Lest we forget: stories of the Ashley men who went to war

[Guest rosgall]

Members of the Ashley History Archive group are researching the stories of the men from the village of Ashley, in Northamptonshire who served in WW1. We plan to hold an exhibition in the village hall on 8th and 9th November 2014. There are 5 names on the war memorial and we have identified another 25 who served and survived the war. We have used numerous sources: Medal Rolls & Service Records (Ancestry), forces-war-records, CWGC, BMD, local newspapers held on microfilm, school and parish records and the Absent Voters' list. One man remains a mystery. He is on the Absent Voters' List as Ernest Henry Kendall 563748 Spr., 3rd Co., 2nd R.B.R.,E . We think this means that he was a sapper in the Royal Engineers and that the comma in R.B.R.,E is in the wrong place. Despite having his service number, I can't find him in the Medal Rolls or Service Records, or forces-war-records. In the censuses he is down as variously as Ernest Henry Kendall and Henry Ernest Kendall. A relative knew him as 'Uncle Harry'. I have looked under all these combinations, but no luck. In civilian life he was a manufacturing veterinary chemist. Could he have been in a Royal Engineers' 'Special Company'? Any advice would be very helpful. Rosgall.

[KevinBattle]

There is a possibility that RB and RE are the letters to be separated, for example Rifle Brigade then Royal Engineers etc.

Then the Service Number might apply to another unit, NOT the RE...

This chap has a fairly close RE Service Number, and might be relevant as to enlistment date/place of enlistment as we do have some RE specialists in our ranks.

STEPHENS, R H. Rank: Sapper. Service No: 563741. Date of Death: 24/02/1919.

Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers. 25th Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Sect.

Grave Reference: PP. 490. Cemetery: BRISTOL (ARNOS VALE) CEMETERY.

You might need to check Deaths after 1921 CWGC cut off point, if for example the War Memorial was completed after the CWGC cut off date.

No doubt you have checked potential mis spellings, or for other Kendall relatives in the area in case the birth names aren't those he was known by either in, or outside, the family circle.

[Phil Wood]

Assuming he is the chap born 1876 in Weston by Welland then he would have been on the old side for service at the front (38 in 1914 - many of his age were deemed unfit for the front) and may well only served in the UK - which would explain the lack of a medal card.

He could have been discharged as unfit and died weeks/months later. I would consider the Henry Kendall who died in Wellingborough Registration District in 1918 aged 43 (only one year out). His death may or may not be service related - if it was then he would have been one of many missed by the IWGC when they drew up their Roll of Honour. Either way the local war memorial committee could have decided that as he served and died he was a valid case for inclusion on the memorial (it was entirely up to them).