W S Vincent M.C, No. 1 Marine Observers' School

[PhilBuzz]

Hi,

I'm from Australia and don't have access to many records in the U.K. archives so could you please help me. I have relative, William Slade Vincent MC, who served at the No1 Marine Observers School in 1918. His record is attached.

He was on probation as a 2nd Lieut in 1915 at the age of 15 and won the MC at 17.

He was posted to East Church on 21/8/1918, from the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment after 5 months was sent back to his old unit on 3/2/1919. He was 19 years of age when he was posted to East Church.

In his obituary, it was claimed he was severely injured in a plane crash that I assume was at East Church. (See obituary attached) His records show he was admitted to Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, on 21/11/1918 but he also suffered from "trench feet", so his day in hospital may be related to the crash or his feet.

Any information on William Slade would be appreciated as although he was born in England, his family lived in Australia from 1853. As with a lot of men that served in the Great War, he was pretty mixed up after it, and his 228 page British pension file shows he was "a gentleman but a rascal".

William is buried in the cemetery at Moora, Western Australia, in the same grave as his step-brother, my grandfather, Millar Buzzard, who served with the Australian Imperial Force as an Artillery Officer in France and Belgium in WW1 from 1915 to 1919.

Thank you

Phil

 

 

 

Vincent William Slade Jnr Royal Flying Corp Observers AIR-76-522-119.pdf