Guest Biker Steffy Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 I was out last Sunday and happened to go into West Wycombe churchyard. I found a memorial stone to Capt Thomas Nash DFC (with bar), Croix de Geurre with Palms. Born 25/11/1891 and died in Belgium on 23/10/1918. He was only 27 and this moved me so much. I have been searching the Internet to find out more about him. He deserves not to be forgotton but I have found very little. The only site I have found that mentions him is theaerodrome.com he flew 8 sucessful missions before he died. His DFC citation mentions him as a Lieutenant. It was published after his death. Why was he awarded the Croix with palms. There is a also a mention of an honour of (I think) gold and oak leaves.......?? He is bueried in Langemark-Poelkapelle cemetry in Belgium. I wondered if he had a family....He was origionally from Littlehampton in Sussex, why is the memorial at West Wycombe? Does anybody know anything or where I could find out more?? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 His father was born in High Wycombe per the 1901 Census... 5 Norfolk Road, Littlehampton. Thomas W Nash abt 1871 High Wycombe Head, Confectioner Amy Nash abt 1864 Old Ford, London, Wife Thomas W Nash abt 1892 Acton, Middlesex, Son John G Nash abt 1898 Little Hampton, Sussex, Son Dora Nash abt 1879 Hermitage, Berkshire, Sister Flora Howick abt 1881 Petworth, Sussex, Servant Mary A P Nash abt 1841 London, Visitor Hope this helps, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 Capt T W Nash DFC was flying Sopwith Camel D9608 of No 204 Sqn RAF when he was killed in action on 23 October 1918. D9608 was one of five Camels from No 204 Sqn lost while on a High Offensive Patrol that left at 0830 that day. The patrol was involved in combat with 12 enemy aircraft over Termonde and as well as Capt Nash, Sgt C M A Mahon in D8223, Lt O J Orr in D9613, Lt F G Bayley in E4420 and 2Lt G Sutcliffe USAS in F3101 were all killed in action. The enemy machines were from Marinefeldjasta 1. Lt Nash joined No 4 Sqn RNAS [which became No 204 Sqn RAF] in March 1918, and became a flight commander on 14 August. I hope that this helps. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biker Steffy Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 Thank you for the swift response.... It is nice to know that he had a larger family....it now makes sense for the memorial at West Wycombe because of his fathers birthplace...there must have been relatives of his father still living there. (possible connection to Mary - visitor). I don't know why this had such an impact....I have viewed war graves before and just been saddened....but this one somehow got under my skin...I just had to know more.... I now have something more to work with.... He has been dead for such a long time but I feel attached somehow... I cant explain why, I just have no idea. I will go back this week end and make a note of the extra decorations mentioned on the stone and clarify the "oak leaf" reference.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 A Mention in Despatch was usually denoted by an oak leaf on to be worn on the Victory Medal, if that helps... Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulus 1 Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 Hi, You will find his victories and a photo of his grave here : http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/nash2.html Best from Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biker Steffy Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 More thanks.. Steve ...the "oak leaves" make sense now. I also realised why I was having trouble finding information. His birthdate on the census (information provided by his father) and also incidentally on the memorial headstone (which stated he was 26 when he died)states a different year of birth to his service record.... He obviously pretended to a year older than he actually was when he joined the services I was using the service record birth date.. Johan This was the one site I had actually found before. It is quite informative but only in a basic way. It did lead me to the actual cemetery warsite though, which is how I found his fathers name. The more little bits of information found are just so interesting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulus 1 Posted 17 August , 2005 Share Posted 17 August , 2005 There are only 3 possibilities to who did shoot him down, and fact is that it was someone from the I or II Marine Feldjasta : the vistories in these units that day over Termonde were 2 by Gotthard Sachsenberg, 3 Alexander Zenzes and 1 by Karl Scharon. Best from Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 18 August , 2005 Share Posted 18 August , 2005 Census details are often out by one year. The enumerator asks their age. IF they get it right, the age is deducted from 1901 to show the year of birth. Since the 1901 Census was in March this can give a false year. Thomas would have been 9 in March 1901. He wasn't 10 until November 1901. 1901 - 9 = 1892. The years of birth on the Census are generally about 50% wrong! Thomas Walter Nash's birth probably was registered in the March quarter of 1892 at Brentford (which includes Acton) Volume 3a, Page 121. Although the birth should have been registered within 2 or 3 weeks of birth (Which is why you sometimes get a different quarter to that in which they were actually born), I have seen a fair few registrations around Christmas being done later than they should have been. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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