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Remembered Today:

British school registers and rolls of honor


rflory

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Another request please, Dick

Two brothers, Reginald and Arrol Moir served as officers in the Royal Engineers, but as far as I can see neither served overseas - no MICs found. Reginald died in London of illness in 1915 as a Lieutenant. Arrol survived the war and was known afterwards as 'Captain'.

I beieve that Arrol was at Repton School and I wonder if you can tell me if Reginald went there also.

Any other details of their service would be welcome.

Many thanks,

Daggers.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Dick, would you mind, please?

Major Cecil Arthur Ralph Smith, MC*, RFA.

Anything at all would be great.

He served in the Great War, and survived. Served between the wars as a Territorial officer and was invalided out of the Army shortly after the Second World War began, and died in February 1940.

Thanks,

Nigel

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Another request please, Dick

Two brothers, Reginald and Arrol Moir served as officers in the Royal Engineers, but as far as I can see neither served overseas - no MICs found. Reginald died in London of illness in 1915 as a Lieutenant. Arrol survived the war and was known afterwards as 'Captain'.

I beieve that Arrol was at Repton School and I wonder if you can tell me if Reginald went there also.

Any other details of their service would be welcome.

Many thanks,

Daggers.

In the absence of a reply from Dick I have checked the Repton Register and can confirm that both brothers were educated at the school and also that they both served in France. Details:

Moir, Reginald; Born 1/1/93; Gon. and Caius Camb., B.A. Eng.Tripos 1914; 2/Lt. R.E.(S.R.) 8/14; France 1914-15; D in hospital 9/11/15.

Moir, Arrol; Born 16/9/94; 2/Lt R.E.(T.F.) 10/14; Lt. R.E. 10/16; Capt 1918; France 1916-19; Gon. and Caius Camb., B.A.1920; Engineer.

They were both the sons of Sir E.W.Moir, Bart., 41, Cadogan Square, S.W.

Hope this helps,

Robert

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Daggers,

There are MIC's for both brothers which show a 14/15 Trio was issued for Reginald and a BWM/VM was issued for Arrol. These can both be found on Ancestry under Reginald Moir and A.Moir respectively. :thumbsup:

Robert

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Robert

Very many thanks for the information and for following up my query.

Daggers

Happy to be of assistance. :thumbsup:

Robert

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Daggers: Sorry about being late answering your request but I somehow missed your post until now. Robert has already reported on the information in the Repton School Register.

The Repton School War Register Indicates the following:

Moir, Reginald (Priory 1902-11). Sec Lt RE, SR 8/14. France, 70th Field Coy., 1914. Died in hospital, 9/11/15.

Moir, Arrol. (Priory, 1908-12). Sec. Lt., 2nd London Divisionial Engineers, RE (T) 10/14. Lt (T) RE, 10/16. France 10/16-1/19.

The Engineers' Who's Who 1939 states:

Moir, Sir Arrol. Bt., BA (Cantab.) (Hons., War Degree); AM Inst. C.E.

Director, Poles, Ltds., 10 Victoria Street, Westminster, SW1. Private address: Little Court, St. Peter's -in-Thanet, Kent. Career: R.E. Branch of Army during war; five years with Pearson and Dorman Long, Ltd. Director of Sir Ernest William Moir & Co.; Director of Poles, Ltd.; Member of Council of Inst. of Patentees.

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Major Cecil Arthur Ralph Smith, RFA

Served during the Great War with A/185 RFA then transferred to A/181 in late 1916 or early 1917 and by late 1917 was serving with B/181.

Gazetted with the MC in the London Gazette of 3 June 1918 (no citation) and with a bar to the MC in the London Gazette of 15 October 1918 for conspicuous gallantry near Fiche on 14 July 19i8 while serving with B Battery, 181st Brigade, RFA, His citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and determination under heavy shell fire. When a direct hit on the signallers' pit buried two signallers, he called for volunteers and succeeded in carrying them to a safe place. During this time the battery was being heavily shelled, and the telephone pit had three direct hits on it while the rescue work was being carried on."

Decorated by the King for both awards on 12 March 1920

After the war served with 336th Battery, 84th Brigade, RA (TA). Promoted to Captain effective 1 September 1921 and to Major effective 24 April 1928. Left the Territorial Army sometime between July 1929 and January 1931.

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Just to add to the various responses to Dagger's enquiry about the Moir brothers.

I visited Brookwood Cemetery recently and came across the fantastic Moir family memorial which commemorates several generations of the family. It has a portrait in bronze of Reginald, who was known as Rex. He served in the 40th Field Company, Royal Engineers and died on 9 November 1915 in a military hospital at 17 Park Lane, London of meningitis.

A graduate of Caius College, Cambridge, his family endowed a Rex Moir prize in the Engineering Department which is still awarded today.

The grave in Brookwood reads:

For Rex "we dreamed great things for you God intervened and so the dreams came true"

For his father "a loving husband and father and a man of great achievement"

For his mother "an every loving mother and a woman of great ability"

Moriaty

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Many thanks for adding that extra information. I had seen a pic of the memorial online but the inscriptions did not show up.

Daggers

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dick

Wondered if you had anything on the following man:

Major David Fraser DSO MC TD RHA died 1943.

I have found his medal awards in LG and some of his pre-war service - local unit of Inverness Battery RHA but not when he was promoted to Major or resigned.

Only need time to get to library and find his obituary.

Stuart Farrell

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Guest Grierson1912

Phil,

In relation to your request in March for information on Lionel Arthur Harris of Bloxham School:

Private Lionel Arthur Harris (Royal Warwickshire Regiment)
Died of wounds 16th August 1915, commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli

Lionel Harris was born in 1896 in Newbury and was the son of Ernest and Marion Harris. His father ran the Blacksmith, Forge and general store in small village of Cold Ash, near Thatcham. The school archives suggest that Lionel was the youngest of 4 sons, however the 1901 census shows he had a younger brother Paul, and makes no mention of older siblings...once again the vagueries of research!

He was a Private in the 9th Battalion the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He died of wounds in Gallipoli and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial to the Missing.

Information from Matthew Dixon's website 'Bloxham School Great War Roll of Honour'.

Simon Batten, Archivist, Bloxham School.

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Stuart Farrell wrote: "Wondered if you had anything on the following man: Major David Fraser DSO MC TD RHA died 1943."

Major David Fraser, DSO, MC, TD, RHA

Promoted Major, RHA/RFA (TF) on 1 June 1916

OC, 1/1 Inverness Battery, RHA (TF) from Spring 1916 to October 1917

DSO (London Gazette of 12 Dec 1919) "for distinguished service in connection with military operations in Egypt and Palestine."

MC (London Gazette of 25 Nov 16) while serving with 1/1 Inverness Battery, RHA (TF) for “For conspicuous gallantry in action. He handled his battery under very heavy fire with great courage and skill.” The original recommendation stated: [“Commanded his Battery during the actions from 4th-18th August, 1916. His Battery was most efficient and rendered excellent service. He showed coolness, dash and a clear clasp of the requirements of the moment and disregard of personal safety.” Decorated by the King on 6 May 20.

Commanded 18th Brigade, RHA from January 1918 to August 1918

TD (London Gazette of 15 Jul 1919)

Four Mentions in Despatches: (London Gazettes of 1 Dec 16; 6 Jul 17; 22 Jan 19; 12 Jan 20)

Major Fraser is pictured in two group photos in Dugald MacEchern's The Sword of the North published by Robert Carruthers & Sons in 1923.

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Dick

Thanks very much for info - Here is his earlier career -

The London Gazette of 1st January 1904:
The Highland. The undermentioned Gentlemen to be Second Lieutenants:- David Fraser. Dated 2nd January, 1904.

The London Gazette of 30th October 1908:
Highland Mounted Brigade Ammunition Column, Inverness-shire; Second Lieutenant David Fraser, from The Highland Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers), to be Lieutenant. Dated 1st April, 1908.

The London Gazette of 5th February 1909:
Highland Mounted Brigade Ammunition Column, Inverness-shire; Lieutenant David Fraser to be Captain. Dated 22nd December, 1908.

Now to get time to find his obituary.

Thanks again

Stuart

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Hi Dick,

Could I trouble you for another lookup? Second Lieutenant Phillip Walter Johnson, 3rd Queen's Royal West Surrey, attd. 1st Battalion. Died of wounds 18th May 1915. Attended City of London school from 1903 - 1907.

Many thanks,

Andy

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From the "Roll of Honour" in The City of London School Magazine, July 1915, pages 73-74:

Second Lieut. P. W. Johnson

Killed in action May 19th, 1915

Philip Walter Johnson entered the School in September, 1903, and left Mod. Upper IV in July 1907, his younger brother, E. G. Johnson, having left from Senior B in July 1905. He enlisted last September as a Private in the Royal West Kent Regiment, was gazetted to the Royal West Surrey Regiment in December and went to France in January. We have received the following account of his death on Wednesday, May 19th, near Richebourg: "about 7.30 pm on Tuesday, May 18th, he was sent out in charge of his Company to the firing trenches to evacuate the wounded. All went well with his dangerous and difficult task till about 1am, when an obstructions in the communication trench caused him and another man to get out and cut across to the other trench. A shrapnel burst beside them and both were mortally wounded. A sergeant rushed to Johnson, be he pluckily said he was all right and asked him to look after the other man. He never spoke again. He had earned the warm regard and respect of his Colonel. His Captain wrote: 'he had to run a newly-raised company, and supervise its training while actually on active service, and very well he did it. His is a great loss to the regiment'."

This story makes us feel doubly proud of one who was already something of a blue at School. His name appears on the Sports Programme as Junior Champion for 1900, when he had a fine record of 5 Firsts and 1 Second to his credit. W. T. Wettenhall, who is now a Captain in the 6th Leicestershire Regiment, was Senior Champion that year. E. G. Johnson is with the 8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, at Shoreham, and has just been made commander of his platoon.

A photo of Johnson from the same source is below:

post-765-0-46586800-1442554370_thumb.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Just trying to resurrect this thread

If anyone has any more on Captain Dunford id love to hear from them, such a pity that Sandyford is no longer with us as I would love to speak to Dunford's descendant but no way of finding them unless you know otherwise.

Also looking for the photo

Regards

Richard

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Richard: It would be useful if you could note the number of the post to which you refer as I have gone back three pages and can find nothing concerning Captain Dunford.

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Richard

If you go on to my website (below) you will see a thumbnail photo of Dunford's widow and his son receiving his DSO from the king in Newcastle.

Mike

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello Dick, yet another request for my Newbury research:

I am looking for information on Lionel Somerset, who seems to have attended Cranleigh School - he survived the war (two of his brothers didn't), but I'd love to confirm he attended Cranleigh, and. if he did, the years he was there.

If he did then perhaps one or more of his brothers also went to Cranleigh? They were Francis Henry (Frank), Edmund Edgerley, Edward Owen and Burchall.

In hope,

Phil

I am the archivist at Cranleigh School. Can you give me some likely dates that Lionel might have been there and I will happily look. Some birth dates for the various brothers will be enough for me to get started

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Alison:

Stanley Gordon Brown

Born 1 Nov 1891, the son of G. Brown, Brandraw House, Aspatria

Educated at Repton School (Brook) from Sept 1905 to Dec 1908.

Before the war was a solicitor articled to John Errington of Carlisle

Enlisted as a Seaman, RN Division, Feb 1915

Killed in action at the Dardanelles on 25 Apr 15

Sources: Old Reptonian War Register 1914-1919; Repton School Register, 1922; Record of Service of Solicitors and Articled Clerks.

I am afraid I do not have anything on Nelson School, Wigton or Cranleigh School, nor any photos

I am archivist at Cranleigh School and can forward you the list of those who served/died which was compiled at the end of WW1. It is, however, incomplete. I have undertaken several years of research and found almost 50 names missing plus three that ought not to be there in the first place! The correct list will be included on a new memorial which will be unveiled on July 1, 2016

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