SWATLING H.F.S

[Neil Clark]

Terry,

Not sure if I have ever raised this one before.

I'm now in touch with the family of this casualty. The family confirm his name was Harold F.S SWATLING. The CWGC appear to record him as STEPHEN H.F.

Any advice gladly accepted.

SWATLING H.F.S

Private G/97988 Harold F.S SWATLING. 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Died 6th November 1918 aged 23 years. Son of Frederick and Jane Swatling of “Little Ashbourne”, Rolvenden, Kent. Husband of Annie Swatling. Buried in the Bellicourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Grave reference A.4.

Harold’s death is recorded on Soldiers Died as H.F STEPHEN! Same regimental number and SAME unit! Must be the same man. H.F SWATLING appears locally on Tenterden War Memorial. This set of circumstances led me to believe that STEPHEN H.F recorded on Soldiers Died Great War was a forgotten casualty! I know different now.

Before the outbreak of war Harold was in business with his father as a steam sawyer (whatever that was).

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission give Harold’s regimental number as 13479 and only his initials whereas the GRO Death Indexes gives G/97988 together with his first name – Harold.

[Neil Clark]

I'm going MAD!

Sorry to waste your time. He's only recorded as STEPHEN on Soldiers Died.

Neil