swizz Posted 6 May , 2006 Share Posted 6 May , 2006 This one has me stumped. I was looking at a war memorial here in Somerset last weekend and noticed that one of the men was listed as having been a member of the 'Falkland Islands Volunteers.' This isn't a unit I have ever even heard of before, but when I googled it, it turns out that the man in question shares his date of death (1 December 1914) with no less than eight other members of the same force. Initially I thought that they must have been involved in something to do with the Battle of the Falkland Islands, but it turns out they died a full week before that was fought. So now I'm wondering: a) who were the Falkland Island Volunteers? B ) why did these men all die on the same day? Accident? The Somerset man is Walter James Shire: http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=428962 Any ideas or info would be greatly appreciated. The mystery here has got me interested, but I have no idea where to begin finding out more. Swizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 6 May , 2006 Share Posted 6 May , 2006 Something like Militia formed by the "Kelpers". From 1920 their role was taken over by the Falkland Islands Defence Force. Probably all that changed was the name! http://www.regiments.org/regiments/atlanti...inf/fk-fidf.htm Your man probably died of disease or in a training accident etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 6 May , 2006 Share Posted 6 May , 2006 CWGC records eight men of the Falkland Islands Volunteer Force (not Corps) who died during WW1. They all died on 01.12.14 by drowning in a boating accident - seven privates and a corporal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swizz Posted 7 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2006 Thanks Terry and Beppo - the forum continues to surprise me! I hadn't thought that I would have answers to my questions within an hour of posting it! I'm interested to read that the men died in a boating accident - do you know, Terry, whether they were the only casualties of the Falkland Islands Volunteers? Swizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 7 May , 2006 Share Posted 7 May , 2006 Swizz Yes - They were the only casualties from the FIVF during WW1. However, four men of the Falkland Islands Defence Force died in WW2 - on different dates - all buried in Stanley Cemetery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swizz Posted 8 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 May , 2006 Thanks for looking that up Terry - much appreciated! Swizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 10 March , 2019 Share Posted 10 March , 2019 (edited) At this time Falkland Islands Volunteer Force. On 1st December 1914, eight Volunteers drowned on active service when the ferry punt overturned in the Canache (a small bay in Stanley Harbour). An official account referenced “478 per “Crown of Galacia” (4.12.14)" reads "A very sad accident resulting in the drowning of eight men occurred on the afternoon of the 1st instant. We are building quarters for men off H.M.S. 'Canoppe (sic)' on the high land to the east of Engineer Point, volunteers from the Wireless Station being detailed to carry the material from the beach to the site. A party of eight, were returning for dinner, crossing the narrow neck at the Careenage in a punt capable of carrying 3 or 4 men safely. It seems fairly certain that they must have attempted to cross all together and that the punt capsized. Nothing was known until 3 p.m. when the punt was observed bottom up. Out of the eight four were volunteers from our camp (three of whom were South Petherton men), one from Port Howard, one from Chartres and the remaining two from Port Stanley. Bodies are being recovered by divers from H.M.S. “Canopus”.“ (Source FIC Archives – D12 pg 768-769). "Crown of Galacia" was a Requisitioned Auxiliary that was cross loading stores to H.M.S. "Canopus", a pre-Dreadnought battleship, moored at Port Stanley as a defensive battery. H.M.S. Canopus' log for 1st December 1914 reads: "04.20pm: Received signal re capsizing of ferry punt. 04.25pm: 2nd steam pinnace proceeded to place indicated by signal. 05.45pm: Grapnels & oars sent as required." On the day of the majority of funerals the log for Sunday 6th December reads "02.00pm: Funeral party left ship" and "05.00pm: Royal marine firing party returned." Those drowned were: Cpl. Ernest Spencer, Pte. N. Aitken, Pte. James Allen, Pte. Frederick Biggs, Pte. William Blyth, Pte. Herbert Gaylard, Pte. Charles Newing and Pte. Walter Shire. Edited 10 March , 2019 by TullochArd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 10 March , 2019 Share Posted 10 March , 2019 (edited) On 06/05/2006 at 16:16, swizz said: This one has me stumped. I was looking at a war memorial here in Somerset last weekend and noticed that one of the men was listed as having been a member of the 'Falkland Islands Volunteers.' This isn't a unit I have ever even heard of before, but when I googled it, it turns out that the man in question shares his date of death (1 December 1914) with no less than eight other members of the same force. Initially I thought that they must have been involved in something to do with the Battle of the Falkland Islands, but it turns out they died a full week before that was fought. So now I'm wondering: a) who were the Falkland Island Volunteers? B ) why did these men all die on the same day? Accident? The Somerset man is Walter James Shire: http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=428962 Any ideas or info would be greatly appreciated. The mystery here has got me interested, but I have no idea where to begin finding out more. Swizz Buried on Sunday 6th December 1914 in Grave I781 Stanley Cemetery. Headstone inscription reads "ALTHOUGH YOU ARE GONE WE OFTEN THINK OF YOU WHOM WE LOVED AND MISS" Edited 10 March , 2019 by TullochArd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 10 March , 2019 Share Posted 10 March , 2019 Interesting, but sad story. I was stationed in the Falklands for 6 months, so this one caught my attention. Did these chaps have cwgc stones? If so what badge have they got on the stone please? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 10 March , 2019 Share Posted 10 March , 2019 Blimey, just realised how old this thread is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 11 March , 2019 Share Posted 11 March , 2019 (edited) 11 hours ago, Dragoon said: Blimey, just realised how old this thread is! Correction- How old you are!! Can I point out that the records of the Falkland Islands Company are now held by the company at Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire- and a friend reports that the company is much more amenable to scholarly research than when the records were held in central London. In addition, the aid money used after the events of 1982. mean that the Falkland Islands have a fully fledged state of the art archive centre. In effect, the islands as a British colony were synonymous with the company-thus, a line to the company or to the archives might well be rewarding Edited 11 March , 2019 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 11 March , 2019 Share Posted 11 March , 2019 Correction- How old you are!! a line to the company or to the archives might well be rewarding Hello, Thank you for the information, I may well drop a line to them. I got on to this thread because TolluchArd replied to it yesterday, I then realised how old it was when I looked at the OP date. Don't understand the 'how old you are' comment,I've not taken anything to heart and I'm not offended etc, just don't understand, excuse my ignorance. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 11 March , 2019 Share Posted 11 March , 2019 Hi Chris- a jest at the passage of years both for the thread and for you....and me as well, come to think of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 11 March , 2019 Share Posted 11 March , 2019 Hi Chris- a jest at the passage of years both for the thread and for you....and me as well, come to think of it Ha ha, yes, I'm with you now, yes, 2000/2001 I was there. Where time goes I don't know, cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 20 March , 2019 Share Posted 20 March , 2019 On 10/03/2019 at 20:43, Dragoon said: Interesting, but sad story. I was stationed in the Falklands for 6 months, so this one caught my attention. Did these chaps have cwgc stones? If so what badge have they got on the stone please? Chris Those with CWGC Headstones carry the General Service badge. There was a fair bit of debate in the 1920's as to which badge to use and the IWGC (as it was at that time) made a "command decision" in the absence of any other information. Regarding the dates of posts ......... 2006 to 2019 ........."Time flies over us, but leaves it's shadow behind" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 20 March , 2019 Share Posted 20 March , 2019 (edited) 43 minutes ago, TullochArd said: Those with CWGC Headstones carry the General Service badge. There was a fair bit of debate in the 1920's as to which badge to use and the IWGC (as it was at that time) made a "command decision" in the absence of any other information. Regarding the dates of posts ......... 2006 to 2019 ........."Time flies over us, but leaves it's shadow behind" Superb! Thank you for the headstone information,greatly appreciated. Did they have a cap badge of sorts? And a nice way of putting it with regard to time passing! Cheers Chris Edited 20 March , 2019 by Dragoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Bean Posted 31 January , 2020 Share Posted 31 January , 2020 Hi I know this is a very old thread ....but here is one of the Falkland Islands Volunteer Force cap badges up for sale this coming Thursday https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/stroud-auctions-ltd/catalogue-id-srstr10095/lot-a4f383a1-586f-412d-8338-ab4c010f7668 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 31 January , 2020 Share Posted 31 January , 2020 Nice badge. The FIVF appears to have had no badge during the Great War and the General Service badge was utilised on the CWGC headstones of the period supports this. This badge is a beauty ……. but probably the later/current FIDF badge based on the FI Coat of Arms of 1925–1948? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Bean Posted 31 January , 2020 Share Posted 31 January , 2020 Thank you for your comments ..very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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