"Soldiers Died........" lookup, please.

[Tom Morgan]

I'm having trouble with my copy of SDGW this morning and I woonder if a Pal might do a quick lookup for me.

1785 Pte. Sidney BEST - 3.5.1915.

I'd like to know where he was born and where he lived, if possible.

As always, grateful for any help with this.

Tom

[johnboy]

Name:

Sidney Best

Birth Place:

Welburn

Residence:

Darlington

Death Date:

3 May 1915

Death Location:

France & Flanders

Enlistment Location:

Catterick

Rank:

Private

Regiment:

Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)

Battalion:

4th Battalion

Number:

1785

Type of Casualty:

Died of wounds

Theatre of War:

Western European Theatre

[auchonvillerssomme]

Interestingly that isn't what SDGW says, it is Ancestry's interpretation of the original.

This is the original hard version.

[Tom Morgan]

Johnboy and auchonvillerssomme - that's very interesting. Am I right in saying that the original doesn't make it clear where Pte Best lived? Or is the Darlington in brackets to be taken as his place of residence? Could you clarify this for me?

Tom

[johnboy]

The info came from Ancestry. Don't think there is a service record.

[GraemeClarke]

Hi

Regards,

Graeme

[johnboy]

Could this be him? From 1911 Census

Name: Sidney Best Age in 1911: 15 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1896 Gender: Male Birth Place: Welbury, Yorkshire, England Civil Parish: Brompton on Swale County/Island: Yorkshire-North Riding Country: England Street address: Brompton On Swale Marital Status: Single Occupation: Blacksmith Apprentice Registration district: Richmond Registration District Number: 542

[auchonvillerssomme]

Yes, when the place of enlistment is followed by the name of another place in brackets, the latter represents the soldiers place of enlistment.

Both the CD-ROM and Ancestry versions interpret the information in different ways, the CD is closest but does contain transcription errors.

Obviously both those are easier to search if you have limited information but I like to do it right so always double check the information in the books.

[Tom Morgan]

Thanks all - you have confirmed that this is the man I am interested in, and that Darlington was his place of residence. I'm very grateful to you all.

Tom

[woollamc]

CWGC website includes his parents' names and address, together with confirmation that he had joined the Territorials in 1913:

BEST, SIDNEY

• Rank: Private
• Service No: 1785
• Date of Death: 03/05/1915
• Age: 19
• Regiment/Service: Yorkshire Regiment 1st/4th Bn.
• Grave Reference VIII. B. 31.
• Cemetery BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Son of Matthew and Mary Best, of Welbury, Northallerton. Joined the Territorial Force in 1913.

[Tom Morgan]

Thanks woollamc. I had seen the CWGC record but I'm grateful to you for taking the trouble to look it up for me.

Tom