Admin Michelle Young Posted 4 October , 2006 Admin Share Posted 4 October , 2006 Remembering today Name: SERLS Initials: E W Nationality: Australian Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Unit Text: 44th Bn. Date of Death: 04/10/1917 Service No: 2410 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XLI. B. 20. Cemetery: TYNE COT CEMETERY My Grandmothers cousin RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 5 October , 2006 Share Posted 5 October , 2006 Remembering Pte Serls and all his mates killed on October 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyspiller Posted 5 October , 2006 Share Posted 5 October , 2006 Michelle We will remember them Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 2 January , 2007 I was looking at the service records of my relative last night and a couple of queries came up. I now know his home address, so can anyove in Aus help with an address/ email for any local papers in Armadale, Western Australia and also there was an exhumation report in the papers, with the reference 51 757/E Does anyone know what this means please? Ernest is buried in Tyne Cot having been killed in action delivering a message during the Brodseinde ridge action on 4th October 1917. In this the 90th anniversary year of his death, I'd love to find a photo of him. I am hoping to trace some relatives in Australia to see if they have any photos, hence the enquiry for newspapers. I know that his home address was "Hillside", Armadale. Does this ring any bells to anyone? Thanks for reading. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 2 January , 2007 Share Posted 2 January , 2007 Michelle, Armadale in virtually now a suburb of Perth but they have a History Park with museum. A few checks on the internet will probably give you an email address to make enquiries with the museum. The following link might also help you. It has indexed references to Ernest Serls from a portrait and biography book published in 1920. The link is to the Western Australia Dead Persons Society and if you go to the main page you might be able to email them and make some enquiries. http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/books/indx0029.htm Ernest Serls name is also on the Honor Board in the Minnawarra Chapel in Armadale and also the Armadale War Memorial Obelisk (pictured below). There is also a Serls Street in Armadale. Sorry I can't be of more help right now but I'll keep looking and see what I can dig up. Regards, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 2 January , 2007 Share Posted 2 January , 2007 Oh and by the way, if you use this link to the Australian White Pages telephone directory you'll find 3 x Serls in Western Australia. The 3rd on this list lives in Mt Nasura which is in the same area with Armadale and I would suspect strongly they are related to Ernest. http://www.whitepages.com.au/wp/resSearch.jhtml Regards again, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 2 January , 2007 Bless you Tim, he was my Grans cousin. She will be very interested to hear that there is a Serls street. I have a pic of the panel on the memorial thanks to Bill Woerlee but not one of the whole memorial. Nan says that the Serls family were prominent church members, with some of them being ordained. I'll certainly follow up the lead about the portrait, Nan is very frail now, but as sharp as a needle mentally, she visited his grave some years back but like me has no idea what her cousin looked like. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 2 January , 2007 Share Posted 2 January , 2007 Michelle if you like I will give the serls in Mt Nasura a call for you and see if they are related to Ernest (which I suspect they are). If I have any joy, I'll email or PM you and organise for you to make contact. Perhaps with a bit of luck they may have a photo of Ernest (or at least know the location of one) Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 2 January , 2007 Tim you are a star- Thank you so much! Ernest had a brother called Lewis who was married to Ivy, I remember meeting them in the very early 70s when they came to stay with Nan. I think that Lewis was a geologist. Ernest was unmarried Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 3 January , 2007 Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Hi Michelle Hopefully Tim is successful with his contact, otherwise there is a research column in the state paper called 'Can You Help' and is used by researchers in search of information. I have used it myself several times, nearly always successfully. Regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 3 January , 2007 Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Michelle ... where did you locate the reference number? 51 757/E I have the email address for the person to contact at the West Australian Newspapers for the "Can you Help" section if you would like that. Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceebee Posted 3 January , 2007 Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Michelle I think the reference number, 51.757/E, relates to a burial return file which is used in the case of battlefield exhumations. The figure 51 is consistent for all Tyne Cot reburials I have seen on other service records. The number doesn't seem to be a map grid reference. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Thank you Andrew Simon and Sandra. The reference was contained on a sheet of paper in his service records- there were 3 cemeteries listed on there- Tyne Cot, Warlencourt and I think Sailly-Sailsel, like you Chris, I can't see that it is a map reference. The Can you Help email would be great please. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 4 January , 2007 Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Michelle, Good news, the Serls I spoke to were indeed related (great grandchildren) to Ernest. They put me on to their father 'Ern' who was named after his Grandfather. Actually he was born in 1929 on the same date that Ernest was KIA during WW1. Ern told me a long tale about the family and that Ernest had seven children all of whom have died. (three sons and four daughters) He then told me that one of the daughters married Kevin Shaw who had been the son of Ernest's best mate in the army (2411 Lester Shaw - note the consecutive service number to Ernest's). Kevin is still alive!! Now.....Ern remembers seeing a photo of Ernest playing football with the Armadale Football Club taken before the war but can't remember where it is now and he also remembers seeing the death plaque but has no idea what became of it......BUT he believed Kevin may have photos of Ernest with his father Lester. So....I rang Kevin Shaw and spoke with him and yes he has photos of Ernest and Lester together and also photos of them individually. FANTASTIC!! The only problem is that Kevin is very old, is very ill with chronic emphaseyma and whas no idea about copying photos let alone computers and scanning and I live on the other side of the continent so can't just drop in. I have Kevin's phone number and he's in Perth but we'll have to find someone who can pay him a visit and organize a copy of the photos for you. Kevin was happy for me to pass on his phone number if we were able to find someone who could help. Andrew and Sandra, I know you're both in WA - would this be a task either of you could help out with or do you know someone that might be nearer? Regards, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 4 January , 2007 I am blown away- THANK YOU. I still can't believe this.....I told Nan I'd try to do a bit more to find Ernest only last week, and I am within touching distance. She will be delighted. I will be visiting Ernest early Feb, would be great to leave a photo at his grave Andrew many thanks for the PM, much appreciated. I don't know how I can repay all your kindness, I don't think I can ever get to Aus to buy you a cold beer, but if you want any photos of graves here or in F&F I can try to oblige. I'll be in Belgium next month and France April. I live quite close to Sutton Veney as well and Leighterton is not too far. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon6640 Posted 4 January , 2007 Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Michelle, Good news, the Serls I spoke to were indeed related (great grandchildren) to Ernest. They put me on to their father 'Ern' who was named after his Grandfather. Actually he was born in 1929 on the same date that Ernest was KIA during WW1. Ern told me a long tale about the family and that Ernest had seven children all of whom have died. (three sons and four daughters) He then told me that one of the daughters married Kevin Shaw who had been the son of Ernest's best mate in the army (2411 Lester Shaw - note the consecutive service number to Ernest's). Kevin is still alive!! Now.....Ern remembers seeing a photo of Ernest playing football with the Armadale Football Club taken before the war but can't remember where it is now and he also remembers seeing the death plaque but has no idea what became of it......BUT he believed Kevin may have photos of Ernest with his father Lester. So....I rang Kevin Shaw and spoke with him and yes he has photos of Ernest and Lester together and also photos of them individually. FANTASTIC!! The only problem is that Kevin is very old, is very ill with chronic emphaseyma and whas no idea about copying photos let alone computers and scanning and I live on the other side of the continent so can't just drop in. I have Kevin's phone number and he's in Perth but we'll have to find someone who can pay him a visit and organize a copy of the photos for you. Kevin was happy for me to pass on his phone number if we were able to find someone who could help. Andrew and Sandra, I know you're both in WA - would this be a task either of you could help out with or do you know someone that might be nearer? Regards, Tim L. Fantastic Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bennett Posted 4 January , 2007 Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Michelle, here is a photo of his grave at Tyne Cot. If you would like a bigger res. please PM me. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Thanks for that Peter. I have photos of his grave but that is a good one. This one will be fine thank you. I'll save this one. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Michelle, Good news, the Serls I spoke to were indeed related (great grandchildren) to Ernest. They put me on to their father 'Ern' who was named after his Grandfather. Actually he was born in 1929 on the same date that Ernest was KIA during WW1. Ern told me a long tale about the family and that Ernest had seven children all of whom have died. (three sons and four daughters) He then told me that one of the daughters married Kevin Shaw who had been the son of Ernest's best mate in the army (2411 Lester Shaw - note the consecutive service number to Ernest's). Kevin is still alive!! Now.....Ern remembers seeing a photo of Ernest playing football with the Armadale Football Club taken before the war but can't remember where it is now and he also remembers seeing the death plaque but has no idea what became of it......BUT he believed Kevin may have photos of Ernest with his father Lester. So....I rang Kevin Shaw and spoke with him and yes he has photos of Ernest and Lester together and also photos of them individually. FANTASTIC!! The only problem is that Kevin is very old, is very ill with chronic emphaseyma and whas no idea about copying photos let alone computers and scanning and I live on the other side of the continent so can't just drop in. I have Kevin's phone number and he's in Perth but we'll have to find someone who can pay him a visit and organize a copy of the photos for you. Kevin was happy for me to pass on his phone number if we were able to find someone who could help. Andrew and Sandra, I know you're both in WA - would this be a task either of you could help out with or do you know someone that might be nearer? Regards, Tim L. Hi Tim The drive over the nullabor isn't that long If you e-mail me through his contact details I will see what I can do. Cheers Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Thanks Andrew, email on the way. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 5 January , 2007 Author Admin Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Thank you both, I am humbled by your kindness. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Well done people cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 6 January , 2007 Share Posted 6 January , 2007 Astounding as usual Tim! I'm going to have to enlist you - to take over some of my research projects. Frev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 6 January , 2007 Share Posted 6 January , 2007 It must be the frustrated detective in me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 7 January , 2007 Share Posted 7 January , 2007 Hi Michelle Have sent a PM. I met with Mr Shaw this morning and he gave me some photos which I'll scan tonight. He is not too well but was interested to learn of your link with Ernie and said that Ernie was always spoken of in glowing terms. Cheers Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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