What did they do at Westwick Park? (Norfolk)

[Roger D]

I am currently looking at 2nd Lieutenant Eddie Bescoby. He was a Sharpshooter pre war and remained with then on home service until early 1917 when he got a commission into The Royal Fusiliers. My understanding is that The Sharpshooters went to Egypt and then Gallipoli in 1915. Eddie twice signed forms stating his willingness to serve abroad, once just days before his colleagues departed for Egypt suggesting he was under serious consideration for foreign service, however he remained in this country. On his application form, completed in late 1916. for the Officer Cadet Unit he states that he is working in a government laboratory seemingly at Westwick Park. (His degree appears to be in International Arts incidentally so he's no obvious scientist.)

Does anyone have any idea what he may have been upto at Westwick Park? It seems to me he had some skill set they wanted to utilise but have no idea what it was sadly.

Incidentally he got his bosses permission to take up the commission but sadly died of wounds just two months and a day after arriving in France as a Fusilier.

It's a long shot I know but thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.

[chris basey]

Roger

You will probably have to establish which 'Westwick Park' is referred to. A Google search will show you the alternatives.

I think it is unlikely to have been the Westick Park near North Walsham in Norfolk as I have never seen reference to government laboratories there.

[Roger D]

Roger

You will probably have to establish which 'Westwick Park' is referred to. A Google search will show you the alternatives.

I think it is unlikely to have been the Westick Park near North Walsham in Norfolk as I have never seen reference to government laboratories there.

There's only three Westwick's in Britain as far as I can see (Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Durham.) His application form clearly states his address as c/o The Sharpshooters in Norfolk. (I don't have the exact address to hand). He signed his second MT393A form out exactly a week after completing his Officer Cadet application and underneath his signature has written Westwick Park as his location so I'm pretty sure he was around the Norfolk Westwick somewhere.

I must admit it does seem strange though as Westwick in Norfolk appears to be a hamlet even today.

Nothing is easy with Eddie's tale it would seem. I am following him as he is named on a football clubs war memorial only they call him Edward. It has turned out his name was actually Edgar.

[Myrtle]

Westwick House, Norfolk was the home of Lt Col Bernard Petre of the 5th Norfolk Regiment.

[chris basey]

Roger

A Google search produced this: http://www.ww1photos.com/RoyalFusiliers.html

Initial and Regiment is right so it looks as if you could buy a photo of your man!

[Roger D]

Roger

A Google search produced this: http://www.ww1photos.com/RoyalFusiliers.html

Initial and Regiment is right so it looks as if you could buy a photo of your man!

Chris.

Thanks for that, your effort is much appreciated but I almost certainly have a copy of that photo. I'm having a quick look at the men on the Dulwich Hamlet FC war memorial and Eddie was one of four World War casualties whose photographs were in the 1919/20 Dulwich Hamlet FC handbook in army uniform and we have a copy of the handbook. He was at no. 8 Officer Cadet Unit in Lichfield from 4/11/16 and according to his records at Kew had his 2nd Lieutenant's role in the Fusiliers gazetted on 26/3/17 so I guess the photo was probably taken around the latter date as he is dressed in officers uniform. Sadly he had less than three months left to live when it was taken if I am correct. Another Hamlet man, Frank Marsh, was at Lichfield with him during his officers training, he died shortly after Eddie fighting for the Royal Marines Light Infantry.

I'm started a couple of threads about Eddie here seeking information and will probably put the photo on the forum when I have finished the research, with the basic details on what we have found about him, as a thank you to those of you on here who have helped as a couple of people have expressed an interest in seeing it. The anniversary of his death is looming, that would seem an appropiate point so I'm hoping to do it around then.

Incidentally Eddie was our first team half back in 1913/14 and that site also sells photos of another of our players. I think it is his half back partner Arthur Popple, cannot remember for certain. If not it is another of Eddie's team mates, Stan Peart. Those two were also killed sadly, 22 Hamlet men died and it looks like Eddie is the only one we have the wrong name for on our memorial!

[chris basey]

Roger

Have just borrowed 'The Sharpshooters' by Boris Mollo published c1970 by Historical Research Unit: 'The 3rd County of London Yeomanry and Sucessor Units 1900-1961; Kent & County of London Yeomanry 1961-1970.'

Locations:

Winter 1914 - East Coast to guard against threatened German invasion. (Could possibly been at Westwick which is only a few miles from the Norfolk coast but his mention seems to have been in 1916!)

1915 - Gallipoli, landed at Suvla Bay in August. In November to Lemnos for two weeks' rest then to Alexandria, back to its horses and former mounted role.

1915-1916 - Egypt, little action.

1916-1917 - Macedonia

1917-1918 - Palestine

Lists of Honorary Colonels and Commanding Officers - nobody lower than Major.

Still trying to make sense of his Westwick 'laboratory' connections.

Regards