Private George E Stephens 23670 Royal Warwickshire

[Marlene]

Good Morning

My direct ancestors came to NZ in 1878 from Warwickshire and I have the unenviable task of tracking forward the family Elizabeth and Henry Ward left behind as this is the 125th anniversary year of their arrival here.

GEORGE E STEPHENS was the son of Sarah Ann(nee Ward) and William Stephens and the nephew of my great grandparents. His father was a witness at my greatgrandparent's marriage in Acock's Green in 1874. George was a cousin to my grandmother and her siblings.

I was saddened to read of his death on the CWGC at the age of 41. He had been married for about 17 years and probably had children in their teens.

The above raises numerous questions for me and I wonder whether anyone can help me? Fairly basic stuff for someone who knows probably but will help my understanding:

1. How would the family have been notified of his death?

2. I was surprised at his age - were many soldiers of this age sent to the War?

3. What assistance would his wife and [perhaps family have received? I know here in NZ there was a possibility of a "rehab" loan for those returning to NZ but what was available for those who who died from England?

4. Would his name be on a memorial in Birmingham?Aston? where he lived?

5. Researching from afar is horrendously expensive -are there any other sites which might help me. I have 2 other family members from England to research so any help will be gratefully received.

Thanks

Marlene

[Guest Hill 60]

Marlene - Welcome to the Forum.

A quick check of 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' only shows that your man died of wounds, was born & enlisted in Birmingham and formerly served as in the Royal Engineers with the Army number 188821.

[brindlerp]

Hello Marlene,

useful web sites for UK Census information are:-

http://freecen.rootsweb.com/

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/default.asp (UK 1881 census and additional genealogy information)

http://www.census.pro.gov.uk/ (UK 1901 census at a cost)

From The CWGC site, I notice Private G.E. Stephens was with the 2nd Battalion of the Warwicks, the same as my maternal Grandfather.

This means he was in 22nd Brigade in the 7th Division during WW1.

There is an excellent book available covering the history of "The Seventh Division 1914 - 1918" by C. T. Atkinson from http://www.naval-military-press.com/FMPro?...ameset.htm&-new

" SEVENTH DIVISION 1914-18. A regular division formed September 1914, to France in October. Regarded by Cyil Falls as one of the greatest fighting formations Britain ever sent to war. Served on Western front to November 1917 and then sent to Italy. Order of battle with changes, command and staff lists. 68,000 casualties , fourteen VCs. This is a very good history by one who is also the author of several regimental histories of the Great War. Cyril Falls regarded the 7th Division as one of the greatest fighting formations Britain ever sent to war. It landed initially in Zeebrugge in October 1914 as part of a force intended to relieve Antwerp, but almost immediately moved down to Ypres where it joined the main BEF. It fought in many of the major battles on the Western Front before being sent to Italy at the end of 1917 where it saw out the war. There are a number of useful appendices giving order of battle information with all changes in units, commanders and staff. Tables of casualties by units are given in the text for each major battle in which the division was involved; altogether the division suffered 68,000 casualties, among the highest recorded for any division. No list of honours and awards other than VCs. Plenty of sketch maps are very helpful in illustrating the actions being described. "

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Royal Warwickshire) web site is: http://www.warwickfusiliers.co.uk/default.asp

Useful Birmingham web sites are:

http://www.geocities.com/lindow_uk/birminghamatwar.htm

http://www.bmsgh.org/

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateConte...1075&EXPAND=260

Birmingham Hall of Memory at: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/hom.bcc

" Birmingham's Hall of Memory was erected in the 1920s (before Baskerville House, in front of which it now stands) to commemorate the 12,320 Birmingham citizens who died in the "Great War", which we now know as the First World War (a further 35,000 Birmingham men came home from that war with a disability).

The Hall, made form Portland Stone, from Portland Bill near Weymouth, was opened by Prince Arthur of Connaught on July 4, 1925. It cost £60,000, which was raised by public subscription.

Further memorials were added after the Second World War, and for subsequent campaigns, including Korea, Vietnam and the Falklands.

Around the exterior are four allegorical bronze figures, by local artist Albert Toft, representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and Women's Services.

Inside the Hall are three Art Deco panels, "Call", "Front Line" and "Return", by William Bloye, another local artist.

Opposite the Hall of Memory, outside what is now the Rep Theatre, stood a "colonnade" of Portland Stone. When Centenary Square was created, this was moved to the Peace Gardens (formerly St Thomas' church) in Bath Row.

The Hall of Memory is open to the public every Mon - Sat (except for Christmas Day), from 10 am to 4pm. For further information, please contact the curator, Paul Ellis, on (0121) 303 3048."

Regards

Richard

[brindlerp]

Hello again Marlene

I forgot this link:

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~snelling/warkl2.htm

"The Warwickshire Lad"

"The words of this spirited song were written by David Garrick for the Shakespeare Jubilee Festival at Stratford-on-Avon in 1769. The music has been adapted as the Regimental March of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. The bells of St. Mary's Church (St.Mary's page) play the Warwickshire Lad every Friday - so listen out for it at 9 am, midday, 3 pm, 6 pm and 9 at night."

regards

Richard

[Chris_Baker]

1. How would the family have been notified of his death?

2. I was surprised at his age - were many soldiers of this age sent to the War?

3. What assistance would his wife and [perhaps family have received? I know here in NZ there was a possibility of a "rehab" loan for those returning to NZ but what was available for those who who died from England?

4. Would his name be on a memorial in Birmingham?Aston? where he lived?

5. Researching from afar is horrendously expensive -are there any other sites which might help me.

1. The next of kin would have been notified by telegram.

2. The popular image of the Great War is young men of 18, all of whom had joined up under age the first day after the war broke out. Not so, by a long way. Pre-war recruitment to the army had age limits 19 and 38. When Kitcehener launched voluntary recruitment, the upper age limit was 45. Conscription, introduced early 1916, had an upper limit of 41.

3. I'm not so sure on the issue of dependents pensions and war gratuities. No doubt one of our members will know.

4. Next time I'm going over that way I'll see what I can find in Ward End / Alum Rock, regarding war memorials. (It's not too far from me, and actually not far from where my family lived when I was a child). Unless anyone even closer - Terry C? - already knows this.

5. I'll reply by private message on this one.

[Stephen White]

Marlene

Nothing to much i can add to what has already been said,but like yourself and Brindlerp my Great Grandfather was also in the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

he was 38 when he died (21.03.1915) and he also came from Aston (plume Street),where did your relative live ??.

in my Great Grandfathers case he was a Boer War Veteran,and was called up/rejoined from the reserves when causulties started mounting up,hence his high age.ongoing family research has since discovered he had only been in France 6 weeks when he was killed.he had been married 13 years and left a widow and five children.

Terry Carter and Brindlerp are your ones for help on this,BOTH have been very helpful to me.

Steven