Help with War Memorial

[Stiltony]

I am trying to find records for W Stretton, who is listed on the Stilton village WW1 war memorial. The only place I can find anything that looks correct is a William Stretton, 5th Bedfordshire Regiment listed as next of kin to Edward Stretton from Stilton, Peterborough (Norhamptonshire in venus records). He is the only soldier we cannot positively identify and we would like to honour him properly. Any help or ideas or where to look would be appreciated.

[johnboy]

Seems like he survived the war and was disharged  RAMC in 1920.

 

From service record on FMP

[Stiltony]

Edwards Stretton was discharged from RAMC in 1920, I am looking for information on his brother William.

I am not on FMP, do they show anything different to the above page, and the other 20 images, in the file I can get on Ancestry?

 

[HarryBrook]

This is Edward Stretton in the 1911 census at Stilton, Peterborough; note that he is in the household of John and Sarah Stanger. This is the link to the census on ancestry

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/2352/rg14_08660_0069_03/52206776?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdbid%3d2352%26gsfn%3dEdward%26gsln%3dStretton%26cp%3d0%26msbdy%3d1897%26msrpn__ftp%3dstilton%2c%2bhuntingdonshire%2c%2bengland%2c%2bunited%2bkingdom%26msrpn%3d1667273%26hc%3d20%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26uidh%3duci%26redir%3dfalse%26msT%3d1&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

 

Next the 1901 census for Edward Stretton and his brother William, sons of Robert Stretton, "a licensed hawker in caravan", and Elizabeth Stretton at Cosby, Leics.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/7814/LEIRG13_2956_2958-0712?pid=17196786&treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=srK6018&_phstart=successSource

The names Robert and Elizabeth Stretton come up in the C.W.G.C. entry below.

 

William Stretton was born about 1895.

 

Next the CWGC entry for William Stretton 19743 Hampshire Regt., Doiran Memorial, Greece. Note he was noted as son of Robert and Elizabeth Streeton.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1652261/stretton,-/

 

His entry in Soldiers Died in the Great War where his surname is given as Stratton states that he was formerly 18376 Bedfordshire Regt. The Bedfordshire Regt. being mentioned in Edward Stretton's service record: William Stretton his next of kin. Link on ancestry.co.uk

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=srK6020&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&dbid=1543&gsfn=William&gsln=Stratton&cp=0&_F0007CF4=Hampshire&_F8007A65=19743&new=1&rank=1&uidh=uci&redir=false&msT=1&gss=angs-d&pcat=39&fh=0&h=458657&recoff=&ml_rpos=1

 

His medal index card is also as Stratton. It does not mention Bedfordshire Regt. as he did not first serve overseas with that Regt. It also states "presumed dead".

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A001499-00068/4871494?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

 

His entry in the Register of Soldiers Effects gives his joint legatees as Uncle and Aunt, John and Sarah Stanger, which brings us back to the 1911 census for Edward Stretton at Stilton, Peterborough in the household of John and Sarah Stanger. 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60506/42511_6129999_0115-00266/259111?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

 

I believe this is the William Stretton on the Stilton War Memorial (all be it with some confusion over the surname  Stretton / Stratton)

 

 

 

 

 

[HolymoleyRE]

1 hour ago, HarryBrook said:

 

I believe this is the William Stretton on the Stilton War Memorial (all be it with some confusion over the surname  Stretton / Stratton)

Nice work Harry. 

 

The Pension Ledger from Ancestry to "William Stratton" confirms him as a Stilton man with Sarah Ann Stanger named. 

Regards 

Andy 

 

 

[The Inspector]

Hi

Sarah Ann Stretton  married John Stanger 2nd qtr 1879 Peterborough. 3b.410.

Regards Barry

[James123]

Cracking job on that one guys, was following with interest 

Edited 4 January , 2020 by James123

[Mark1959]

FMP have a scrap of a record from 1917 that lists some NCOs and men as being accepted as dead on or since. He appears with a date of 7/12/15. There is an annotation with the 22/12/15 date. 
FWR has a transcribed record that says he was previously reported missing now reported died whilst a POW in Bulgarian Hands. Looking for an original record for this...

whether the annotation was due to this report is anyone’s guess.

There is a will for him that can be ordered

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Wills?Surname=Stratton&SurnameGrants=Stratton&YearOfDeath=1915&YearOfDeathGrants=1915&IsGrantSearch=False&IsCalendarSearch=False#soldiers

probably only a few lines in a paybook

The war gratuity was £3. So served a year or less.

it is noted that the 1914/5 S Medal roll gives a qualifying date of 3/10/15 and 2B Gallipoli as the area. The 10th Hants left Gallipoli for Mudros on 29/9/15. Landed Salonika on 6/10/15 according to longlongtrail so probably did not ever get to Gallipoli. Not sure if 3/10/15 was when he left UK or when he joined unit. 

Edited 4 January , 2020 by Mark1959

[Stiltony]

Thanks for all this information, some off which I had but needed a second (or third) pair of eyes to confirm and find the complete evidence.

Here is a picture of the new memorial where W Stretton is named, we had to relocate the plaques from the old location.

Thanks again.

 

Stiltony.