Miss Nell Davidge

[Matlock1418]

22 minutes ago, Neil Wilson said:

This is the postcard sent to Miss Nell Davidge by her brother Edward on 29 Dec 1917

Thanks for posting - always handy to see the evidence firsthand so to speak!

I read as:

"Am alright but it is so cold right on the coast and miles from anywhere. Am marked O1 so may be moved from here to Ripon. If lucky will write letter tomorrow"

Seems likely a medical/fitness [a1?] or possibly a training/efficiency evaluation I suppose ??

[If medical a1 then he must have rather gone downhill to end up in the LC]

M

Edited 8 April , 2022 by Matlock1418
add and remove an erroneous image

[Neil Wilson]

1 minute ago, Neil Wilson said:

This is the postcard sent to Miss Nell Davidge by her brother Edward on 29 Dec 1917

The photo shows Alvingham and South Cockerington parish churches, which are next to each other at the side of Louth canal which ran from the coast near North Somercoates to The market town of Louth.

My family and I often walk over the bridge that replaced this, possibly, swing bridge. The canal closed in 1929. Could Edward Davidge have traveled on this canal whilst stationed at North Somercoates? We will never know!

[kenf48]

I think it reads "I've been marked a1 so I may be moved from here to Rippon if ready"

You will have seen from the LLT link previously posted the Reserve Battalions of the Sherwoods were at Louth

1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said:

Had also considered the CL [but don't have access - ?possiby National Library of Scotland??] but you seem to have trawled and sickness/injury certainly reasons why he might not appear anyway.

It was late so will have another look today I didn't look in 1918

1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said:

Considered Rippon for LC [Northern Command Labour Centre] but we have Dec 1917 off the postcard so perhaps seems a bit early/before his LC number issue mid-1918 ??

I took your date for the Labour Corps. It may be he didn't move, or he may have gone back to France in time to see the 2/6th disbanded still more digging!

[Matlock1418]

8 minutes ago, kenf48 said:

"I've been marked a1 so I may be moved from here to Rippon if ready"

Yes, does rather seem a quite realistic option.

But would mean a subsequent downgrade [early 1918?] in order to end up in the LC by Jul-Sept 1918.

Still some life left in this thread!

M

Edited 8 April , 2022 by Matlock1418
typo

[kenf48]

31 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said:

Yes, does rather seem a quite realistic option.

But would mean a subsequent downgrade [early 1918?] in order to end up in the LC by Jul-Sept 1918.

Still some life left in this thread!

M

I see we crossed earlier yes still life will have another look later 

Ken

[Madmeg]

here is a no paywall link to the transcript of the census entry for 1911

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&q.givenName=nellie&q.surname=davidge

family tree for her

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/MZMS-M8S

His military record appears to be available if you visit a family history library https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBL-5G91

A possible marriage in 1925 in Hackney to Lillian Newton

There is a death in 1973 Middlesex which could be him and a Lilian Davidge died in Fuham in 1974.

There do not appear to have been any children.

Other family members married so there may be relatives living

Edited 8 April , 2022 by Madmeg

[kenf48]

The Medal Roll indicates four men, including Pte Davidge were transferred into the Labour Corps from the Sherwood Foresters and renumbered in the same sequence as him, i.e. 646844 - 646847.

The service record of 646844 Shuker has survived, but very badly faded.  He was originally in the North Staffordshire Regiment (Roll says 4630 his record says 4631).  He was posted to France on the 17th May 1917 and  although enlisted under TF terms he was posted to the 1st Battalion under the provision of AO 204/1916 and renumbered when he landed in France on 17 May 1917.  He was for administrative purposes posted to the 5th Sherwoods which enabled his transfer to the 1st (Regular) Battalion. He served 116 days in France before being repatriated with 'shellshock and an injury to his thumb'.  After that preamble we get to the LC transfer his record is badly faded but my interpretation is he was posted to the 5th (Reserve) Battalion Notts and Derby possibly 3 February 1918 by which time they were at Saltfleet. The next entry is  9th April 1918 "Transferred to Northern (Labour(?) Depot"or No. 2 Infantry Command Depot Ripon.  He then seems to have retained his Notts and Derby identity he was posted to " N Depot(?) see entry below

 Image from FMP

We don't know what he was doing during this period. Whether or not he was with Pte Davidge we can't say.

On the 3rd August 1918 he was then posted back to the 5th Reserve Bn at Saltfleet  and on the 12th September 1918 posted to 606 HS Employment Company, also at Saltfleet. I think we can be more certain this is when their military careers are in parallel and as can be seen from the above both he and Pte Davidge were permanently transferred and renumbered to the Labour Corps on the 14th September 1918.

(Confirmed by records not from Notts and Derby men.)

The other two men on the Medal Roll are 266528 Archer (renumbered to 7th Bn)/646846 and  307202 Cook (8th Bn)/646847 neither their, nor Pte Davidge service records appear to have survived the Arnside bombing.

Like 'M' I  find it strange that if Pte Davidge, as on his postcard stated he was 'a1'  that he should end up in the Labour Corps. 01 means nothing to me as the categories were 'a' 'b'  'c' and 'd'.  It's definitely not a 'b', he looped those, and it's poor 'a' compared to others on the card.  The just leaves 'c' but it seems too poorly formed for that letter.  It does seem overwritten, but perhaps reading too much into it.

Still not finding him on casualty lists.

 

[Matlock1418]

Ken,

Great research as usual - a few handy points on his timeline now seem likely to have been established.

3 minutes ago, kenf48 said:

Like 'M' I  find it strange that if Pte Davidge, as on his postcard stated he was 'a1'  that he should end up in the Labour Corps.

Without any other evidence, just speculating = Could it perhaps be that he was using "a1" as a largely civilian term/concept [though we know where it came from] rather than a strictly miltary one? Or just bluffing to his sister? 

A puzzle.  We may perhaps never know [Or maybe we will in due course - Time on GWF may perhaps deliver further goods ... in hope!]

M

[mikebriggs]

Some more info on the 'Londoners' that were posted to the 2/6th Sherwood Foresters

https://derbyshireterritorials.wordpress.com/26th-battalion/arrival-of-the-londoners-september-1916/

cheers

Mike

[Allan1892]

Missed this thread when it was originally posted. Hope the attached images are of help - only two images that I can find (courtesy of Find My Past)

[Allan1892]

A search on Find My Past under #242186 brought up a record for him, as usual burnt in places such as name. However, there is a letter written by him (image attached courtesy of Find My Past) and if you compare the capital 'D' and capital 'N' in the letter, to the 'D' and 'N' on the post card, I believe that they are identical.

[Allan1892]

Record under #242186 shows that his parents were Ellen and Charles.

Image attached (courtesy of Find My Past) shows that he suffered a Shell Wound to his side and knee on the 29 September 1917

[FROGSMILE]

14 minutes ago, Allan1892 said:

A search on Find My Past under #242186 brought up a record for him, as usual burnt in places such as name. However, there is a letter written by him (image attached courtesy of Find My Past) and if you compare the capital 'D' and capital 'N' in the letter, to the 'D' and 'N' on the post card, I believe that they are identical.

Brilliant detective work Allan, it looks like the same handwriting to me too.

Edited 1 May , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[Matlock1418]

2 hours ago, Allan1892 said:

 

Pension showing as 30% and 8/3 pw = made me revisit/review and correct my earlier erroneous evaluation of disability above.  Apologies for that earlier posting typo.

2 hours ago, Allan1892 said:

A search on Find My Past under #242186 brought up a record for him, as usual burnt in places such as name. However, there is a letter written by him (image attached courtesy of Find My Past) and if you compare the capital 'D' and capital 'N' in the letter, to the 'D' and 'N' on the post card, I believe that they are identical.

 

Not withstanding file under 242186 and hand-writing this letter has his Labour Corps number, 642845, on bottom of this page - all seems to tie nicely.

M