Thames Ditton, Surrey Memorial Project - Identifying W. Ames

[Malcolm12hl]

I am in the process of compiling a memorial booklet commemorating the 83 men of Thames Ditton parish who died in the Great War.  Thames Ditton is located between Surbiton and Hampton Court in Surrey,  and in 1914 the parish itself included parts of East Molesey, Esher, Long Ditton and Surbiton.

 

I have successfully identified almost all of those who lost their lives, but there are still four or five cases where I have been unable to identify which one of those in the CWGC database is the Thames Ditton inhabitant.

 

The first puzzler concerns W. AMES.  There are 12 men with this name in the database, one of which is there in error.  There is no stated tie to Thames Ditton or the surrounding communities to any of these, and I would value any assistance anyone can give me - even if it is simply to eliminate someone from the list.  The men concerned are:
 

Corporal WALTER AMES, 12031, 7/Norfolk, 13.10.1915
Stoker 1st Class WILLIAM AMES K/25984, H.M.S. GLATTON, 16.9.1918
(This appears to be a transcription error as the RN record card for this service number gives the man's name as WILLIAM ANNES)
Private WILLIAM AMES SR/7929, 4/Royal Fusiliers, 27.3.1916
Private WILLIAM AMES 63464, 8/Royal Fusiliers, 7.12.1917
Private WILLIAM AMES 22023, 1/Duke of Cornwall's Light infantry, 23.7.1916
Driver WILLIAM AMES 488453, 93rd Field Company, Royal Engineers, 23.3.1918
Corporal W. AMES 5306, 8/Queen's Own (Royal West Kent),  26.9.1915
Private W. AMES 5790, 1/Scots Guards, 11.11.1914
Private W. J. AMES 10873, 5/Dorset, 14.10.1916
Sergeant W. W. AMES,490053, 467th Field Company, Royal Engineers, 15.3.1917
Lieutenant WILLIAM KERR AMES, 1/Queen's Own (Royal West Kent),  16.9.1914
Corporal WILLIAM THOMAS AMES 43078, 1/Norfolk, 7.9.1916

 

Several of these men left widows with addresses in the CWGC database well away from East Surrey, but these are not necessarily the original marital address, as wives often moved back to their original homes after losing their husbands.

 

As I said, I would be very grateful for any assistance - even if it simply allows me to remove a candidate from the list.

 

Malcolm

[clk]

Hi Malcolm,

 

From your list, might this chap be a contender?

 

 

There are a couple of the other men that have PoW enquiry cards here that show addresses which might help to rule them in/out.

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

[Malcolm12hl]

Chris

 

Many thanks for your very helpful response.  Surbiton itself is just a mile or so away from here, so that alone would make him a strong contender.  The only fly in the ointment is that the nearest Cleveland Road I can find is in New Malden which is a couple of miles further away and well outside the parish.  Nonetheless, people move, and your lead is the hottest one I have had yet, so I will follow it up.

 

Thank you again

 

Malcolm

[clk]

Hi Malcolm,

 

I did wonder if it might have been misspelt/typed incorrectly, and should be Cleaveland Road.

 

Regards

Chris

[Malcolm12hl]

Thank you again Chris - there is indeed a Cleaveland Road in Surbiton, and it is even on the Thames side of the town, which is the nearest to Thames Ditton, so the match is looking stronger still.

 

Malcolm

[clk]

Hi,

 

The Scots Guards register on FMP shown that 5790 William Ames married a Catherine Garland in Newington, London in 1910 - witnesses John and Lucy Garland. In the 1923 electoral rolls for Thames Ditton parish, there is a Catherine Ames living in 'Denmark', Alexandra Road. Also in the property are a John Garland and a Lucy Garland. All too much to be a coincidence ???

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

Edited 19 February , 2018 by clk
Inserted link to marriage certificate on Ancestry

[Malcolm12hl]

Chris

 

Again, this is tremendous detective work - I am very grateful.  It is far too much of a coincidence (Alexandra Road is right in the village), and it looks very much as if Thames Ditton lost two Guardsmen in the War (Capt. H.E.A. PLATT of 1/Coldstream Guards (ex-19th Hussars) was killed near Railway Wood, Ypres Salient on 15.5.1916).  I will do some extra due diligence, but I am sure we have our man.  I will begin to move on to my next challenge - trying to identify the right T.C. JONES from rather a lot of Welshmen!

 

Malcolm