Khaki Posted 16 November , 2013 Share Posted 16 November , 2013 During the last year I 'located' the grave of my G/uncle who served and was wounded in France in 1918, he died in 1940,I finally visited the grave, (which is in a very large veterans cemetery) to take a photograph and pay my respects. As I went to leave I cast my eyes over the other military markers near my uncle. I was astounded to see that one plot apart, same row, was his uncle who died in the same year several months later and was a South African War Veteran. I had no idea that he was even buried in the same cemetery. As these military veterans graves cannot be pre purchased and are allocated without any preference, it was pure coincidence that they were together. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Talking of coincidence, researching my wife's family tree, discovered that two of her great uncles, were killed in action on the same day, in the same action, and in the same battalion. Defence of Givenchy, 9/4/1918, 1/4th Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. Unlike above they were buried in separate cemeteries, Beuvray Communual Extension and Post Office Rifles Cemetery Festubert. Shame they never knew that one day they would be related by marriage. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Some years ago I went to a cemetery in Plymouth to photograph some war graves. In a row behind those I wanted there were two other war graves. One had the maiden name of my wife, and the other the married name of her sister! Neither were man was related to either of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 These "coincidences" are just waiting to be discovered.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 My maiden name was Stemp and my married name is Wickenden. On one of the Royal Sussex Regiment memorial chapel panels in Chichester Cathedral is a J. Stemp. Swing that panel round (they all hinge) and on the back is T. Wickenden. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1562523/STEMP,%20JESSE http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/877004/WICKENDEN,%20THOMAS%20HENRY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Hi seaJane And your grandfather was on HMS Agamemnon, as was mine. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 torpedo gunner's mate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 (edited) Nope, Range taker, presumably trainee?, eventually ended up interwar on HMS Hood (Range taker 1st Class) John Edited 11 February , 2016 by Knotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 I've come across a couple of odd coincidences during my research. I was asked by a local landlady if I could find anything about her grandfather, not only did he belong to the same battn of the Manchester Pals as my paternal grandfather, his service number varies by only 2 digits. I've no idea if they knew each other. I was given a 14-15 trio as a child which I've only looked into recently. I found that the soldier had been killed and was buried at Suzanne (Somme). When I searched the specific cemetery not only did I find the plot number but also a photograph of his headstone and a small write-up about him. I intend to take his medals to visit him as he didn't live to see them. Another sad coincidence I know of is that of the Lounsbach brothers who were both killed in separate incidents on the same day. My paternal grandfather and his brother-in-law both served with the Manchesters and survived the war though neither enjoyed good health afterwards. They both died on the same day in the same hospital in 1943. Both widows (sisters) were present at the time yet neither knew the other was there until much later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott henderson Posted 12 February , 2016 Share Posted 12 February , 2016 A few years ago in work my old boss ( since retired ) knew that I had an interest in WW1 history & said that his grandfather was in one of the highland regiments but didn't know which one. He did a bit of family research & came back to me several days later & said it was the Argylls. I asked him which battalion & he said 14th as far as he knew. & that he was K.I.A sometime in 1917/18. A quick check on SDGW confirmed this so it is quite probable that his grandfather & my grandfather knew each other, both being in the same battalion at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRC Kevin Posted 12 February , 2016 Share Posted 12 February , 2016 Talking of coincidence, researching my wife's family tree, discovered that two of her great uncles, were killed in action on the same day, in the same action, and in the same battalion. Defence of Givenchy, 9/4/1918, 1/4th Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. Unlike above they were buried in separate cemeteries, Beuvray Communual Extension and Post Office Rifles Cemetery Festubert. Shame they never knew that one day they would be related by marriage. John The five from the battalion that are buried in the Post Office Rifles Cemetery were all buried there originally and haven't been moved. The graves of the two 'Georges' (Boulter and Wilson) were only found in September 1919 and were concentrated at Beuvry.Those of the KIA who do have a marked grave are distributed among seven different cemeteries, Vielle Chappelle having the most with sixteen graves. The vast majority are only commemorated on the Loos Memorial, with one on the Menin Gate for some obscure reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 12 February , 2016 Share Posted 12 February , 2016 Hi Kevin Thank you for that nugget of information, I see that this is your area of expertise,I may have to pick you brains on the KORLR going forward! If we carry on the coincidence theme George Boulter is one of of the relatives in question, spooky you should pick him out! What's scary is that they were both named George, but not Wilson in this case. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 13 February , 2016 Share Posted 13 February , 2016 I've come across a couple of odd coincidences during my research. I was asked by a local landlady if I could find anything about her grandfather, not only did he belong to the same battn of the Manchester Pals as my paternal grandfather, his service number varies by only 2 digits. I've no idea if they knew each other. I was given a 14-15 trio as a child which I've only looked into recently. I found that the soldier had been killed and was buried at Suzanne (Somme). When I searched the specific cemetery not only did I find the plot number but also a photograph of his headstone and a small write-up about him. I intend to take his medals to visit him as he didn't live to see them. Another sad coincidence I know of is that of the Lounsbach brothers who were both killed in separate incidents on the same day. My paternal grandfather and his brother-in-law both served with the Manchesters and survived the war though neither enjoyed good health afterwards. They both died on the same day in the same hospital in 1943. Both widows (sisters) were present at the time yet neither knew the other was there until much later. My Great Grandfather was the CWGC gardener for Suzanne! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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