Families with multiple casualties

[CROONAERT]

Do you have enough to do an article for ST! or our US journal, Camaraderie?

Not yet,Paul.

I've just got the information that's on a "In Memoriam" card (plus a little bit more). If the interest's there (which I think it may be),I'll see what I can do. I've got a lot more info.on the actual raid,but I'll have to go deeper into the Kingston family itself.

Can you let me know who contact,regarding the publications,please.

Thanks,

Dave.

[paul guthrie]

Yes Dave, for Stand To! Ann Clayton annclayto2@aol.com for Camaraderie Phyllis Pettyjohn at phidwayne@aol.com . I think you can find guides for contributors on the WFA site, happy hunting!

[CROONAERT]

Thanks Paul.

I'd better get started then!

Dave.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Croonaert - I presume you have this info but if not ... The original destination for her bombs had been Sheffield but L45 (K/L Kolle) was driven south by strong winds on night of 19/20 Oct and bombed Northampton first and then went onto bomb Piccadilly, Camberwell and Lewisham - and was responsible for numerous civilian deaths during this raid.

The zeppelin made a forced landing in France on the morning of the 20th and the crew were all taken prisoner.

I expect there must be quite a bit of info in the public domain concerning the bombing and the fate of the zep and her crew.

[Andrew Marshall]

Having read the article on the Wood family - five sons killed to a Candian mother. I tried to look the details up on CWGC but couldn't seem to find the men listed, can someone help me out?

Regards

Andrew

[mordac]

Hi Andrew:

There only seems to be one of the Wood boys listed on the CWGC site:

Peter Percy Wood, 887640, 46th Bn.

However, there seems to be some confusion with the last name. I've seem the first Silver Cross Mother named Mrs. C. S. Wood and Mrs. C. S. Woods. In the 1936 book 'The Epic Of Vimy' (published by The Legionary) she is listed as Mrs. C. S. Woods. As the first Silver Cross Mother she placed a wreath at the opening of the Vimy Memorial on behalf of all Canadian mothers who lost sons in the Great War.

Mrs. Wood(s) had 12 sons. To confuse matters even more, I've read a couple of articles that claimed she lost 8 sons in the war. I think the truth is she lost 5 sons in WW1, but I haven't been able to pin that number down.

I've attached photo from the 1936 opening of the Vimy Memorial. In the photo she's listed as Mrs. C. S. Woods, from Winnipeg. You'll notice she has 8 medals on the bottom row. I think this is were the confusion began for the number of sons lost.

[paul guthrie]

This too would make a fine Stand To! article. Has it been done?

[Guest hometurf]

I´ve read a story once about zes German brothers who fought and died at Verdun. Also a story about ten French brothers. The most fascinating story however is about four Dutch brothers who died. One in the Australian Army, one due to a torpedo attack, 2 in the Dutch army. A strange story, considering the neutral position of The Netherlands.

Regards,

Jorge

[Graham-McAdam]

..the Beechey family of Forestorpe, Lincs to having lost 5 sons. I searched the CWGC but couldn't find Rifleman Leonard Beechey, all the other sons are shown. The family had three other sons serving.

Article in-Jan 20th 1918 News of the World.

One the most beautiful and evocative places in England is the now redundant little church at Snarford, east of Lincoln. The chancel is packed with huge memorials to Tudor lords of the manor, looking as if they’ve just been lifted from Westminster Abbey. The Vicar during World War I was P W Thomas Beechey. According to a plaque in the church, he had seven sons all of whom died in service. The list strangely only gives their initials which are B(ernard) R, C(harles) R, F(rank) C R, L(eonard) R, CR, HR and SR. All the Rs are Reeve, presumably the mother’s name. CWGC gives the first four, but not the others. Would somebody kindly look up Soldiers Died and see if any others are there. There is clearly a story to be told, and I’m in touch with a relative, and set to look up the local paper. I’ll let you (or ST) know. (I did have a look at the wonderful British Library site for the story in the News of the World, but failed to spot it - perhaps I tried Jan 22 – will try again soon)

[Andrew Marshall]

There only seems to be one of the Wood boys listed on the CWGC site:

Peter Percy Wood, 887640, 46th Bn.

However, there seems to be some confusion with the last name. I've seem the first Silver Cross Mother named Mrs. C. S. Wood and Mrs. C. S. Woods. In the 1936 book 'The Epic Of Vimy' (published by The Legionary) she is listed as Mrs. C. S. Woods.

Mordac

Thank you, that is at least a start. Why do you think that only one of the Wood boys can be found on the CWGC, this doesn't make sense?

Even the spelling difference can't account for the problem, when you search using the site, if you put in Wood it will return everything with Wood+

It just seems frustrating to think that someone has done this research and then not shown reference to where the details came from. This shows the importance of listing your research sources.

Regards

Andrew

[Paul Reed]

Unless I've missed the point there is an article on this at Tom Morgan's site at:

http://www.hellfire-corner.demon.co.uk/ceris.htm

[Andrew Marshall]

Paul

I don't think you have missed the point, I read the article on Tom's site and tried to look up the men on the CWGC site but had no luck, take for instance the first casualty mentioned, Louis H.M.S. Hogue September 1914 - try and find him!

As with all the others, I have tried several of them in different ways but had no luck, any help gratefully received

Regards

Andrew

[Terry Denham]

From the CWGC site....

Pte Peter Percy WOOD 887640 46 Bn, Canadian Inf Vimy Memorial

Died 05.05.17 Age 17 Son of Mrs C.Wood

Seems to fit one of them

[Terry Denham]

Also from CWGC

Possibly another is

Pte Francis (Frank?) WOOD G/10546 Royal West Kents

Died 07.10.16 Thiepval Memorial

[mordac]

Hi Andrew:

Paul’s absolutely correct; the Hellfire Corner web page has the best information on Mrs. Wood.

I’ve been in phone contact with the folks at Canadian Veterans’ Affairs over the last couple of days and I’m able to verify a couple of facts: her name was Mrs. Wood (not Woods), and she lost 5 (not 8) sons in the war. Mrs. Wood lost 3 sons after the war; their deaths may have been war related.

The Veterans’ Affairs communications official in Winnipeg is sending me the complete ‘Wood’ file including service records for her sons and some CWGC information. I’ll post an update when I’ve gone through the package.

Garth

[mordac]

Hi All:

I’ve come across another story of multiple war deaths in a December 12, 1917 story in The Vancouver Sun. The headline reads “Of Sixteen Sons, Ten Are Killed.” The mother, Mrs. S. G. Ball, of Vancouver, B.C., Canada had 16 sons and stepsons who enlisted in WW1. She lost 5 sons and 5 stepsons. The only details of the deaths are as follows: “The Festubert, St. Eloi and Vimy engagements took further grim toll of the 16 members of Mrs. Ball’s own sons and five of her step-sons are dead.” No first names or battalion information is given in the story.

She sustained injuries while serving as a nurse in the Boer War. Mrs. Bell was from Australia and immigrated to Canada in 1910 with her 5 sons.

Garth

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

I find the German death cards where 2 to 3 brothers are listed together to be quite sad. I have two of these, Anton Elsässer, killed at La Boisselle on 24 December 1914 and his brother Fiedel Elsässer killed on 21 March 1918. The one that has the most impact on me is Johann Stahl, age 28, 11th Coy 20th Bavarian Reserve Regiment killed on 3 October 1916 on the Somme and his brother 20 year old Xaver Stahl, 11th Coy 20th Bavarian Reserve Regiment, killed on 3 October 1916 on the Somme.

It is bad enough to lose one son, father or brother but two on the same day.

Ralph

[Andrew Marshall]

Terry and Garth

Thanks for the postings, but do you see what I mean Terry, it's not that easy to find them is it? Especially considering the information available about them, but I shall wait for Garth to unveil more details.

Ralph

I agree, to lose two sons on the same day would seem almost unbearable.

Regards

Andrew

[Terry Denham]

Andrew

I agree that more information would make them easier to find but the two possible candidates I posted yesterday were not very difficult to find.

When using the CWGC site you often have to think sideways and certainly don't expect the information to always match that given elsewhere - particularly when it comes to first names or the spelling of surnames. There are so many variations, many of which could relate to the same person.

Also, I see from another posting that it is possible that three of the WOOD boys died after the war. This means that they would only appear on the CWGC site in certain circumstances.

It all comes back to having the maximum accurate info to start with. If you don't have that, the task is so much more difficult as you say.

[hannah]

There are 5 Beechey brothers on Lincoln War Memorial. The '5th' - Leonard Reeve Beechey - was in 18th London Regiment and died on 29.12.17 and is buried at St Sever Cty xtn

[Frank_East]

..the Beechey family of Forestorpe, Lincs to having lost 5 sons. I searched the CWGC but couldn't find Rifleman Leonard Beechey, all the other sons are shown. The family had three other sons serving.

Article in-Jan 20th 1918 News of the World.

One the most beautiful and evocative places in England is the now redundant little church at Snarford, east of Lincoln. The chancel is packed with huge memorials to Tudor lords of the manor, looking as if they’ve just been lifted from Westminster Abbey. The Vicar during World War I was P W Thomas Beechey. According to a plaque in the church, he had seven sons all of whom died in service. The list strangely only gives their initials which are B(ernard) R, C(harles) R, F(rank) C R, L(eonard) R, CR, HR and SR. All the Rs are Reeve, presumably the mother’s name. CWGC gives the first four, but not the others. Would somebody kindly look up Soldiers Died and see if any others are there. There is clearly a story to be told, and I’m in touch with a relative, and set to look up the local paper. I’ll let you (or ST) know. (I did have a look at the wonderful British Library site for the story in the News of the World, but failed to spot it - perhaps I tried Jan 22 – will try again soon)

Graham.

Four Beechey boys are remembered on the Lincoln High Street Memorial.

Their father obviously had associations with Lincoln as the CWGC data shows an address down Wragby Road.

Four are remembered on the Memorial including Harold Reeve Beechey who died serving with the No 48 Battalion AIF.

It looks to me as these four were unmarried,their mother is shown as next of kin with their father the former clergyman recorded as deceased.

What could be the fifth son, Leonard Reeve Beechey is shown in the CWGC database as dying in service on 29 December 1917.He is shown as the husband of Frances Beechey of Newport, Monmouthshire and is not recorded on the memorial.

Should be a very interesting story.Hopefully the family name survived.

Regards

Frank East

[Sgt York]

While searching through my data on over 300 men who died from my hometown, besides there being mulitable sets of brothers killed, I've come across a father and son who died, the father DoW in 1915 aged 45 and the son DoW in 1918 aged 21. I've also found two brothers who were KIA within 6 days of each other in 1918. The sinking of the Lusitania saw 8 of my townfolk lose their lives, all of them crew members.

Tragic, the grief of the NoK does not bear thinking about.

[David_Bluestein]

The Adie Family of St. Catherines Ontario.

There is a street named in their honour in the city of St. Catherines Ontario; "Adie Place"

Gnr. Allan Adie

8th Bde. Canadian Field Artillery

Killed in action November 20, 1917. Age 21

Pte. Archibald William Adie

18th (Western Ontario) Battalion CEF

Killed in action April 10, 1918. Age 26

Lieut. John McClelland Adie

1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Bde.

Died of wounds November 3, 1918. Age 35

Lieut. Robert Nicole Adie

19th (Central Ontario) Battalion CEF

Severely wounded April 19, 1916, and evacuated to Canada

(Cousin) Lieut. Harry Morton Ellis Adie

19th (Central Ontario) Battalion, and later Royal Flying Corps

Killed in action May 1, 1916. Age 29

[Yorts]

On my maternal grandmothers side the family was extremely hard hit by the Great War. My Great Grandfather was a pre-war regular in the Argylls and was discharged due to wounds received in action 1917. My Great Great Uncle died on active service (again a pre-war A&SH regular), and both their brothers in law (my other Great Great Uncles) were casualties. One was killed in action at Passchendaele, the other died of wounds received during the march retreat. Their youngest sister who was a baby died as a result of pneumonia; the doctor attributed this to the poor environment in the air raid shelter during Zepplin air raids.

These casualties constituted every adult male who was old enough to serve in the Great War in their family.

I recall reading an article in the Yorkshire Evening Post a year or two ago about a Leeds family who lost five brothers in the second world war. Only two children survived; a daughter and a son who was only 17 when the war ended.

Alex.

[Guest Hill 60]

Found this grave whilst strolling around the Foster Road Cemetery in Bedford.

It speaks for itself.