Int. records for H A K Barnard: Boer War & WWI with the Hants, Bethunes, Canadian Infantry

[Colee]

Interesting career soldier - who was also a 'time-keeper'? Henry Augustus Keppel Barnard (related to the dutch van Keppels who came over with William of Orange) was born in Norbiton, Surrey in 1883. I am essentially researching his WWI record - he fell while fighting with the Canadian Infantry in April 1917 - I think he joined them in May 1915 in Calgary. I couldn't find him in the Ancestry UK docs though, but found an interesting record of his in the Canadian archives (see below) which I am trying to decipher. It seems he fought with the Bethune Mounted Infantry and was also previously with the Hampshire Regiment. Can anyone find any other military docs of his apart from this one I've found?

Very many thanks for any help with this interesting chap.

Colee

 

[BFBSM]

Circumstances of Casualty:

 

 

Also his service records with the CEF are available here, http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B0442-S045, which details his service with the Canadian Service.

 

Battalion War Diaries for the relevant period are here: http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&rec_nbr=2005894&lang=eng&rec_nbr_list=2005894,2005900,2005897,2005895,1883218,2005898,2005899,1883217,1883216,2005896

 

I am looking for other paperwork.

 

Mark

[BFBSM]

On FindMyPast the Anglo-Boer War records 1899-1902 Transcription database provides the basic information below:

 

Quote

First name(s)	Henry Augustus Kepple
Last name	Barnard
Service number	44047
Rank	Private
Regiment	170 Company 38 Battalion Imperial Yeomanry
Other regiments/units	Unit: 170 Company 38 Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, Rank: Private, Number: 44047
Literary references	The National Archives WO128. Imperial Yeomanry, Soldiers' Documents, South African War.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM/BW/063122

[Colee]

Mark, that's absolutely wonderful, I'm really grateful. So much info! I spent so long ferreting around yesterday in UK docs (I don't know why no Hampshire Regiment docs came up) and got nowhere. A great rich source on the Canadian site.

by the way, have you been able to read the War Diary accounts, I may be clicking on the wrong link.... 

thank you

[Colee]

OK great, I seem to have found my way into the diary now, many thanks again.

[BFBSM]

Good to see you worked it out, and that the information is helpful.

 

The Hampshire records may have been damaged/destroyed in the fire at the storage facility during the Blitz.

 

Mark

[tullybrone]

Hi,

 

Is it not likely that as he served in a Volunteer Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment (pre 1908) those papers have been destroyed?

 

The only VB papers I’ve seen have been in relation to soldiers who went on to serve in Territorial Force post 1908 and into WW1.

 

Steve

[Colee]

such a tragedy so many of the UK papers were lost, the contrast with the amount of info available in these Canadian docs is amazing. Interesting medal info among the docs (see below). 

 

I guess 'eligible' for Victory and British War medals means they were actually dispatched. Does the 'P & S' and 'Mem. Cross' refer to other awards does anyone know?

 

 

 

[Loader]

I believe the BWM & VICTY medals were issued. The P &S are the plaque & Scroll issued to his nok. The Memorial Cross went to his widow as well. He was not eligible for the Star.

[Colee]

thank you - very interesting - first reference I've seen to these next of kin medals

[BFBSM]

Details on how to read the card posted in post #8. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/Pages/read-memorial-cross-card.aspx

 

Details on the Memorial Cross: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/memorial-cross

 

Here you will find an image of the inscription on The Vimy Memorial: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1564981?Henry Augustus Keppel Barnard

 

Mark

[Colee]

That's really brilliant, thank you, especially to see the actual inscription and to read about the care that was taken with the construction of the whole site, ie Canadian plants and trees used etc. and also to know about the national commemoration of 9 April. Definitely a memorial to go and visit.

 

A Boer War site helpfully found his IY docs too https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=gbm%2fwo128%2f0160%2f088_001

 

I have a slightly intriguing question still though about why his address seems to be listed as Red Post Hill, Herne Hill, perhaps it is to do with his parents, although I think they may have died by this point. His wife's last address recorded is at c/o H Langridge (wife's maiden name) at George Street, Croydon.

 

Also in his records he is listed as having no children, however a Mary Barnard was born in Croydon in 1917 with mmn Langridge - maybe she wasn't his or perhaps he didn't even know about it...

 

 

[Colee]

another slightly odd twist is that on Henry's docs he lists an old address of his sister for nok details, at 4 Egerton Rd, Manchester - sister named as 'Mrs E Keith-Roach. His sister Sarah Norton did live there after she married, but her husband was Leonard Fletcher Massey. There was a link with the Keith-Roach family much later though when Leonard's daughter Phillipa married Edward Keith-Roach in Jerusalem in 1939. Interesting mystery. Can anyone see anything obvious that I'm missing?!