Tom Morgan Posted 8 July , 2004 Share Posted 8 July , 2004 They say that million-to-one chances come up nine times out of ten, so I thought I would try. As part of my research into Thankful Villages, I've been looking at 100800 pte. William Harry CURTIS, MGC (Cavalry) (previously 3133 R. Bucks Hussars), who died in Egypt 31.12.17. "Soldiers Died...." says that he was born in Stoke Hammond, Bucks and enlisted at Bletchley, but doesn't give his place of residence. IS there any MGC Roll of Honour or suchlike, which a specialist might have, giving an alternative source of a soldier's place of residence? I'd be very grateful for any information on this. Best wishes - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 8 July , 2004 Share Posted 8 July , 2004 Tom According to 1901 census there was a William Curtis aged 8 living in Medmenham, Bucks. This village is between Marlow and Henley. The next man named William Curtis, listed on census having a connection with Bucks, is 30 years old. However the 8 year old is listed as born in Sandhills, Dorset. There is a church in Medmenham which may hold information on the local men lost in WW1. By the way there is not a Curtis listed on Henley's War Memorial but I don't know about Marlow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 8 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2004 Thanks Myrtle. Wouldn't you just know it - in addition to not having any personal details, the CWGC record doesn't have an age for Pte. Curtis! The surname Curtis has only 415 records in SDGW so it isn't that common, so there may be a link and I'll be looking into that tomorrow. Thanks again for your prompt and friendly help Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Tom - Have you thought about a search in WO 363/364? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 9 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Hello, Ian, Not yet, no - NA searches are something which might become part of the research at a later stage, though. At the moment, the Thankful Villages research (which you can see here) is rather primitive - checking "Soldiers Died...." and CWGC only, to establish which villages appear to have a clean sheet. The research is showing a very small number of villages - five - which may have a clean sheet but for one soldier died who was born there but with no evidence of whether his home was in the village at the time of his death. These villages are Ovington, Norfolk, Maplebeck and Wysall in Nottinghamshire, Scruton in Yorkshire and Stoke Hammond in Buckinghamshire which became a candidate in the last few days. (Ovington has two possible residents, and the others have one each.) Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsms Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Tom, Excellent site. I'd always been told that Upper Slaughter was one of these villages, but the facts prove otherwise. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Tom................The answer you are looking for is Whaddon..........it's now on the edge of Milton Keynes. No info on his age I'm afraid. He's listed on the Whaddon Church memorial & on the Whaddon Jubilee hall memorial. I can get photo's of these if you need them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Will, all I can say is wow, thanks! No need for a photograph. The only question I would ask is how is he listed on the memorial? Is it just by name, or is there anything else like date of death, number etc which might clinch the identity? It is virtually certain that he's the one though. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Will, all I can say is wow, thanks! No need for a photograph. The only question I would ask is how is he listed on the memorial? Is it just by name, or is there anything else like date of death, number etc which might clinch the identity? It is virtually certain that he's the one though. Tom Tom...............On both memorials by name only I'm afraid. On the Jubilee Hall Roll of Honour it's simply surname & initial. On the Memorial in the Church yard surname & first forename...........After my research, I'm as sure as I can be that the William Curtis on the Whaddon Memorials is the MGC William Harry Curtis who went down the SS Osmanieh when it struck a mine whilst entering Alexandria harbour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2004 I think so too, Will, as the other "soldiers died" with that name clearly come from elsewhere. It certainly looks as if Stoke Hammond is a Thankful Village then. (Didn't know about the SS Osmanieh so thanks for that, too.) Best wishes - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 I know you said there was no need for any photo's but my boys & me had nothing better to do this afternoon & anyway I took them before I read your post ...............so waste not want not The Roll of Honour plague on the Whaddon Jubilee Hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Will, that's a great picture. Although I said earlier that it wasn't necessary, I'm glad to have seen it. I'm sending you an email now. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 And the War memorial in Whaddon Church yard...........It's not in a great state I'm afraid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 A close up of William Curtis' name on the memorial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Tom........ Your initial posting has also cleared something up for me............the reason why I couldn't find a War memorial in Stoke Hammond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Will, thanks again to you and your boys. Great pictorial evidence! Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Will, thanks again to you and your boys. No problem Tom it was a pleasure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 11 July , 2004 Share Posted 11 July , 2004 Sorry I've got nothing constuctive to add, but I would just like to say what a sheer delight it has been to follow this thread, from the initial shrugged-shoulders-nothing-to-lose gambit, the extra information coming in, then (take a bow Will) BINGO!! Congratulations Tom. Well done Pals!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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