topdeer Posted 6 February , 2019 Share Posted 6 February , 2019 I have a postcard that has come from Gissen POW in 1917 but I am having trouble finding any records of him. His name was Pte H J Clarke Prison No. 42992 Company 4. Addressed to Mrs S Clarke Stour Cottage, Mill Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 6 February , 2019 Share Posted 6 February , 2019 It may not help but there a lot of old threads for Giessen POW Camp. Cant find your fellow anywhere yet George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topdeer Posted 6 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2019 Thank you for trying Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 6 February , 2019 Admin Share Posted 6 February , 2019 There is a militia record for a Henry James Clarke b.1887 Sudbury and resident there on enlistment in 1905, mother Susannah but I can't link the address only the town in the Census records nor find him on the ICRC database. He is possibly 7415 1st Bn Suffolk Regiment but can only find medal records. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topdeer Posted 6 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2019 Thank you. He was a POW there you can see that from the postcard. So there must be and recorded for him just like his medal recorded. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 6 February , 2019 Share Posted 6 February , 2019 I have a Henry James Clarke, 13 Cross Street, Sudbury, mother Susanna, brother Walter on attestation form of 1905. His number is 6711 Just checking 1901 census George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 6 February , 2019 Share Posted 6 February , 2019 1901 Census has them living in Sudbury. Ancestry has family trees but no reference to WW1 or POW George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topdeer Posted 6 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2019 Thank you for all that George. It looks like his POW history is a mystery then. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 6 February , 2019 Share Posted 6 February , 2019 You're welcome. Think I've exhausted all the sources I can think of! George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 7 February , 2019 Admin Share Posted 7 February , 2019 If, for the sake of argument we assume he was 7415 1st Bn Suffolk Regiment, he entered theatre with the Battalion as part of the 28th Division on the 16th January 1915. He was a regular soldier, the number indicating he enlisted towards the end of 1906 http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/07/suffolk-regiment-1st-2nd-battalions.html Paul’s site also has a list of POWs taken before December 1915 when the 2nd Bn was all but wiped out at Le Cateau and 500 men taken prisoner, he is not on that list http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2014/08/suffolk-regiment-other-rank-pows-1914.html The 1st Battalion war diary for most of April 1915 is lost, it only goes to April 9th. However the diary notes 391 ORs missing as well as the CO who was later confirmed as a POW in June 1915. The 28th Division and the 1st Bn went to Salonika in October 1915. This means we could be looking at casualty lists in 1915. To confirm or eliminate him. I don’t know how complete the ICRC Records are, H. Clarke listed in the list above is there but not this H. J. Clarke. Of course we can’t be certain he enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment but we have to start somewhere and the militia record is persuasive. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topdeer Posted 9 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2019 Thank you very much for your help Ken. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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