Mark Hone Posted 6 October , 2004 Share Posted 6 October , 2004 Research for my forthcoming battlefields' tour has revealed that the great-uncle of one of the boys on the tour, Private R.G. Batchelor of the Welch Regiment buried at Essex Farm, was almost certainly only 17, not 20 as his headstone states. This has confirmed a family legend told to me by the boy. I have two follow-up questions, probably for Terry Denham: 1.) What level of proof is required for CWGC to change the age on the headstone? I presume the birth certificate. I have not obtained this as yet-I am going on the fact that he is aged '1' on the 1901 Census. 2.) Has anyone ever tried to calculate approximately how many soldiers who lied about their age are incorrectly recorded on the CWGC database? Presumably more are coming to light as researchers gain access to the 1901 Census and other readily-available documentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 6 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 October , 2004 Whoops... Seems I may have been a bit premature and identified the wrong Reginald Batchelor from the 1901 Census. Thanks to Myrtle for showing me the error of my ways. He was 20 after all when he died in 1917 but still may have enlisted underage, as per family legend. His MIC record does not show that he went out in 1914/15 but he has two regimental numbers- 1734 and 56743. Can anyone comment on the significance of this and whether those numbers can give us an idea of the date of enlistment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 6 October , 2004 Share Posted 6 October , 2004 Mark Bernard Lewis is the pal to contact as Reginald Batchelor was one of the 14th Welsh - Swansea Battalion. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 7 October , 2004 Share Posted 7 October , 2004 Does the headstone say "Welch", because it soon won't! CWGC replacing all with "Welsh" as they say not "Welch" until 1920. I hasten to add that replacement is only on an "as needs be" basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 7 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 October , 2004 Headstone currently says 'Welch', CWGC database 'Welsh'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 7 October , 2004 Share Posted 7 October , 2004 A personal view but almost without exception the large range of contemporary records that I have examined spelt it as 'Welsh' and I'm happy to stick with that for matters relating to the Great War period. Thanks for the plug, Myrtle and Mark has been in touch and though I don't have an 'off the shelf' answer(!) I'll have a a look in the original list of men as they almost all begin with a '17...' which is intriguing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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