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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Youngest Boy Soldier ?


Moston

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Terry

Moston only has the family story that a relative "died in the war".

The struggle, as always, in these things, is in proving the negative. Moston may well end up eliminating all except one of the possibles from SDGW - it would still be a mistake to assume this was a rellie without other corroboration..

John

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Moston

Just to clear my mind a bit. What factual evidence do you have to show that he died in WW1?

TR

Sorry - I stress again - only that my grandma said her brother was killed during the war - she then welled up and cried every time. In my opinion not exactly something you'd make up.

I have NO factual evidence at all otherwise this search would have so much easier.

As others have said - I'll have to eliminate and then investigate those I narrow it down to.

I've done family history stuff in the past and will not accept any evidence until proven.

Thanks to Susan I note that far more records are now on-line and readily available where not long ago I spent DAYS ploughing through documents all to no avail. I guess I'd given up hope.

Thanks to efforts and comments from people on here my hope has been reignited in the search for my Gt Uncle and hopefully a visit to his grave or memorial for the very first time by a member of his family.

If it all proves rubbish and my grandma was wrong (!?) then so be it...but somehow I doubt it.

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Keep going Moston

My g'dad was told his uncle died in the gt war, only on his fathers death bed did the truth come out. He wasn't killed in action, he commited suicide after he recieved notification to go to back after being wounded at Loos.

Neil

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  • 3 months later...

This is a fascinating thread. I'm Clifford's granddaughter. My father is his eldest son, Alan. He remembers Mabel well, and also remembers visiting another of the sisters in Birmingham as a child. My grandfather was badly wounded in the war. The 3rd battle at Ypres(?) is what I was told, but survived. He was in the Leicestershire Regt. He was then almost killed again when a shell shocked officer threw a hand grenade into a hospital ward, but survived and lived to be almost 91 years old. He also clammed up when it came to 'family' matters. Can I throw 2 more names in here. There was an older brother, Charlie I believe, also killed in the war, and there was a sister Ivy, older than Mabel I was told. Is it possible Allen was married twice? I can't find any evidence for this yet. Maybe we can pool our efforts/resources. By the way, I live in Newport, and will go to find Ernie's grave.

sherryp.

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This is a fascinating thread. I'm Clifford's granddaughter. sherryp.

Stunned....who would have thought this possible after all these years ! - Look forward to combining our efforts and solving this one once and for all !

I have sent you a PM.

Simon Moston.

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If William did mange to join up under another name how would his death got back to his sister.

Who would he have named as nearest relative ?

We've discounted William now - so no claim to the 'youngest soldier' anymore.

Having now discovered Sherry P I'm convinced that although that particular door has shut we'll be able to discover the actual name of the 'brother(s) that WERE killed in the great war - According to SherryP my grandma apparently had other brothers that didn't show up with the family in 1901 Census and were not mentioned in the Coroners inquest - consequently before today my side of the family didn't know of their existence !

My dream of being the first relative(s) to visit the grave(s) is now becoming a possible reality. If interested we'll keep the forum updated with progress.

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sorry, must have missed that bit

We've discounted William now - so no claim to the 'youngest soldier' anymore.

Having now discovered Sherry P I'm convinced that although that particular door has shut we'll be able to discover the actual name of the 'brother(s) that WERE killed in the great war - apparently (if you've read the thread all the way through !!!) My grandma had other brothers that don't show up with the family in 1901 Census and were not mentioned in the Coroners inquest - consequently before today my side of the family didn't know of their existence !

My dream of being the first relative(s) to visit the grave(s) is now becoming a possible reality. If interested we'll keep the forum updated with progress.

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sorry, must have missed that bit

Sorry chrismac - I re-read my post and it came across a bit wrong ! - I've re-worded it to make a bit more sense.

The discovery of Williams death cert ref whilst he was still a young lad in the cottage homes kind of rules him out.

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  • 1 month later...
i have read that 6322 john condon royal munster fusiliers was kia at age 14 ???.

mike. erth.

http://www.cwgc.co.uk/

Scroll Down the Page until you come to the Article regarding the Condon "Myth"

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http://www.cwgc.co.uk/

Scroll Down the Page until you come to the Article regarding the Condon "Myth"

Only four months late :rolleyes: (see post no 6 ;) ).

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Better Late than never... :P

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