Fred Ambrose

[Patrick H]

Bumping this one up again in the hope of some answers!! Can anyone help?

Fred Ambrose of Abridge Essex served in the War but no information about him except he survived. His nephew William Ambrose of Abridge would love to know what happened to his family.

Known facts:

Following the War Fred remained in France and married a local girl. He is believed to have lived in Bray-sur-Somme and worked for the CWGC tending the graves. Due to poverty? he never returned to Uk until about 1934. He then went back to France and it is believed he may have lived at St Quentin and he had 4 maybe 5 daughters. He and his wife are now dead and all contact was lost with his family.

Does anyone have any idea how one might go about locating the families (presumably married with french names? ) Would the CWGC keep records of their employees, did they pay pensions to their surviving spouses etc etc

Having received lots of help from Bill and his 104 year old mother about my own Greygoose family I owe them a favour and it would be wonderful if we could re unite them with their lost family.

Would really like some answers plz

Patrick H

[Tom Morgan]

I don't have any information specifically on your man, Patrick, but there were many ex-servicemen who stayed on in France and became the CWGC's first gardeners.

I doubt that poverty was the reason for staying on. I think that most men stayed on for more personal reasons - strong spirit of Remembrance or an inability to adjust to civilian life away fro the battlefields, as examples. As a CWGC Employee (of course, it was the Imperial War Graves Commission then) there would have to be employment records kept at the time, though that doesn't necessarily mean that they still exist. I think it could be worth asking though. Maybe Terry D has more information on the likelihood of records turning up.

Tom

[Patrick H]

Thanks Tom

On the poverty angle his nephew tells me that was the reason they didnt return to England until the 1930s they simply couldnt afford it. So he did not see his family from leaving for war until about 1934. I will check if employment records are available.

Thanks

Patrick

[Tom Morgan]

I understand what you mean about the poverty aspect, Patrick. I though you might be suggesting that there was some kind of shame attached to the work because only those who were desperate would do it. My mistake.

Tom

[John Cubin]

Some thirty years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Smallcomb, unsure of place but in the Loos area. He worked for the CWGC. His dad had stayed after WW1 to look after the graves and had married a French girl. His son was also employed by CWGC, so there is an example of three generations tending our war graves. Here's to them. John.