Roger D Posted 9 February , 2006 Share Posted 9 February , 2006 A strange one this but please carry on to the end, all will become clear. I have been researching 22 men named on the war memorial at a London based non league football club. One is Edward L Bescoby. In 1913/14 we had a first team regular named Eddie Bescoby, this is the man who was killed. Our 1919 handbook reveals that Eddie was in The Sharpshooters pre war, later being commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers, where he was killed. The handbook also contains a list of casualties reported to be in order of death (and with one possible exception accurate). This means he almost certainly died between 28/4/17 and 30/3/18. According to cwgc.org no Edward L Bescoby died in this timespan however an Edgar Laurence Bescoby did and he fits "our" man perfectly - ex Yeoman and died in the Royal Fusiliers plus he was the right age - 25. I am confident that the name on our war memorial is wrong and that it should be Edgar. Edgar was born in the Hastings area - he is remembered on Guestling War Memorial. I strongly suspect he had no relations in the London area and the club just knew him as Eddie so when drawing up the memorial assumed he was an Edward. (They also spelt one of our fatalities wrong in the 1919 handbook and said the Roll of Honour was 21 men long when a quick count shows 22 so it seems they weren't 100% accurate on a few matters.) Before I go to the club and suggest that we have the wrong man on our memorial:- i) Has anyone every come across an Edward L Bescoby who fits this man? Long shot I know...... ii) Can anyone spot any flaws in the scenario I have outlined above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 10 February , 2006 Share Posted 10 February , 2006 I'm sure you are right. SDGW has 2Lt Edgar Laurence Bescoby of 12th Royal Fusiliers dying of wounds on 18/6/17. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 10 February , 2006 Share Posted 10 February , 2006 All sounds very plausible. I realise that Officers had to apply for their medal entitlement so this can't be a definitive answer, but there is no MIC for an Edward Bescoby but there is one for Edgar Lawrence Bescoby. Link to it is Here if it helps. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger D Posted 10 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 February , 2006 All sounds very plausible. I realise that Officers had to apply for their medal entitlement so this can't be a definitive answer, but there is no MIC for an Edward Bescoby but there is one for Edgar Lawrence Bescoby. Link to it is Here if it helps. Regards Steve Thanks folks, good to know others suspect it is plausible. I'm aware that sometimes you can fail to see the wood for the trees when trying to prove a pet theory so just wanted a neutral opinion on whether or not I was heading off in the wrong direction. I was actually looking at the MIC shortly after writing that posting last night and it may just provide the answer. From memory Eddie did his training, post commission, in Lichfield with another of our casualties. The MIC gives Eddie's commissioning date so if I can find the MIC for Frank Sydney Marsh and the dates are similar we have a pretty strong bit of evidence to add to the overall picture. Guess that's a task for this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger D Posted 12 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 February , 2006 Quick question for any RMLI specialists - I cannot track a MIC for Frank Sydney Marsh at Kew online, is it possible it could be anywhere else? I've ploughed through the births registered in this county from 1887, which would make E.L Bescoby 30 at death but he is a young man in the photo we have of him in uniform. Admittedly we cannot date it but all the other circumstantial evidence points to him being relatively young, though to 1897, making him 16/17 when a first team regular for us - highly unlikely given the standard he was playing. It would have been commented on in the press if he had been. In that timespan only 2 E.L Bescoby's are born, Edgar Laurence the bloke I think is our Eddie and an Editha Laura. There is also one Edward Bescoby but crucially he has no middle name. Thank goodness the surname is relatively unusual! Given the mounting cirumstantial evidence, clearly the above doesn't rule out anyone born abroad, I think we will be going to the club and proposing a small plaque under our war memorial honouring Edgar Laurence 89 years after we should have honoured him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 12 February , 2006 Share Posted 12 February , 2006 I've ploughed through the births registered in this county from 1887, which would make E.L Bescoby 30 at death but he is a young man in the photo we have of him in uniform. Admittedly we cannot date it but all the other circumstantial evidence points to him being relatively young, though to 1897, making him 16/17 when a first team regular for us - highly unlikely given the standard he was playing. It would have been commented on in the press if he had been. Can you post this pic? If he is 'youngish', rather than '30ish', it probably dates to the pre-war service in "The Sharpshooters". Even if no badges are on view "The Sharpshooters" were Yeomanry, so he might be wearing mounted uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger D Posted 12 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 February , 2006 Can you post this pic? If he is 'youngish', rather than '30ish', it probably dates to the pre-war service in "The Sharpshooters". Even if no badges are on view "The Sharpshooters" were Yeomanry, so he might be wearing mounted uniform. Good idea, I only have a poor quality photo-copy but I'll see if the guy who holds the original 1919 handbook can scan it. There are prominent badges on his hat and both collars but the image I have is too poor to see for certain what they are. He's wearing a tie and has a belt type thing (sorry, I have no idea what the correct phrase is) running diagonally down his chest, going over his right shoulder. My suspicion is that it is a Yeoman's uniform and may well be pre war but I suspect not by that much. He wasn't in our team for long before the war and I haven't seen anything commenting on his age, the local press usually mentioned if someone was unusually young or old. Incidentally his MIC suggests a Yeoman's service no. of 931/265156 - does anyone know whether that may give away a rough signing up date? He is listed with what looks like no rank serv. of seas so it must have been when they were being asked at enlistment whether or not they would serve abroad if needed. Was that a standard question or was it introduced as war began to look possible? Cheers folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 12 February , 2006 Share Posted 12 February , 2006 If he is wearing a tie and a "leather belt type thing" he is probably an officer. ORs did not wear ties unless wounded and wearing "Hospital Blues". If the leather belt is what I am thinking of it is known as a "Sam Brown". So, either he was commissioned in the Sharpshooters, joined the Army as an OR and was then commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers.. OR It is photo of him taken after he was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers, but he is one of those lucky people who look ten years younger than their real age. Post the piccy and we shall see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger D Posted 12 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 February , 2006 If he is wearing a tie and a "leather belt type thing" he is probably an officer. ORs did not wear ties unless wounded and wearing "Hospital Blues". If the leather belt is what I am thinking of it is known as a "Sam Brown". So, either he was commissioned in the Sharpshooters, joined the Army as an OR and was then commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers.. OR It is photo of him taken after he was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers, but he is one of those lucky people who look ten years younger than their real age. Post the piccy and we shall see. Thank you very much indeed. You may just have given me a huge lead, to quote from the 1919 club handbook:- "Bescoby before the war and long after was in the Sharpshooters, eventually getting a commission into the Royal Fusiliers". This is backed up by the MIC for Edgar which shows him as commissioned by the Fusiliers on 26/3/17. I have no reference anywhere to him being commissioned by the Sharpshooters, also there are no references to any previous wounds. If this Eddie does turn out to be in Royal Fusiliers outfit we know that he was a relatively young man in 1917 and as such almost certainly Edgar who was 25 at his death in June 1917, no Edward L Bescoby fits that age range according to birth certificates. I'll try to get a decent scan and post it. Thank you for your help, I'm increasingly confident this one will have a happy ending and I'll pull together enough circumstantial evidence to get a plaque put up to Edgar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 12 February , 2006 Share Posted 12 February , 2006 Roger Quick question for any RMLI specialists - I cannot track a MIC for Frank Sydney Marsh at Kew online, is it possible it could be anywhere else? By no means would I call myself a specialist but I do not believe there are MIC's for the RMLI online, you'll need to go to NA, Kew and consult the Medal Rolls in ADM171/167 (For NCO's and Men) and ADM171/92 & 93 (for Officers). These rolls are arranged alphabetically so it shouldn't take too long to find your man. I have a feeling that I've read on the forum somewhere that the FAA Museum hold records of some sort as well. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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