Sydney Clifford Swann, 1/1st Berkshire Battery, R H A. Died Syria.

[midshipmanrayley]

Sydney Clifford Swann, sometimes found as Sidney, resident of Great Yarmouth, 1895-1918.

Died on active service in Syria 23rd October 1918 and buried in Damascus. Served as Driver 572 and 516201 in 1/1st Berkshire Battery Royal Horse Artillery.

Sydney is listed on the Great Yarmouth Roll of Honour but his entry with CWGC is sketchy.

Would like to discover more about Sydney, especially his service in Syria. Can any member give guidance?

[David Porter]

See

That thread mentions the diary of Albert Avery, which I cannot find online now, but contains the following:

November 3, 1918

"Arrive at Desert Corps rest camp Damascus & see graves of 4 of our chaps that died of fever."

November 7, 1918

"There is nearly 30 of our chaps dead through fever, since I left them."

Sydney's six figure number is actually 616201, which puts him enlisting in mid September 1914.

SDGW has this:

 

Name: Sidney Swan

Birth Place: Gt. Yarmouth

Death Date: 22 Oct 1918

Death Place: Egypt

Enlistment Place: Reading

Rank: Gunner

Regiment: Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery

Battalion: Territorial Force

Regimental Number: 616201

Type of Casualty: Died

Theatre of War: Egyptian Theatre

[midshipmanrayley]

Thanks David for the great info. Thought number 616201 given on Great Yarmouth Roll of Honour an error as 516201 on medal index card entry, good to get correct one.

[midshipmanrayley]

When one door closes another opens....

On your link there is John Massey RHA corporal 196 & 616016.

He married Sydney's sister Dorothy Gray Swann in June 1919 at Pangbourne.