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Thomas Henry Dakin


Mowsie

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I'm starting to research Thomas Henry Dakin who married Kathleen Elsie May Bastin-Bennett and would like to hear from anybody who also has an interest in this person.

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Marriage registered in Coventry in Q4 of 1916.

Silver Wedding announcement says he served as a Sergeant of the South Wales Borderers. Medal and pension records easy to find.

It would be useful to hear from Mowsie about what is already known about him, so that people do not waste time on duplicating the effort. 

Edited by Chris_Baker
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Obviously not the Henry (Drysdale) Dakin who helped pioneer the treatment of infected wounds (the Carrell-Dakin method): so what is the medical connection, exactly?

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I know very little about Thomas H Dakin.  Mother-in-law was one of four daughters, one still alive.  Until I read your posts in 2015 we only had rumours.  It makes sense that his wife was born in India as it was thought her father served in the army in India and his wife was a nurse in a hospital out there.  I would be grateful for any information you could give me or direct me to about this couple.  Thank you.

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This is the thread Mowsie is referring to. Posted to avoid duplication of effort.

 

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@medicorps last visited the forum last year. 

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Hello,
Thomas Henry DAKIN was a great uncle b. 04 Oct 1889 at Oakley Street, Lambeth,  his parents Charles DAKIN and Elizabeth Emma BEELS (see pic) were my grandparents and had 9 children.

Their daughter Janet Annie DAKIN was my grandmother. A brother George DAKIN (see pic) aged 10 was found guilty of begging in London and sent to Desford Industrial School, Leicestershire for 6 years, he became a coal miner and aged 36 joined the Leicestershire Yeomanry on 15 Oct 1915 and died in France on 21 Jun 1917.

I believe Thomas Henry DAKIN in 1911 was a Private with the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in Petoria, South Africa. He was discharged on 14 Mar 1918 South Wales Borderers. R. W. Fus. Num: 60088 address 167 Bolingbroke Road, Coventry. Thomas's medal card has S. Wales Bords. L/Cpl 10018 and RDC Sgt. 60088, served in the Balkans?

In 1921 he was living at 3 Alfred Cottages, Lambeth Walk and believe he died in Jun 1969.

 

PIC BEELS Elizabeth.jpg

PIC DAKIN George (1879-1917).jpg

Edited by medicorps
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Thank you so much for your reply, I can't believe how much information I have gathered in such a short time.  Thomas Dakin had four daughters, first born on 11.11.18 and the last on 17.10.32 (still alive).  She remembers one of his brothers called Bill and another she called the 'black sheep of the family' Henry Thomas but doesn't remember visiting them.  She does remember that his mother (Elizabeth) and, I'd heard the story, that she was a flower seller in Lambeth which fits in with the area Thomas was born.  Having known the family since 1968 it's strange that Thomas was never spoken about.  Again thank you.

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3 hours ago, medicorps said:

I believe Thomas Henry DAKIN in 1911 was a Private with the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in Petoria, South Africa. He was discharged on 14 Mar 1918 South Wales Borderers. R. W. Fus. Num: 60088 address 167 Bolingbroke Road, Coventry.

image.png.d70c93ea723c191a7f08daee906372d2.png

Image thanks to WFA/Fold3

Disability claim pension index card

Discharged from the RDC on 14.3.18 he was awarded 32/6 pw from 15.3.18 to 16.4.18 [This 32/6 pw quantum was the 100% disability rate for a pension Class III NCO / Sgt without children under the 1918 Royal Warrant - rather looks like a short starter rate whilst they better sorted things out, but I've not found anything more yet]

M

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SWB I took to be Silver War Badge rather than South Wales Borderers, and his SWB rolls entry says 60088 Sgt Thomas Dakin was discharged from 11th Bn RDC as unfit (wounds); his army enlistment date is given as 18/9/1908. His age is given as 28, so he’d served since he was 18.

 

edit: he could have been SW Borderers too of course.

Edited by Pat Atkins
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Thank you Pat, unfortunately most of the military forms are gobbledygook to me. I have18 Sep 1908 as the first military entry for Thomas. His Medal Card has two Regimental numbers 10018 S. Wales Bord. L/cpl and 60088 R. D. C. Sgt, but I've been unable to find his service record.

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The only information I have about the Dakin's is from public records.

The Dakin clan is massive for instance the 1911 Census indicates Elizabeth Emma BEELS had 14 children and her occupation other than child bearing was a Flower Seller.

One of her sons William b. 03 Sep 1897 was with the Royal Navy as 'Boy II' in 1913 aged 15 he remained with the navy and the 1921 Census has William aboard HMS 'Violent' a destroyer at 50° 15' 30" N  3° 17' 00" W.

 

Quote

 

Serving at the outbreak of war, took part in German South-West Africa engagements such as Walfish Bay. Proceeded to the Dardanelles and the bombardment of the Turkish positions. In June 1916 transferred to HMS "Anemone",  mine-sweeping in Eastern waters and returned home in September 1918. Afterwards went to the Baltic till August 1919. In 1920 was still serving on HMS "City of Perth".

 

 

 

 

Edited by medicorps
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15 hours ago, medicorps said:

I believe Thomas Henry DAKIN in 1911 was a Private with the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in Petoria, South Africa. He was discharged on 14 Mar 1918

15 hours ago, medicorps said:

Thomas's medal card has S. Wales Bords. L/Cpl 10018 and RDC Sgt. 60088, served in the Balkans?

image.png.70d6d7a5ef4f06e8a762b79809cdad54.png

Image thanks to WFA/Fold3

Balkans date of 25.3.15 appears 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers prior to Gallipoli campaign

Worth seeking out the two Medal Rolls - the BWM & VM Medal Roll may also further identify [I think it rather depends on how the RDC, as his discharge unit, filled it in]

8 hours ago, Pat Atkins said:

SWB I took to be Silver War Badge rather than South Wales Borderers, and his SWB rolls entry says 60088 Sgt Thomas Dakin was discharged from 11th Bn RDC as unfit (wounds); his army enlistment date is given as 18/9/1908. His age is given as 28, so he’d served since he was 18.

image.png.9db2db2b5469cdca4113cad6e321f5bd.png

Image thanks to WFA/Fold3

To match the SWB Roll/list - Here's his MIC listing his SWB [Silver War Badge]

M

Edited by Matlock1418
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Good thinking - this is the medal roll entry for his BWVM (image courtesy of Ancestry)

image.png.b20e75fb41e41eb3c88d6fb86e004775.png

In mid-March 1915 2(b) is typically found relating to troops bound for Gallipoli; in 1914 6(a) appears to have been German New Guinea according to LLT, which also says of 2nd SWB "23 September 1914 : landed at Lao Shan Bay for operations against the German territory of Tsingtao." I'm guessing, therefore, that China came under this theatre title.

Edit: the 1914 Star was only awarded for service in France & Flanders between 5th August and 22nd November 1914, I'm fairly sure.

Edit again: and 2/SWB landed in Gallipoli on the first day of the campaign as part of 87th Bde, 29th Div.

Edited by Pat Atkins
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What a fantastic amount of information, certainly builds up a picture Thomas which we didn't have.  I want to find out about his wife's father James Henry Bastin-Bennett who was in the army in India in the late 1800's.  Should I join Ancestry? Is this where I'd find the information?  Once again thanks for your help.

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20 minutes ago, Mowsie said:

I want to find out about his wife's father James Henry Bastin-Bennett who was in the army in India in the late 1800's.

Unless he served in the GW/WW1 period - though out of the more specific GWF period, other members may perhaps be able to PM you with info or suggested sources for earlier research.

All the best.

M

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In Nov 1915 a photo of my maternal grandmother appeared in the Daily Mirror to promote a show she was in, on the same page is a photo of the R.A.MC. in Gallipoli.

By coincidence 10 months later my grandmother married Capt. Arthur Maddock JONES who was apparently in Gallipoli with the 6th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.  His medal card has Theatre of War:  Gallipoli 06 Aug 1915

Edited by medicorps
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1 hour ago, medicorps said:

By coincidence 10 months later my grandmother married Capt. Arthur Maddock JONES who was apparently in Gallipoli with the 6th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.  His medal card has Theatre of War:  Gallipoli 06 Aug 1915

The date of entry for Captain Jones will be for the 1/7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He embarked Ulysees with 5 other officers, a chaplain and 236 men at Devonport, they sailed on 17th July 1915. I suspect the 6th Field Ambulance is either a typo, it's not clear on the MIC, or a unit that he joined later, as far as I know this Field Ambulance was not at Gallipoli.

Incidentally, FMP has a number of newspaper articles for a Doctor Arthur Maddock Jones from North Wales, including a funeral attended by some 200 people, is this the same man?

Regards

Alan

 

Edited by alantwo
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47 minutes ago, alantwo said:

Incidentally, FMP has a number of newspaper articles for a Doctor Arthur Maddock Jones from North Wales, including a funeral attended by some 200 people, is this the same man?

Thank you for the information.

Yes that's the same person...in June 1939 he was involved in the attempt to rescue crew from the submarine 'Thetis'.  
 

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8 hours ago, medicorps said:

Yes that's the same person...in June 1939 he was involved in the attempt to rescue crew from the submarine 'Thetis'.  

Thank you for adding that.

I've just looked up Captain Jones in the Army Lists as I thought he might have been a Medical Officer with the 1/7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, but apparently not, there are two others listed. He was still with this unit in January 1916, thus the RAMC must have come later.

Regards

Alan

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