Admin DavidOwen Posted 3 October , 2018 Admin Share Posted 3 October , 2018 Dear friends The above officer is my first foray into non-family members medals (sadly the family member side of things is bereft with just my paternal grandfather's WW2 Defence Medal remaining with me, but that is a story for another place). I have secured Captain Willis's BWM which is his sole entitlement. Let me tell you what I know so far: Captain Reginald Harry Willis was an Inspector of Accounts for the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company prior to being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 22nd August 1916 (I have the LG entry). According to FIBIS he was commissioned into the 88th Infantry and could speak Tamil, Hindustani and Telugu. He was promoted straight to Temporary Captain on 20th February 1917 (again I have the LG entry). As he was entitled only to the BWM I must conclude he never served beyond the Indian border. When he initially claimed his medal there was apparently some confusion with another officer "R.D. Willis" as his British MIC has "NOT identical with R.D." written across the top. Interestingly the India Office version of his MIC lists his address as "c/o The Statesman. 23 - 28 Fleet St. EC4" (see image) - I currently do not know his connection to that address / newspaper. That is as much as I know about Captain Willis, if anyone can add to his story I should be most grateful to read it. Thank you for reading. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 3 October , 2018 Share Posted 3 October , 2018 Dear David, I have him as a Railway Transport Officer, Delhi (Apr 1919 IA List), which makes sense, given his pre-Great War background, Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 3 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 3 October , 2018 31 minutes ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said: Dear David, I have him as a Railway Transport Officer, Delhi (Apr 1919 IA List), which makes sense, given his pre-Great War background, Kindest regards, Kim. Thank you Kim! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 3 October , 2018 Share Posted 3 October , 2018 Not finding much Married the 18yo Edith Maude Foster at Cannonore, Madras on 19/7/15. Occupation accountant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 3 October , 2018 Share Posted 3 October , 2018 Dear Mark1959, How clever of you to have found Lieut. Reggie Willis having married the young Edith on that 1915 date in Madras. Dear David, I see that the erstwhile Capt R. H. Willis, IARO, was still in the appointment of Rly Trans. Offr at Delhi as shown in the January 1920 Indian Army List. However, by the time of the April 1920 Indian Army List, he had been Released from the IARO... By 1926 he was apparently with "The Statesman" (possibly as an Accountant). What happened to their records? Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 3 October , 2018 Share Posted 3 October , 2018 (edited) His father was Frederick on the marriage register. Trying to see if Reginald Harry is the boy born to Frederick and Ruth 14/11/1890. Ruth was born in Madras. This Reginald’s elder brother, Frederick was also born in India. This Reginald himself in Dover. His dad was a QM Sgt in the Army Pay Dept. Baptism record gives correct full name and 1891 record has the family in Dover. No sign in 1901 and 1911 as yet. The marriage entry gives his age as 24 which would be correct. A Reginald Harry Willis arrives in London on a PO ship 22/10//21. With him is Edith and Masters Reginald and Maurice ((aged 4 and 2). He is described as merchant. India given as country of residence. edit Bingo. His Dad re-enlisted in the 7th Hussars on 12th July 1915 the week before his son’s wedding. Aged 52y 6m. Declares himself a 19th Hussars pensioner. 18 years previous service. Re-enlisted to work in HQ 9th Div India. Dad served Mespot Aug 1916 to May 1918 and MEF July 1918 to July 1919. Mentioned in Dispatches. Wife name is right. Reginald Harry appears as Born Dover 14/11/1890 and 4 younger siblings born in India - 3 in Madras. Also shows he was a QM Sgt Pay Dept at time of son’s birth. Earlier service details in docs. 1880-1898. Docs indicate living in Madras some time after discharge. Edited 4 October , 2018 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 4 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 4 October , 2018 Mark and Kim, fantastic! Many thanks, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 (edited) PS His Dad enlisted in Wellington, india. Edited 4 October , 2018 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 Dear Mark1959, Brilliant! Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 (edited) Baptism record of Maurice Chelmsford Willis b. 6/3/1917 that suggests he is the elder son - but gives his father's unit. Maurice died in Leicestershire in 2005 Edited 4 October , 2018 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 Dear All, That would seem to have been 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry. Super! Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 4 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 4 October , 2018 Thank you very much to both of you, this is all very informative. Kim, that erstwhile online encyclopaedia has the 63rd as serving in East Africa from October 1914 being part of the force defeated by the Germans at the battle of Tanga, remaining on lines of communication duties in East Africa for "the remainder of the war until returning to India" so might Captain Willis have been with them or would he have remained at base? The latter would seem more likely as otherwise he would presumably have been entitled to the VM as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 Dear David, I agree the latter would have been the case. Happily, thanks to the IA Medal Index Card entries, his single-qualification of the BWM is well-documented. Compared to many of his contemporaries, Capt Willis had 'a lovely war' (as Dad used to say)... Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 4 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 4 October , 2018 11 hours ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said: By 1926 he was apparently with "The Statesman" (possibly as an Accountant). What happened to their records? Kim I haven't been able to find any accessible archives / records for the Statesman yet. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 Dear David, Apparently it was (and still is) an Indian (English language) newspaper. Clearly in those days with offices in Fleet Street... Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 4 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 4 October , 2018 5 hours ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said: That would seem to have been 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry. Out of interest I downloaded the only War Diary for the 63rd Palamcottah I could find from the National Archives - runs Nov 1914 to Dec 1916 with Feb 1916 missing (interestingly the January 1916 month is signed off and dated as "6th March"). Apart from the first 24 - 36 hours when the regiment was in the thick of the fighting at Tanga (the action is described in quite some detail and at least 3 times!) the regiment spent the rest of the time guarding railway lines and bridges in and around the Mombassa area with no significant actions being recorded. There are a number of skirmishes with small numbers of German bombing parties but no casualties appear to have been taken during the period (plenty invalided home to India sick though). It was interesting to see a reference to a "Rexer" gun which when I looked it up turned out to be a British version of the Madsen which looks remakably like a Bren! Obviously no mention of Captain Willis and strangely looks like there must be diary missing (or I couldn't find it) as it ends with the regiment still firmly in Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 4 October , 2018 Share Posted 4 October , 2018 (edited) Sorry been out all day. I think Edith Maud may also have died in Leics. She was born 10/12/1896 (same place she got married). There is a probate record for a lady of the same name - died 6/10/1973. She is described as a widow. The Death Reg gives this lady's DoB as 10/12/1899. The same day if 3 years wrong - too much of a coincidence? So if correct wife RHW was dead by then Ancestry have a death reg for a Reginald H Willis (they have indexed with an initial N, FMP as M but looks like H) in Leicester 4Q 1965 Edited 4 October , 2018 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 6 October , 2018 Mark Thank you very much it is all very interesting information I think this is his Dad Frederick's MIC (the only Frederick Willis in the Hussars on TNA) Image courtesy of Ancestry Free Access Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 6 October , 2018 Share Posted 6 October , 2018 Yes that is the father. Matches the number on the top of his attestation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 7 October , 2018 Author Admin Share Posted 7 October , 2018 11 hours ago, Mark1959 said: Yes that is the father. Matches the number on the top of his attestation Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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