CJH Posted 28 November , 2005 Share Posted 28 November , 2005 I've only just discovered this brilliant site ! I have been researching my great uncle Albert Victor Sweet for a few years - below is what I have managed to find out so far - can anybody add anything else or anything about the 1/4 Hants in general? I am particularly interested as to how he ended up enlisting in Southampton when he was from Richmond. Pvt 204164 Albert Victor Sweet of Richmond Surrey 1/4 Hampshire Regiment Enlsited in Southampton Killed in action aged 19 - Crossing of the Tigris 25.2.17 Commerated at the Basra memorial Iraq (Incorrectly listed by CWGC as died 25.2. 19) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 28 November , 2005 Share Posted 28 November , 2005 Welcome aboard, CJH. The 1/4th hants were a territorial battalion, hailing from Winchester. In 1914 their division (the 1st Wessex) went to India, and the various battalions were widely distributed. The Long Trail site will give you the basics. As for enlisting in Southampton when he came from Richmond, there are many possibilities - the most likely being that he was working in the area, or on holiday, or had family connections. Any idea when he enlisted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJH Posted 30 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Hi Steven Thanks for replying. I have looked at most of the sources mentioned on the Long Long Trail in order to get the information I have mentioned so far - I started out with really no information at all - I just inherited his bronze memorial plaque and sadly none of the surviving members of my family really knew anything at all about him. I'm afraid I haven't been able to get a date of his enlistment in Southampton - why still remains a mystery to me - the Sweets were well established in Richmond with no connections with Southampton that I can find. Because I don't have a date I can't tell whether he went straight out to Mespot as a replacemnet or if he went via India as the 1/4 did initially. If anyone has any general background information that would give context to his story then that would alos be helpful. By way of a footnote I have discovererd that his father Frederick Sweet was also an old soldier having served in the South African War with the HAC - I have a photograpgh of him along with his presentation Chocolate box. On his return he became the full time fireman for Richmond. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Hi Chris & welcome His Service number is post March 1917 & quite a high one in the scheme of things. May be that he was posted to the Btn before that of course but seems to be a relatively late number. His age would support that on the surface too I suppose ... The Medal Rolls may give confirmation of that I would say. Any previuos number should show up on them. Guess you already have his MIC but if not its here http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...&resultcount=18 Good luck Chris & hope one of our resident Hants chaps picks this up soon ... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJH Posted 30 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Thanks Steve. Your comments about the number are interesting - as I said the CWGC says that the Basra memorial markes his death as 25.2.19 - whilst the Hants Regt Musueum, who I contacted a few years ago informed that this was wrong and that AV Sweet was KIA on 25.2.17 ( and mentioned a specific action at this time). Of course that sparks off some other questions such as: Does anyone know if these kind of anomalies are common and how I might be able to resovle them ? Anyone able to offer any information about service numbers and dates of enlistment ? What if anything was going on in Mespot after the armistice that might explain the date of 25.2.19 being correct ? I am amazed at the range of knowledge there seems to be on this forum - wish I had discovered this before ! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJH Posted 3 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2006 I have looked at the medal roll but this doesn't add anything to what I already knew. Would anyone with access to SDGW be kind enough to look up his details please so that I can cross reference the contradiction between CWGC (died 25.2.190 and the Hants Regt museum (died 25.2.17) ? Thanks Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linge Posted 3 January , 2006 Share Posted 3 January , 2006 Chris SDGW: Private, 204164, Albert Victor Sweet, 1/4th (T.F.) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment Enlisted: Southampton Residence: Richmond, Surrey Killed in Action 25th February 1917 Mesopotamia Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJH Posted 5 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Pam Thanks very much for confirming this. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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