William Mellon, 170th Tunnelling Coy, Hugh Mellon, Royal Northumberlan

[Danrowley2601]

Hi all,

I've been doing some more on relatives from WWI and having a good look into my nan's father's side of the family in which three brothers served, two with UK regiments and one, Owen Mellon, remembered at Tyne Cot, with the New Zealanders after he emigrated.

I'm interested in finding out more on William Mellon (156183 R.E 170th Tunnelling, formerly 12799 of th Royal Dublin fus) who was killed in action on : 29th July 1916. Does anybody know of where he would have been serving during this time? He's now buried in a communal grave in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery, Arras, France.

Also, Officer Hugh Mellon who was awarded for his bravery in the war with a military cross. Hugh served with the Royal Northumberland Fus, 23773.

I'm just interested to know if anybody has any information on the above. I managed to get quite a bit of stuff put together for Owen but have come to a bit of a standstill with William and Hugh. I've attached Hugh's medal cards. Will attach William's on a post below.

Many thanks

Dan

William Mellon medal cards

[Langdon]

Hi Dan,

You may know The Long, Long Trail but if not, you may like to look at this about the tunneling companies. The 170th is included in a short history but July 1916 doesn't feature.

Unfortunately the War Diaries which cover this period here have not be digitised so can only be viewed in person at Kew (or second-hand via another Forum expert). Please note that they're very unlikely to mention William by name.

His service records are on Ancestry under his RE no. 156183. Enlisted into RDF 31.08.14 aged 28 at Kilsyth, Sterlingshire where he was born. Posted to the 7th Bn 07.09.14 and 9th Bn 25.09.14. Forfeited days' pay on three occasions in 1914/15 for absence. Transferred to RE 01.04.16. There's a page of medical history which is difficult to read - d.c.d of leg etc (Developmental Coordination Disorder?). KIA 29.07.16 and buried at Noeux-les-Mines cemetery with map reference. His wife Nellie of 24 High Craigends Kilsyth obtained a widow's pension. There were children - Sarah, Agnes and Winifred.

Here's his SDGW record:

Name: William Mellon

Birth Place: Kilsyth, Stirlingshire

Death Date: 20 Jul 1916

Death Place: France and Flanders

Enlistment Place: Kilsyth, Stirlingshire

Rank: SPR.

Regiment: Royal Engineers

Regimental Number: 156183

Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

Comments: Formerly 12799, R. Dublin Fus. (170Th Tunn. Coy., R.E.)

Regards,

Mike

[Danrowley2601]

Thanks very much Mike, much appreciated. I've struggled to find anything else on the 170th tunnellers so think as far as the date is concerned that I might have hit a dead end with him unless I go down the Kew route.

Cheers

Dan

[Danrowley2601]

Mike, sorry, only just seen all of the detail in your reply. I was on my laptop earlier and didn't seem to show all of your post. The iPad seems to have done it. Absolutely great information.

Thank you very much

[sotonmate]

Lt Hugh MELLON MC of the Northumberland Fusiliers has a service record at Kew here:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1150781

The file will also have his earlier service papers as 23773 NF.

[Danrowley2601]

Excellent. Thank you very much :0) finding out a lot of stuff today and these papers are just the thing I'm after. Will get a quotation to see how much they are. Last time I requested something off Kew they were charging a fortune! Hope this isn't too bad :0)

Dan

[Langdon]

Lt Hugh MELLON MC of the Northumberland Fusiliers has a service record at Kew here:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1150781

The file will also have his earlier service papers as 23773 NF.

Well done sotonmate - I looked but the site beat me!

Hope it's worth the cost, Dan, and a lot less than a train journey.. You saw my post early while I was still editing/adding I think.

ATB,

Mike

[Corpsman]

Dan,

I have been carrying out some research on a voluntary basis and this has included John and Owen Mellon.

James Mellon also shows as Gunner Service No.2/1183 in the New Zealand Army Nominal Rolls as living at the same address in New Zealand and with the same parents in Auchinstarry.

I have records for both soldiers and some census details. This is the first I have been aware of Hugh's military service.

I have sent a PM. If you drop me a note I will send what I have

Paul

[Guest Tony Belcher]

Hello Dan - My maternal grandfather is Hugh Mellon. My family emigrated to Canada in 1948 and I never saw my grandfather again. Owen was his brother. Attached is a photo of him in WW1 in the Northumberland Fusiliers. I will attach separately a copy of the London Gazette description of how he was awarded the Military Cross.

Also attached is a photo of him in WW2 where he served in the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

Sadly his war medals all disappeared when he died in Glasgow in 1974 at age 81.

Are you related to the Mellon family? If you are and wish to have any family information I may have I would be happy to share.

You can e-mail me direct at tonybelcher@shaw.ca.

[Guest Tony Belcher]

Doc1.docx

Hi again Dan - attached is Gazette article of Hugh Mellon.

Thanks for providing the Medal Roll card.

[Danrowley2601]

Hiya Tony,

Thanks very much for this, much appreciated. Hugh, William, Owen and James were my nan's great uncles. Her granddad, Thomas, was the younger brother. Thomas's son, also Thomas, was my Great Grandfather. I think that my great uncle (also Tommy-there's so many Thomas's in the family!) has mentioned you before as he had shown me some information on Hugh that you had sent to him before.

I'm a school teacher so am planning an assembly based all around the war and remembering soldiers as men not numbers. I'm including some stories of Hugh, Owen and William Mellon. I don't have any information on James though. I think I've got some papers saved for William so I will have a look and can send you those on if you like.

I'm not sure if you've been on the NZ records, but there are full papers available for Owen on there too! Very detailed and very interesting!

Thanks for the reply.

Dan

[Graham Stewart]

23773 Pte Hugh Mellon originally served with the 3rd(Res)Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers on enlistment and took part in a Range Finding Course on the 22nd May 1916. From the 3rd(Res)Bn he was posted to the 9th Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers. Rising through the ranks he eventually became a Lance Sgt prior to being Commissioned under Kings Regulations Para 392(xix)a and continued to serve as an officer within the Regiment, but the Battalion is currently unknown to me.

[anthony P]

Hi Dan

William Mellon, Husband of Mrs N. Mellon of 24, High Craigends Kilsyth.

12799 Dublin Fusiliers and 156183 Sapper R.E. 170th Tunnelling Coy.

Entered France December 1915.

170th Tunnelling Coy were working in an area just south of Givenchy, under the Loos Battlefield. This was when he and three colleagues were gassed, this was

three days before he died 29th July 1916.

Hope this is of help.

Regards

Tony.

[john mellon]

William was my father's Uncle I have his and his brother Hugh's photos

[john mellon]

William and Hugh were my da's Uncles

[john mellon]

I have William's last postcard home and also a photo of both him and his wife Nellie

[Guest RMacmillan]

Hi,

richardmacmillan@xtra.co.nz

My grandmother was Agnes Griffin, daughter of Catherine Griffin (nee Mellon). Catherine and the two daughters Agnes and Susan and son Michael lived with the Mellon family following the early death of her Catherines husband. I believe James Mellon, Hugh and Owen emmigrated to NZ. At some point they were to fetch my grandmother Agnes to where they were living in a coal mining town in the South Island (Millerton nr Westport). However Agnes (Griffin) was already married at that time and so they took Susan Griffin (Agnes' younger sister) who would have been about 17 or 18yrs old at that time.

The next year the Mellon brothers (her uncles) went off to the war leaving Susan in NZ. I don't believe any of them returned to NZ (I am not sure what happened to James, I know he was wounded 6th Oct 1916). Susan Griffin married Alfred Armstrong who I think was a friend (fellow miner) from Westport NZ. They moved to Wellington and were married. They had three daughters (the eldest Catherine May), the other two I am trying to trace.

My mother, Elizabeth Macmillan (nee Morrison) is the daughter of Agnes Griffin and grandaughter of Catherine Griffin (nee Mellon).

I have copies of the Mellons' war records and would be interested in any contact with the family or from anyone who knows anything about the NZ off-spring.

I hope this is of interest,

Cheers

Richard

[Danrowley2601]

Hi Richard, great information-thanks so much! I don't have any information on James at all so would love to see some of that if possible. I'm off on a battlefield tour with school tomorrow so will be taking a Saltire out to remember Owen at Tyne Cot.

I see so many references to james, but it appears that (or it's very good at avoiding me!) there is so little information on him.

I'll post some photos of the memorial with Owen's name on it at Tyne Cot. I'm going to be really cheeky and see if we can make a stop at the miners memorial and see William's memorial too.

Many thanks

Dan

danrowley2601@hotmail.co.uk

[ss002d6252]

Hi Richard, great information-thanks so much! I don't have any information on James at all so would love to see some of that if possible. I'm off on a battlefield tour with school tomorrow so will be taking a Saltire out to remember Owen at Tyne Cot.

I see so many references to james, but it appears that (or it's very good at avoiding me!) there is so little information on him.

I'll post some photos of the memorial with Owen's name on it at Tyne Cot. I'm going to be really cheeky and see if we can make a stop at the miners memorial and see William's memorial too.

Many thanks

Dan

danrowley2601@hotmail.co.uk

Could this be James service records - http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE19679035 - son of John Mellon, married to a Kate Mellon of Westport.

Craig

[Danrowley2601]

That's my man!! Thanks very much Craig-really appreciate the link. going to have a good look at this now and hopefully will be able to use it for my visit to The Somme this week.

Dan

[Guest RMacmillan]

Thanks Craig,

That is great. Yes that is the James I was looking for. I don't think he made it back to NZ. I believe he was returned to Scotland wounded and died there. I did not know he was married. Slowly piecing it together!

Cheers

Richard

richardmacmillan@xtra.co.nz

Thanks Craig,

That is great. Yes that is the James I was looking for. I don't think he made it back to NZ. I believe he was returned to Scotland wounded and died there. I did not know he was married. Slowly piecing it together!

Cheers

Richard

richardmacmillan@xtra.co.nz

[ss002d6252]

James isn't listed in the NZ expeditionary force deaths listed here - http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sooty/nzefrohMe.html- so he may have died after discharge. If he died in Scotland he should be recorded on Scotlands People somewhere.

Craig

[john mellon]

Dan,

William was my Great Uncle he was married to Nellie Fraser from Kilsyth and his brother Hugh fought in both wars after being awarded the Military Cross he went away to be a priest but Monty heard of his prowess and asked if he would join his ''team'' during the 2nd WW...he died aged 84 in Glasgow..going back to William I have his last postcard to his daughter Sarah somewhere,there were 4 brothers who went to war the other 2 were Owen and James so to sym it up 2 brothers KIA one who fought in both wars and the other James I don't know what happened to him.

Hugh is buried with my Uncle James in Kilsyth and he has a grandson Tony Belcher who lives in Vancouver who has searched for his medals but I have a little idea who has them...John Mellon Kilsyth I also have photos.

[david murdoch]

William and Owen are remembered on the Croy war memorial, and as being from Auchinstarry. Neither are on the Kilsyth town memorial, but in the St Patricks roll of honour.

http://www.saintpatrickskilsyth.org.uk/saintpatricks/histories_war_dead_ww1.htm

 

Edited 30 September , 2016 by david murdoch

[john mellon]

they had a  large family and my grand father was the brother of Hugh, Charles, Owen, James, Thomas and William,Hugh ?They could have wrote a book about this man and I am getting near finding his Military  Cross,I know hugh after WW went away to be a priest then was sent for to join a special unit in WW2 and today I just found out that Charles died in the Chapel suddenly and there were 4 or 5 sisters also!