mancpal Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 After a chance conversation this evening I was made aware of the above soldier whose grandson said they know very little of his earlier life though he did serve in WW1. There is a MIC to an Arthur C Sillence of the East Lancs, an unusual surname and I wonder if he may be one and the same. The following comes from his grandson with no guarantee they’re anything more than family tales :- 1) A connection to Castle Cornet (Guernsey) via his father who they believe was a member of the Guernsey Militia. 2) A birth date around 1900 with the family believing he joined underage. 3) A connection to the Hampshire Regiment. This may be a complete red herring. 4) A patient in a military hospital in Swansea at some point. 5) A post war connection to the Salvation Army (almost certainly true). 6) Believed to have died in the late 1980’s when he was aged in his late 80’s. I have asked if he can find any other biographical detail though in common with most families there are few remaining to ask. I’d like to help him further but I don’t have access to anything other than the free sections of the usual genealogy sites. Any suggestions or links I can pass on would be gratefully received . Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 (edited) There seems to be more than one Arthur Charles Sillence. One born 1864. Birth registered Q3 South Stoneham Gants, mother's maiden name Golding. One born 1898. Registered q1 Plympton Devon. Mother's maiden name Jolley. (I suspect this is your man..1939 Register b 31/1/1898 Salvation Army Officer) One born 1905. Registered Q3 Romsey Hants. Mother's maiden name Long. Edited 29 November , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, charlie962 said: One born 1898. Registered q1 Plympton Devon. Mother's maiden name Jolley. (I suspect this is your man..1939 Register b 31/1/1898 Salvation Army Officer) Wife Ellen Mary b 6/1/09 also Salvation Army Officer per 39 Register Wrexham. ACS baptised May 1898 son of Thomas (a Gunner, RA) and Amelia. Could the father's army role mean a Guernsey garrison posting....? Edited 29 November , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 (edited) Thomas and Amelia married in Guernsey 5/2/1891. Thomas has a surviving service record. 23875 Thomas was born in Southampton Sample of Thomas's record. At discharge 1907, intended place of residence was 22 Clarence St, Pembroke Dock, South Wales. Edited 29 November , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 29 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2023 Thanks so much for your replies. I suspect you have found him as the grandson I spoke to mentioned his own Salvation Army upbringing. I’ll pass this on and post any other background that may come my way. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 The army service record for Thomas has details of children baptised in Alderney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 29 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2023 Thanks Charlie, hopefully I’ll see him again before weekend and with a bit of luck some of the detail you have sourced may strike a chord. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 Census 1911 courtesy Findmypast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 A marriage Q2 1935 at Bridgend to Ellen M Freeman, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 25/5/1989 Manchester Evening News But cannot pin that possible MIC to him ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 22/7/1986 Manchester Evening News courtesy Findmypast newspapers once again Salvation Army rank, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 Charlie, I’m sorry for the delay in responding. I’ve been sidetracked by my mothers 96th birthday featuring a home cooked mixed grill (which she demolished) and a guided tour of a Lancaster cockpit at the AVRO Heritage Museum, one of her brothers having been a Lancaster pilot. The newspaper obituary to Arthur Charles Sillence was of interest. The grandson Mark mentioned therein is actually the grandson I’ve been talking to. I noted that his age at death was stated as 86 which doesn’t tally with the birth date of 1898. I asked Mark about the discrepancy and it does tie in with lying about his age though not in relation to joining up for WW1 service. It appears he wanted to do Salvation Army officer training which had an upper age limit of 40 in those days, he simply knocked a couple of years off his age to qualify. His grandson is adamant that he was 88yrs old when he died in 1986. I note from the census return he had brothers who were of an age to fight in the war but haven’t had a chance to look for them yet. Thanks again for your assistance. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1RGLI Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April possibly related? John Sillence born Alderney, Channel Islands 14 July 1891 - Joined the Royal Navy and earned the Messina Medal. HMS Euryalus. Only medal entitlement. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6741821 mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 11 April Author Share Posted 11 April (edited) Mark, I think there must be a connection, although Arthur Charles wasn’t born in the Channel Islands some of his childrens births were registered in Alderney. I’ll see if I can tease out anything else he may recall about his grandad. Thanks. Simon Edited 11 April by mancpal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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