edwin astill Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 And another - I'm enjoying this - WW2+ I recall the obit. of Lord de Lisle and Dudley VC, when Gov. Gen. of Australia, went to a dinner at the American Embassy in Canberra. When he got there he found two two places laid. One for Lord de Lisle, and one for Dudley. I can just imagine the US Marine Lt. "Gee, this English Lord guy is bringing his fag with him" Edwin Astill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Birch Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Not only do some of the names seem elaborate by todays standards, but so was the language they used. I think it is absolutely ripping the way the chaps spoke in those days when they came out of the line after a gallant show, or how those who knew they were dying would say "Good bye old man - God bless England and the old regiment!" We might smile now, but this sort of language was the norm then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 My Grandfather's cousin - William Ewert Astill (WW1, Machine Gun Corps - Leicester and England cricketer) might not have had a 'poncy' name - but sure as anything it gave away his parents' politics! My old Headmaster, Alfred Redvers Stedman (Marlborough Grammar School) had a more 'military' middle name. Whilst indulging myself I recall my old chemistry master making us sniff chlorine - "That's what they gave us in the trenches". Wish I appreciated at the time what a privilege it was to be taught by that generation. Edwin Astill I see your relative Ewert Astill served in both World Wars and did not make his England debut until almost 40. An excellent allrounder.Would be most interested in other details of his cricket career. P.M. me if you have a chance as it is not WW1 related. Kind regards, Roland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Not only do some of the names seem elaborate by todays standards, but so was the language they used. I think it is absolutely ripping the way the chaps spoke in those days when they came out of the line after a gallant show, or how those who knew they were dying would say "Good bye old man - God bless England and the old regiment!" We might smile now, but this sort of language was the norm then. Was it really Tim? Maybe it is just me being a cynic, but how many actually said it and how much is invention for letters home and from the papers? Unless soldiers attitudes have changed a hell of a lot I would think that what they said was something like: That ******* ******* German **** shot my ******* ***** off. On a later war. I read that what General Tony McAuliffe said when asked to surrender Bastogne was not "Nuts", but something 'earthier'. "Nuts" was invented for posterity. Here is an interesting article about "le mot de Cambronne" which might, or might not, have been spoken at Waterloo: http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/mi..._cambronne.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Not Great War related, but I had a Canadian colleague once that was involved in a slight mix up at a USAF base due to names. Captain J Major and Lieutenant T Commander were the crew pilots. On arrival the Americans thought that they could figure out Lieutenant Commander (a naval rank) but were unsure of Captain Major (must be very senior). Discretion being the better part of valour, the arriving Canadians were met with a honour guard and a band. Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran Byrne Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Not Great War related, but I had a Canadian colleague once that was involved in a slight mix up at a USAF base due to names. Captain J Major and Lieutenant T Commander were the crew pilots. On arrival the Americans thought that they could figure out Lieutenant Commander (a naval rank) but were unsure of Captain Major (must be very senior). Discretion being the better part of valour, the arriving Canadians were met with a honour guard and a band. Roxy LoL! That sounds like something from the film Airplane! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Birch Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Was it really Tim? Maybe it is just me being a cynic, but how many actually said it and how much is invention for letters home and from the papers? Beppo Oh I have no doubt that soldiers regularly used the F word, but it was less prevalent amongst "Gentlemen" ie the Officer Class. Gernerally an OR would try not to swear in front of an Officer, and if he did he would usually apologise. Words like "Ripping", "Spiffing" etc were in normal use amongst in the Upper Classes. Maybe a bit of license was used by COs writing to bereaved relatives when they told how their loved one died if not "instantly", then at least saying last words like "God bless the old regiment!". No one ever died writhing in agony and screaming in the mud with their guts hanging out in these letters of condolence. Victorian values were very much held in those days. It reminds me of the Monty Python sketch of the CO visiting the dying officer in a tent during the Zulu Wars who has had his leg blown off. When asked if he was in much pain, he replied "Can't complain, but it stings a bit, Sir!" Tim Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 23 February , 2006 Admin Share Posted 23 February , 2006 I'm proud to report that my son Jack has my maiden name as his middle name, so I'm keeping alive the tradition. So his full handle is Jack Johnson Young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateJ Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 How about this for a name ELDRED WOLFERSTAN BOWYER-BOWER Name: BOWYER-BOWER, ELDRED WOLFERSTAN Initials: E W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Captain Regiment: Royal Flying Corps Unit Text: 59th Sqdn. Secondary Regiment: East Surrey Regiment Secondary Unit Text: and 3rd Bn. Age: 22 Date of Death: 19/03/1917 Additional information: Only son of Capt. Thomas and Florence Margaret Bowyer-Bower, of 30, Bramham Gardens, South Kensington, London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: I. D. 8. Cemetery: MORY ABBEY MILITARY CEMETERY, MORY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 These rather grand names have the edge on Wayne, Duane, Brooklyn surely? Hi All, All I can say loud and clear is, HERE,HERE !!!!!!!!!! Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 This name thing has been discussed here before. QUOTE (Paul Reed @ Sat, 3 Jan 2004 21:50:57 +0000) It doesn't give his full name, which included 'Plantagenet'. I believe he is in the Guiness Book of Records as having the longest name of any soldier who died in either World War. Here is my reply: Léone Sextus Denys Oswolf Fraudati-filius Tollemache-Tollemache de Orellana Plantagenet Tollemache-Tollemache, a Captain in the Leicestershire Regiment, who died on 20 February 1917. Try a search. Tollemache ought to do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Just had a play about with the National Archives MIC search engine and found this man: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=1 Lance Corporal Captain Dearden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 These rather grand names have the edge on Wayne, Duane, Brooklyn surely? It's also probably a good job that the modern habit of naming kids after the place of conception wasnt around in 1950. Otherwise...... Yours Llanfairfechan Hartley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 I am very fond of Hackett-Pain and the amazingly named Pine Coffin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 It's also probably a good job that the modern habit of naming kids after the place of conception wasnt around in 1950. Otherwise...... Yours Llanfairfechan Hartley If your parents had travelled just a little further you could have been Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Hartley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveBrigg Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 This name thing has been discussed here before. QUOTE (Paul Reed @ Sat, 3 Jan 2004 21:50:57 +0000) It doesn't give his full name, which included 'Plantagenet'. I believe he is in the Guiness Book of Records as having the longest name of any soldier who died in either World War. Here is my reply: Léone Sextus Denys Oswolf Fraudati-filius Tollemache-Tollemache de Orellana Plantagenet Tollemache-Tollemache, a Captain in the Leicestershire Regiment, who died on 20 February 1917. Try a search. Tollemache ought to do it! Name: TOLLEMACHE, LEONE SEXTUS Initials: L S Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Captain Regiment: Leicestershire Regiment Secondary Unit Text: attd. as Bde. Major to 3rd Aust. Bde, 1st Aust. Div Age: 32 Date of Death: 20/02/1917 Additional information: Son of the Rev. Ralph William L. Tollmache-Tollemache, M.A., J.P., vicar of South Witham, Lincs and his wife Dora Cleopatra Maria L. Tollemache-Tollemache (nee de Orellana). His brother Leo also fell. Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. A. 4. Cemetery: DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION How big was his death plaque? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest C729LEE Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Poncy Names, Mmmmmm. Had a couple of medal groups - not to officers, however - but I thought they were worth a mention because they seem odd names today. Jasper Fuchs, a Pte in the 1/5 Linc R and good old Percy Higginbottom, a Cpl in the 1/6 Cheshire Regt., (Stockport Territorials, I do believe). Walter Illingsworth is not too bad until you replace Walter with Wally, with the Linc R and then the Monmouths. Oh yes, how about this one ----- Marmaduke Vipond, Linc R. What sort of name is that? Until you look at the 1901 Census, you would think some posh nob that did not go for a commission. NO --- he was a boy from the rough end of Sunderland. I think he had a brother called Horatio Vipond. Can you imagine the ribbing. Good job there was a load of brothers in the family, to look after each other. Anyway, I still think the best name for an officer came from one of our favourite telly progs. Who could forget 2nd Lt. STRANGELY - BROWN ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Woerlee Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Léone Sextus Denys Oswolf Fraudati-filius Tollemache-Tollemache de Orellana Plantagenet Tollemache-Tollemache How would his mum call him for dinner? Cripes it would be cold and ready to be thrown out by the time she got through all of that. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest C729LEE Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 How would his mum call him for dinner? Cripes it would be cold and ready to be thrown out by the time she got through all of that. Cheers Bill Yes, it sounds like someone reading a foreign menu Cheers Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Woerlee Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 I do have one name: Charles Wyndham Maude Cornwallis who enlisted as Wally Maude in the 9th ALHR, rose through the ranks to become a 2/Lt and sadly was killed at Gallipoli on 13 August 1915. His father was Lieutenant General Oswald Maude Cornwallis, from Cheltenham, England. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Woerlee Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Lee G'day mate Yes, it sounds like someone reading a foreign menu You might be forgiven in thinking the bottle of wine was included for the same price. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 If your parents had travelled just a little further you could have been Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Hartley My cousins son named his daughter Layla P------, after the song by Eric Clapton. This upset the grandmother, my cousin. I told her that it could have been a lot worse. The child could have been called All Along The Watchtower P------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 It's also probably a good job that the modern habit of naming kids after the place of conception wasnt around in 1950. Otherwise...... Yours Llanfairfechan Hartley So that's how all those poor babies got called Beckham? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slovdave Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Not Great war, but my favourite neighbour when I was a child was Mrs Cave-Brown-Cave, she had lived through both wars but I don't know if any relatives of that surname served. As to the 'stiff upper lip' attitude, my favourite has always been the staff officer sat on his horse next to Wellington at Waterloo, when a canonball took off his leg. "By god sir, they've shot my leg off!" Wellington. "By god sir, so they have!" Probably apocryphal, but no less entertaining for that. More heart rending is Alan Whicker's account of a terribly wounded Subaltern lying on a stretcher in a makeshift hospital at Anzio and clearly dying. He called over a passing Doctor to ask if anything could be done. The Doctor, knowing that nothing could be, tried to sidestep the question. " I'm afraid we're not quite ready for you yet" " I quite understand sir" the Subaltern replied,closed his eyes and quietly died. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Dave, I am sure the man who lost his leg at Waterloo next to Wellington was either Uxbridge or Paget-and I can think of other things to say rather than "I think sir I have lost my leg"-more like B******S! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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