Married in Batoum

[jonnyboy]

I am researching my Grandfather, Sergeant Leonard Victor Young, of the Royal Warwicks, Army No. 11164. Also my Grandmother who was born in Vienna who he Married in Batoum, S.E. Georgia in 1919. I have his Medal Card which says he had the three medals and the Qualifying Date was 30.11.15. The Theatre of War was 2b Balkans. His Rank says L/Cpl and in the lower box, Cpl.

I have a copy of his Marriage Certificate, (Numbered, No 6). He was Married in the, “Gymnasium Church” in Batoum, on August 24th.1919. And was then a Sergeant in the 9th. Warwicks attached to, G.W.T.R.E. It was witnessed by the British Consulate of Batoum, Patrick Wm. Stevens. He Married, Louisa Kovatchek who was in a Theatre Dance group that must have entertained the Troupes. She was in the Theatre Coliseum, Lode, Rushland sometime in 1914 and also the Casino Theatre, Baku in 1914.

Other witnesses to the Marriage were, Andrew Mackie Blyth, George Henry Shepherd and Jamara or Tamara Shepherd. Were Blyth and Shepherd his army buddies and has anyone any ideas what “Attached to G.W.T.R.E.”or possibly, J.W.T.R.E. meant? I have looked at different Abbreviations lists but can’t find this abbreviation. Also, any ideas how to find info on troupe entertainers from Vienna, 1914-1918. I enclose the only picture I have of the dance troupe, my grandmother is 1st. on the right, where the photo is ripped, has anyone any more pictures of this dance troupe ?

I see from reading, “The Long, Long Trail” that in July/Aug.1918, the 39th Brigade joined the Dunsterforce and went to Baku, did they also go to Batoum as well, or was this just something to do with him being “Attached to G.W.T.R.E” ? Would he have been in the 9th Service Battalion all through the War, as only R.Wark. is on his medal card ?

Any info or comments would be really appreciated, Thank You for reading this.

Sorry it's so long.

jonnyboy.

[kevan darby]

Hello very interting about your grandfathers wedding at Batoum. The Name of witness George Henry Shepperd was also a sergt in the 9th Warwicks his number was 3121 and he lived at back 25 Icknield Port Road Birmingham.

[Kate Wills]

Hi Jonny and welcome to the Forum.

I wonder if Lode 'Rushland' is actually Russland (German for Russia). Have you found it on a map?

Also, 'gymnasium' is often used for a high school in Germany, so it may be that they married in a school chapel.

Where did they live when your grandfather left the forces? When they returned to England, did your grandmother take out naturalisation? If so, have you tried entering her name into the London Gazette of Public Record Office search engines?

[jonnyboy]

Hi, and Thank You both for taking the time to reply to my letter. That was interesting to learn that George Shepherd was also a Sgt. In the Warwicks and lived in Icknield Port Road. (was he any relation to you Kevan) They could possibly have been mates in civvies as my Grandfather was born in Rolf St. in 1898 and in the 1901 census was living at back, 15 Moillett St. After getting married, they then lived in London St., all close to each other in the Smethwick area, before moving to Beeches Rd. Oldbury sometime around 1930.

Kate, I had already emailed the National Archives Dept. to see if she had Naturalization papers but, as the law stood at that time, because she had married a British Citizen, she did not need them. Thank you for the suggestion though, any more ideas and do you know what, “attached to G.W.T.R.E” could mean ?

The “Gymnasium Church” I just thought that it would be mainly a Gym, doubled up as a church that the troops used but, I suppose thinking about it now after you saying it was possibly a school chapel that sounds more logical.

You were right kate, it is spelt with two S’s, not an H, now I’ve put me specks on I see two S’s. I have not found Lode on a map but, there are other Russian connections too. I have a post card of six men in snowy ruins with foreign writing on front and back but clearly says 25/12/23 Petersburg, wonder if it was something to do with the Russian Revolution and the connections to my Grandmother! Another one from Charkov, Russland, 1913. One of my grandmother, with her mother and a group of men, one in army uniform, who I think was my G.Grandfather, addressed to Riga, Russland . Then there is the Czechoslovakian side of it too --- intriguing ! Guess I’ll never find out all I would like to. Any Ideas how to find out about Viennese Traveling Dance Troups ---- I don’t want much do I !

I am loosing the plot a bit, as I normally do, but, did the 9th Warwicks Battalion land off the SS River Clyde on V beach on 25th April 1915 or not – I seem to be reading conflicting reports !

Anyway, Thank You both once again, Best Wishes, jonnyboy.

In Remembrance of Sgt. Leonard Victor Youngs Son, 4927106 Pte. Leonard Young 2nd. Airborne S. Staffs Regiment who died Aged 20 on 18th. Sept. 1944 at Arnhem.

[brindlerp]

9th Warwicks Battalion information (1919) and modern map on this link:

http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showt...3232&hl=georgia

Regards

Richard

[kevan darby]

Hello, The 9th Warwicks landed in at Cape Helles on 13th July 1915 via the the River Clyde. My Grandfather Frederick Albert Darby 11568 (no close to your granfather)was a sgt in The 9th Warwicks and his Qualifing date was the same as your granfather 30/ 11 /15 they would of got in to the lines at the salt lake line reserve trenches at Suvla Bay on the 5th December, after evacuation of Suvla they again landed at Cape Helles on 29th December and stayed to evacuation of Pennisula. from there to Mudros then Alexandria them up to Mesopotamia, Persia then Baku, the origanal plan to disband the battalion was made by G L H Stevenson G.OC troops Tiflis, base commandant Batoum on the 28/8/19.

i have lots more info if you need more email me at kev@darby5361.fsnet.co.uk[/color]have you a photo of your grandfather if so could you send it me as im collecting all info and pics on the 9th for reference for book on the 9th.

[jonnyboy]

Thanks Guys, Info very much appreciated. Will email Kevan about photos etc. Regards jonnyboy.

[peterglee]

I am researching my Grandfather, Sergeant Leonard Victor Young, of the Royal Warwicks, Army No. 11164. Also my Grandmother who was born in Vienna who he Married in Batoum, S.E. Georgia in 1919. I have his Medal Card which says he had the three medals and the Qualifying Date was 30.11.15. The Theatre of War was 2b Balkans. His Rank says L/Cpl and in the lower box, Cpl.

I have a copy of his Marriage Certificate, (Numbered, No 6). He was Married in the, "Gymnasium Church" in Batoum, on August 24th.1919. And was then a Sergeant in the 9th. Warwicks attached to, G.W.T.R.E. It was witnessed by the British Consulate of Batoum, Patrick Wm. Stevens. He Married, Louisa Kovatchek who was in a Theatre Dance group that must have entertained the Troupes. She was in the Theatre Coliseum, Lode, Rushland sometime in 1914 and also the Casino Theatre, Baku in 1914.

Other witnesses to the Marriage were, Andrew Mackie Blyth, George Henry Shepherd and Jamara or Tamara Shepherd. Were Blyth and Shepherd his army buddies and has anyone any ideas what "Attached to G.W.T.R.E."or possibly, J.W.T.R.E. meant? I have looked at different Abbreviations lists but can't find this abbreviation. Also, any ideas how to find info on troupe entertainers from Vienna, 1914-1918. I enclose the only picture I have of the dance troupe, my grandmother is 1st. on the right, where the photo is ripped, has anyone any more pictures of this dance troupe ?

I see from reading, "The Long, Long Trail" that in July/Aug.1918, the 39th Brigade joined the Dunsterforce and went to Baku, did they also go to Batoum as well, or was this just something to do with him being "Attached to G.W.T.R.E" ? Would he have been in the 9th Service Battalion all through the War, as only R.Wark. is on his medal card ?

Any info or comments would be really appreciated, Thank You for reading this.

Sorry it's so long.

jonnyboy.

Interesting to read your post. I have just started researching my Gt Uncle John or Jack Jones from N Wales who also married in Batoum. I've not yet got the marriage certificate so not much detail. His bride was Olga Georgievna Danilova but I dont know yet where she came from. I also have not been able to find out which unit Jack was with or his rank. Family stories suggestted that he was a RSM in a Welsh regiment. Does anybody know if there was a Welsh regiment in Batoum at that time?

Peter

[Hywyn]

Peter

If Jack was from Caernarfonshire I may be able to help you identify him (especially central Caernarfonshire). Have you a full name, year of birth and placename/where next of kin resided. 8th RWF were in Mespot and 11th were in Salonika but I must confess I don't know where Batoum is in relation to this. Possibly his unit and number will be on the certificate.

Hywyn

[Terry_Reeves]

I think he may well have been attached to the Inland Waterways Transport RE, who had a detachment in Murmansk, and also, I think, on either the Black Sea or Caspian Sea.

TR

[Staffsyeoman]

The only footnotes I'll add are that Batoum still exists as Batumi, and 9th Royal Warwicks was the only battalion of the regiment in WW1 aside from the Garrison Battalion not to serve in France and Flanders.

[west coast]

Hello, The 9th Warwicks landed in at Cape Helles on 13th July 1915 via the the River Clyde. My Grandfather Frederick Albert Darby 11568 (no close to your granfather)was a sgt in The 9th Warwicks and his Qualifing date was the same as your granfather 30/ 11 /15 they would of got in to the lines at the salt lake line reserve trenches at Suvla Bay on the 5th December, after evacuation of Suvla they again landed at Cape Helles on 29th December and stayed to evacuation of Pennisula. from there to Mudros then Alexandria them up to Mesopotamia, Persia then Baku, the origanal plan to disband the battalion was made by G L H Stevenson G.OC troops Tiflis, base commandant Batoum on the 28/8/19.

i have lots more info if you need more email me at kev@darby5361.fsnet.co.uk[/color]have you a photo of your grandfather if so could you send it me as im collecting all info and pics on the 9th for reference for book on the 9th.

hi there,

was the river clyde not still aground at v beach at this time ?.

cheers ,mike.

[peterglee]

Although seven years have passed, I thought I would update my earlier post.

Jack Jones married Olga Georgievna Danilova at Batoum on September 26 1919. He was Serjeant (sic) Caucasian Signal Coy. R.E. - Army of the Black Sea, not as I had thought a RSM in a Welsh Regiment. They were married in the chapel of the 26th Middlesex Regt. He had received an Authority to marry: 27 div No A.M. 282 of 11/9/19. I wonder if the chapel mentioned was the same as the Gymnasium church mentioned in another post. For the record, Jack and Olga settled in London after his demob and he became a policeman.
 

[seaJane]

On 04/04/2010 at 19:44, Staffsyeoman said:

The only footnotes I'll add are that Batoum still exists as Batumi, and 9th Royal Warwicks was the only battalion of the regiment in WW1 aside from the Garrison Battalion not to serve in France and Flanders.

Indeed - I was in Batumi some years ago. It's been much re-developed but our tour guide did point out to us the building that had been the British hospital during the Great War.