Unusually Named People of the Great War

[Uncle George]

Berhardt Basil von Brumsey im Thurn.

 

Not all that unusual a name, but he served in the Hampshire Regiment, and was awarded the DSO in the Second war. His daughter married Gerald Nabarro MP, he of the handlebar moustache.

[SapperBoo]

11712, Driver, Major Arthur Boocock, 14th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery

[David_Underdown]

Or more famously, Second Lieutenant Major William Booth, a Yorkshire and England cricketer before the war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Booth

Edited 24 November , 2017 by David_Underdown

[51st Sikhs]

On 9/3/2014 at 17:54, Old Owl said:

Lieutenant Elphinstone D'Oyly Aplin, 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regiment. Died of wounds May,1915.

Major Reinhold Meitzen Adams, 51st Sikhs, I.A. Died of wounds April,1917. I believe that his mother was of German origin.

Indeed. I have Adams’s sword. 

Edited 14 May , 2018 by 51st Sikhs

[brianmorris547]

Alfred Khartoum Gordon Hosier, 83107 Machine Gun Corps. His service record shows that he was born in 1895 ten years after General Gordon was killed in Khartoum.

[Muerrisch]

On 29/12/2015 at 14:29, geraint said:

A little boy' born in early 1915, was baptised Mons Jones, here in Ruthin. His father Pte Harry Jones of 1st RWF was a Mons survivor, though he was killed in action later in 1915. Harry's letters home are in the Denbighshire archives. Mons Jones lived in Ruthin throughout his life until his death in the late 1980s and though I can't recall him, he is still remembered with fondness by many.

 

Strange. 1st RWF were either in Malta or on the ship Home at the time of Mons. Every manjack of the battalion survived Mons!

 

2nd RWF, yes.

[asanewt]

22 minutes ago, Muerrisch said:

 

Strange. 1st RWF were either in Malta or on the ship Home at the time of Mons. Every manjack of the battalion survived Mons!

 

2nd RWF, yes.

I knew Mons very well. His father Henry "Harry" was 8481 2nd Bn. according to local historian David Williams's book 1997.

His father's letter, expressing pleasure at the choice of name for the little boy he had not seen. was on display here Nov. 2018.

[Muerrisch]

Thank you. I am sure you know that 2nd RWF were part of the ad hoc 19th Bde which was peripheral at Mons, marched hither and thither, then marched with astonishing endurance to and beyond Le Cateau almost to the environs of Paris before the tide turned. The real casualties started at La Cordonnerie late September 1914 and October.

[chrysalid58]

A few years late but responding to the wonderfully named Dai Bach y Sowldiwr - Saethon Osmond Vychan Williams is a distant relative of mine (a 2nd cousin 2x removed). He derived the name Saethon from the mistaken belief that the Williams family were descended from the Saethons of Llyn. Not true as it turned out. Osmond is in reference to his uncle, Sir Osmond Williams 1st Baronet of Penrhyndeudraeth. Vychan is derived from one of his father's middle names (Edward Herbert Vychan Wynn Williams) and Williams is a patronym for his 3x great grandfather, William Jones. Another Williams of ours who served in the Great War was Captain Osmond Deudraeth Williams. His middle name referencing the home of his grandparents David and Anne Williams.  

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

2 hours ago, chrysalid58 said:

Saethon Osmond Vychan Williams is a distant relative of mine (a 2nd cousin 2x removed). He derived the name Saethon from the mistaken belief that the Williams family were descended from the Saethons of Llyn. Not true as it turned out. Osmond is in reference to his uncle, Sir Osmond Williams 1st Baronet of Penrhyndeudraeth.

Welcome to the forum chrysalid58 and for your compliment.

 

Osmond Williams was the MP for Penrhyn, and the rest of Merionethshire too , in the 1900s.

Were they related to Clough-Williams Ellis?

My grandmother was born in this area, her father died young in 1908, a quarryman in the Ellis-Williams quarries. Her aunt Blodwen died in November 1918 of influenza.

If you are interested in the genealogy of this area, lots of the work has already been done and published in multiple trees (Over 100) in books by T.Ceiri Griffiths. (They're in Welsh, but a tree is a tree in any language!)

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/author/GRIFFITH,-CEIRI-T-?cm_sp=brcr-_-bdp-_-author

 

[chrysalid58]

Hello Dai and diolch

 

Yes... indeed the family is related. Sir Osmond Williams was Clough-Williams Ellis' uncle through his mother Ellen Mabel Greaves line. Ellen was the sister of Sir Osmond's wife, Frances Evelyn Greaves. Thank you for sharing something of your own roots. I simply had the good fortune to be adopted into things. Yes, I am familiar with T. Ceiri Griffiths research and have relied upon it to some extent. Sadly there are some significant gaps but it is the best roadmap we have barring some definitive DNA testing to help take the line back further with greater confidence.     

 

Thank you once again, Dai

 

Cymru am byth

 

Rachel  

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

I loved A. Nurse, RAMC (thanks for that); but how about A. Lamb, Military Farms Department?

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Guest]

  I remember reading decades ago a memoir written by a frontline British doctor who had treated the Kaiser. I hope fellow members may identify which account this was.  I believe he was referring to the following casualty on the CWGC listing:

 

PrivateKAISER, A

Service Number 9252

Died 20/08/1916

Aged 41

13th Bn. 
Middlesex Regiment

Husband of Sarah S. E. Kaiser, of 50, Town Rd., Lower Edmonton, London.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Reading through the Absent Voters List for Anglesey, at Mount, Holyhead, I came across this man:

 

A Lt.-Col. in the 5th Cheshires,    John Edward Grumble Groves.

 

 

[BullerTurner]

On 13/01/2016 at 11:53, Guest said:

Lt Ambrose Mary Anthony Iturdide de Lone Teeling, 3rd Bn Norfolk Regt

His father was Private Chamberlain to the Pope and a Pontifical Zouave click

Despite having been ridden over the Risorgimento for O level, A level and undergraduate studies, the existence of the Papal Zouaves had escaped me until now.  Fascinating corps...I’m obliged!

[Knotty]

Nice to see this thread resurrected.

I clearly think that this is unfortunately the wrong surname in this instance, what say you?

[Jim Strawbridge]

During my research of his sister (Ida Irene Jury, American Red Cross dietician, died 9th December 1918) I came across Aaron Centenial Jury. He was born 4th July 1876.

[ItemCo16527]

On 10/09/2014 at 06:24, helpjpl said:

Here are some Lieutenant-Commanders, Lieutenants and Sub-Lieutenants, 1915-1917, from the Navy List:

Athelstan Alfred Lennox Fenner

Robert Francis Uniacke Penrose Fitzgerald

Fitzroy Hamilton Dalrymple Byron

John William Titus Salt

Robert Gregory Maze Durrant Hunt

James Henry Maitland Makgill Crichton

Claud Lacy Yea Dering

Beauchamp Arthbuthnot Francis

Edye Kington Boddam Whetham

Henry Harwood Harwood

Eberhard William Ernest Callwell

Malger Powis Spence

Edward Pender Usticke Pender

Percy Ralph Passawer Percival

Byron Plantagenet Cary

Mansel Brabazon Fiennes Colville

Esmond Popham Hogg

Hugh Monthermer Montague

Edgar Hippisley Dolphin

Lawrence Hartshorne Jeans

Charles William Vane Tempest Stewart Lepper

Yvo Hedworth Fortescue Granville Wells

Archibald Elder Desmond Campbell Duthy

John Walter Willie Mellor Standring

John Domville Auchmuty Musters

Caradoc Stuart MacLeod Prinsep

Freke Payne

Marcel Harcourt Attwood Kelsey

Alpin Erroll Thomas

Leicester Charles Assheton St John Curzon-Howe

Redvers Michael Courtenay Holland-Pryor

Henry Joseph Rawle Paramore

William Ogilvy Scrymgoeur-Wedderburn

Thurston Bassett Thomas Peter

Lancelot Vivian Donne

Geoffrey Cayley Lambert Dalley

Nelson Ward Hampton Weekes

Oliver Jose Lewers Symon

Creslock Roger Price

George Stairs Napier Johnston

Edward Whalley Billyard Leake

John Mundell Mundell

Edward Newdigate Boulton

Robert Avaline Melhuish

Francis Riddell Charteris Riddell

Gerald Hildred Elsdale Molson

Stephen Saltmarshe Palmes

Gaspard Patrick Hunter-Blair

Roualeyne Geoffrey Gordon-Cumming

John Boddy Mein

Ralph Wulstan Kimberley Twinberrow

Frank Doria Pitt Palmer

Charles Richard de Bunsen Loftus Townshend

Newton James Wallop William-Powlett

Peveril Barton Reibey Wallop William-Powlett

Trevor Orchard Chichele Plowden

Pendarves Lister Frampton

George Frederick Playfair Watkins

Beville Granville

Eric Oloff de Wet, DSC

Esme John Richard Wingfield Stratford

Dyson Standish Hore

John Garnault Delahaize Ouvry

John King Pollock

Gerald Henry Paul Paul

Harold Volins Bartlett

Trethowan Campbell Trevredyn Wynne

Dick Aked Checkland Paterson

Lillistone Powys Lane

Erskine Knollys Heveningham St Aubyn, DSC

Hetley Selby Ash

William Rooke Macdonald Fleet

Not forgetting - Philip Acheson Warre & Albert Godfrey Peace, DSO

I'm very late to this one, but Hetley Selby Ash is a very distant cousin of mine. In 1946, the U.S. awarded him the Legion of Merit (Legionnaire) as a Lieutenant Commander on the Retired List. I'm still trying to find out what it was awarded for. I have copies of his service records from TNA, but no luck so far. I'm hoping to find the citation one day if it still exists. 

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

7 hours ago, ItemCo16527 said:

I'm very late to this one, but Hetley Selby Ash is a very distant cousin of mine. In 1946, the U.S. awarded him the Legion of Merit (Legionnaire) as a Lieutenant Commander on the Retired List. I'm still trying to find out what it was awarded for. I have copies of his service records from TNA, but no luck so far. I'm hoping to find the citation one day if it still exists. 

I think that you're more likely to find an answer on that side of the pond.

I assume that he emigrated to the USA and joined the USN?

There may be someone on here who specialises in the USN, but really, 1946 US Naval awards are outside the remit of this forum.

Try http://ww2talk.com/index.php

[helpjpl]

11 hours ago, ItemCo16527 said:

I'm very late to this one, but Hetley Selby Ash is a very distant cousin of mine. In 1946, the U.S. awarded him the Legion of Merit (Legionnaire) as a Lieutenant Commander on the Retired List. I'm still trying to find out what it was awarded for. I have copies of his service records from TNA, but no luck so far. I'm hoping to find the citation one day if it still exists. 

 

1.  The KING has been graciously pleased to give unrestricted permission for the wearing of the following decorations bestowed by the President of the United States of America:

For distinguished service to the Allied Cause throughout the war:

See pages 2559 and 2560

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37582/supplement/1

 

2.  This may be of interest:

https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersA7.html

 

JP

[ItemCo16527]

Thank you, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr and helpjpl. I just realized I have a couple of books that list awards from WWII that I can try to look him up in. Not sure why it didn't occur to me before.

 

@Dai Bach y Sowldiwr: from what I've been able to find so far, he did not live in the U.S. at any point. Last night before bed, I did discover that he was a submariner early in his career (from about 1918) and served aboard the HMS K-12. I'll need to re-read his service record to confirm the dates. I was so tired last night, the information didn't stick lol

 

Thank you for the links! I bookmarked unithistories.com since it looks like I'll be able to get a lot of use out of it doing research. 

 

I appreciate your help, guys! 

Edited 22 May , 2021 by ItemCo16527

[Martin Feledziak]

 Lieutenant-Colonel Mordaunt Vereker Le Poer Trench

 

 

[johnboy]

Not sure he fought in great war.

[Knotty]

Slightly off topic, but the last U.K. war named baby is Ella Passchendaele Maton-Cole, born in Alton Hampshire in 1998, so 23 years old now, and the name was handed down through her great grandmother, Florence Mary Passchendaele Fullick, who was named after her cousin, Frederick Fullick, who had died during the battle in September 1917, aged 24.

Edited 2 August , 2021 by Knotty

[James A Pratt III]

There was a WW II Russian General named Badnov> I think he was old enough for WW I/ the RCW