wet255 Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March Totally stuck with this one, I know where he was born and when and that he went to Trinity College have a great pic of him to, well two. Alas added up it's not very much. Does anyone have any idea what school he went to? Any other information would be helpful to. Thanks in advance. Nigel Captain Benjamin Canning Huntsman 2nd/8th Battalion, Notts. and Derby Regiment, Sherwood Foresters Died. 7 April 1917 Aged. 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March I think he went to Eton leaving in 1914. 1914 Huntsman, B. C, Captain, Sherwood Foresters. France (killed in action 7.4.17) (From: Etonians who fought in the Great War 1914-1919 in British Rolls Of Honour And Nominal Rolls, First World War at FindmyPast). He may be Huntsman, Captain, B. C. Le Vergiuer; Fell in France [and Belgium] 1917. (From the same source. Since I can only see transcriptions, I can't decide whether it is two entries for one man or one entry for two men.) RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March (edited) There is a Benjamin Canning Huntsman born in East Retford, Nottinghamshire in April to June 1895 (Vol 7B Page 15 - England & Wales Births 1837-2006 - FindmyPast). Is he your man? RM Edited 5 March by rolt968 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March If that's him. He was living at West Retford Hall, East Retford, Nottinghamshire at the time of the 1901 Census, His father was Francis Huntsman (JP), Steel manufacturer. (I was not completely surprised by that as I had a very, very, very vague memory of a Huntsman having something to do with a steel making process, but could remember virtually nothing: https://aonesteelgroup.com/history-of-steel-part-5-the-huntsman-and-bossemer-breakthroughs/) RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March There are a number of mentions in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire abd south Yorkshire newspapers - only son of Francis Huntsman. The earlier ones report him missing. The later ones that he was wounded in the foot and a prisoner. At least one refers to his ancestor as "the inventor of steel". I still haven't got him in the 1911 Census. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wet255 Posted 6 March Author Share Posted 6 March All that is really helpful and gives me a few more leads. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to do it, appreciated. Still searching to see if their are any accounts of his death. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 March Share Posted 6 March (edited) London Gazette: Commission https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28922/page/7820 The undermentioned to be Second Lieutenants. Dated 3rd October, 1914: — ... Benjamin Canning Huntsman (late Cadet Serjeant, Cambridge University Contingent, Senior Division, Officers Training Corps). See also https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28922/page/7820 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29643/supplement/6421 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29694/page/7684 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30136/supplement/6043 M Edited 6 March by Matlock1418 extra LG links Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 March Admin Share Posted 6 March Courtesy FMP: Nottingham Evening Post 12 April 1917 Lincolnshire Echo 12 April 1917 Nottingham Evening Post 14 April 1917 Mansfield Reporter 22 June 1917 Not yet found anything reporting his death. In view of POW probably worth searching ICRC records for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 March Admin Share Posted 6 March FMP POW records Put somewhat of a question mark over the above reported POW story... His service record is at Kew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 March Admin Share Posted 6 March His soldier's effects record, courtesy Ancestry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 March Admin Share Posted 6 March His probate record courtesy Ancestry June 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 6 March Share Posted 6 March (edited) Get the War Diary. He led B Company in a general Brigade attack late evening of 6/4/17 into the 7/4 SE of "Le Verguir". The entry says that they got to the "wire" but is was found to be uncut. "B Coy right on wire and suffered most casualties" "We lost 7 officers and 110 men killed wounded or missing". "We" I believe refers to battalion as a whole. Download at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7355228. Free if you create a free account with the TNA. Entry is on page 5 of the diary. There is also a diary for the period up to when the other one starts at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7355227. There may be earlier refs to Huntsman but I have not checked From a public tree on ancestry. Apparently the man himself Edited 6 March by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 6 March Admin Share Posted 6 March Interestingly he wasn't in charge of B Company on 1-2 April as indicated by this extract from a report of actions on those days. Of course the 2nd Lieutenant writing the report may have been mistaken. The next set of orders for the attack on 6th / 7th do mention Captain Huntsman as being O/C B Company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wet255 Posted 7 March Author Share Posted 7 March Thank you once again, fine research and very helpful. Thanks for taking the time and trouble. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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