

Official Number Port Division: 214883 (Dev). Death Date: 31 May 1916

Location of Grave: Not recorded. Name and Address of Cemetery: Body Not Recovered For Burial

Relatives Notified and Address: Father: William, 3 Armstrong Cottages, Bellgrove, Welling, Kent

(PS: I think the Charlton is the one in London, not Dover - come on you Addicks!)

This looks to be the family on 1901, the age gap seems closer than CWGC...

Name: Ernest W Steward. Age: 5. Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886. Father's Name: William A Steward.

Mother's Name: Eliza Steward. Where born: Charlton, London, England.

William A Steward 30. Eliza Steward 33. Ernest W Steward 5. Bertie A Steward 3. Albert E Steward 1.

(I think the son was called Ernest at home to avoid confusion wuth his father)

Name: William Ernest Steward. Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1885. Registration district: Woolwich, London

Volume: 1d. Page: 1148.

[Guest exuser1]

Thanks Kevin , yes I think you are correct and it's the London Charlton not Dover , on the entrance in to France ,I assume he was on the original contingent which sees him at Mons ect ,but hopefully will find out , wonder if born at Woolwich it's a military family?

Thanks for the additional information Robert Steward is the one that makes me wonder ,as its the single BWM is the group broken or just the single entitlement ? I note that a battalion did serve in India but then move to France did he remain behind when transfers to AVC ? also I note one battalion serve in Ireland but I do not believe that area does not bring any medal entitlement ?

Am off to trace the battalions movement for 1st July on Saturday ,the battalion seem to do well getting as far as Pendant Copse before being forced back to the Quadrialateral .

Cheers

[spof]

I can't find a MIC on Ancestry but TNA has one for Robert. Could he hace also been a pre war regular? http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/kings-own-royal-lancaster-regiment-1st.html

[Guest exuser1]

Thanks I wonder if he was but may only have served in India during the war and no other entitlement ? Thanks

[Guest exuser1]

Starting to come together the single BWM lad joined 1912 2nd Battalion and France January 1915 ,at some point transfers to AVC ,so now looking for the 1914/15star and Victory to complete the 3 brothers , this lad did survive though .