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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Francis Herbert West


evandarcy

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Hello, I was just wondering if anybody has any information on Francis Herbert West. He is the brother of my great-great grandfather who also served in WW1. He was born in 1876 in Great Stanmore, Middlesex. I think he was part of the middlesex regiment but I am not sure, I do know that he survived the war. I was wondering if anyone had any information about him or any photos?

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Do you have any more information such as siblings and parents names, marital status, addresses etc? The more you can post the higher the chances of tracking him down. It’s also a good idea to look at ‘the long long trail’ website linked above. Some great advice on how to research a soldier. 
I had a quick look at MICs using the search term “Francis H West” and it came up with 3 alternatives, none of whom served overseas with the Middlesex Regt. He would have been 38yrs old at the onset of war, how certain are you he served in WW1?

Simon

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9 hours ago, evandarcy said:

He was born in 1876 in Great Stanmore

1939 Register has 18th June 1875?

Wife Agnes?

George

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9 hours ago, evandarcy said:

He is the brother of my great-great grandfather who also served in WW1.

From an Ancestry tree Francis Herbert had a 'large' number of siblings and half siblings-if I have the correct one so could you give us your GG grandfather's name please?

George

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25 minutes ago, George Rayner said:

From an Ancestry tree Francis Herbert had a 'large' number of siblings and half siblings-if I have the correct one so could you give us your GG grandfather's name please?

George

My GG grandfather's name was Frederick Walter West 1884-1918. He served in the 32nd Battalion of the Middlsex Regiment. Their fathers name was David West 1836-1903 also from Great Stanmore and their mother was Elizabeth Lawrence 1839-1928 from Eastcote. I know that Francis Herbert served in the Middlsex Regiment but I don't know the Battalion.

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36 minutes ago, George Rayner said:

1939 Register has 18th June 1875?

Wife Agnes?

George

I don't know his exact birth date but I'm pretty sure he did marry an Agnes Fisher.

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7 hours ago, mancpal said:

Do you have any more information such as siblings and parents names, marital status, addresses etc? The more you can post the higher the chances of tracking him down. It’s also a good idea to look at ‘the long long trail’ website linked above. Some great advice on how to research a soldier. 
I had a quick look at MICs using the search term “Francis H West” and it came up with 3 alternatives, none of whom served overseas with the Middlesex Regt. He would have been 38yrs old at the onset of war, how certain are you he served in WW1?

Simon

I don't have any addresses, all I know is that they were from Great Stanmore, Middlesex. I know that his parents David West and Elizabeth Lawrence had 12 children between 1858 and 1892. His name could possibly have be3n listed as Herbert Francis West. I am pretty certain that he served in WW1 because on a news article of my GG Grandfather's death it says his brother H.F West a fellow officer was the one to identify the body. He was in Gorleston in February 1918. My grandmother told me might have joined the army before WW1 but I'm not fully sure.

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Herbert Francis and GG Grandfather were in Norfolk it appears

image.jpeg.6ccc652a9e5d677f152a47abeea0b0a6.jpeg

extract from attestation form in Fold3

George

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Looking at the newspaper report I went for 'Frank'-

which brought me to this fellow, three from the bottom, in the Silver War badge files

image.jpeg.367ccb9d927a256287820feb4cdaa32d.jpeg

Acting Sergeant, #31579 32nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He has a Pension Card in Fold3 with a Stanmore address...still looking for further additional corroborating evidence.

George

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Courtesy Fold3

image.jpeg.b195caf845549390e5d8dae03d937a6a.jpeg

George

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There are 49 Ancestry Family trees which have him featured! As always they should be treated with care and details checked. For example the first one I looked at lists his brother as dying in Belgium but also contains the report of the drowning at Gorleston!

These details appear correct though

Francis Herbert West

1875–1947

BIRTH 18 JUN 1875 • Great Stanmore, Middlesex, England

DEATH 8 MAR 1947 • Stanmore, Middlesex, England

courtesy Ancestry

George

Edited by George Rayner
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40 minutes ago, George Rayner said:

image.jpeg.b195caf845549390e5d8dae03d937a6a.jpeg

On this PIC Herbert Francis WEST is described as a Sgt. and a Z Middlesex 11193 pension reference. 

Under the prevailing 1918 Royal Warrant 5/6 pw from 16.5.19 to further notice represented one of two possible 20% disability pension scenarios:

  • Pension Class V soldier e.g. Pte [and not higher rank] - which might reflect an Acting Sgt, as per Frank WEST's earlier-mentioned SWB List MIC
  • NCO entitled to a service pension

There is another PIC with the same Z Middlesex 11193 pension reference as Frank WEST, 315479 - unfortunately it does not add anything

M

Edited by Matlock1418
corrections
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