Possible surviving veteran

[Patrickneame]

I have learnt of a chap called Gerald Stickles, aged 105, living in a residential care home near Dover. He's old enough to have been on active service during the war. Does anyone know if he did serve? He was a farmer near Sandwich in later life so it's possible that he had a reserved occupation, but I would have thought that that only applied to farm owners, and it's unlikely that actually owned a farm at the time.

CWGC lists a C Stickles who died aged 20 in 1917 and whose parents came from Horsham in Sussex.

[Mark Hone]

Look him up on the MIC listings on the National Archives website.

[Jonathan Saunders]

... I would have thought that that only applied to farm owners, and it's unlikely that actually owned a farm at the time.

Not true I am afraid. Many workers from all industries and rural employment could and did ... cant think of the term that was used ... but get a special dispensation from the Court that excused them from call-up.

However I hope you find out that your man did serve. Do you live near Dover and have you thought of a more direct approach?

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Look him up on the MIC listings on the National Archives website.

The 'S's are not complete yet - a manual search might reveal something, but if he was a Home Service man a search for his service record in WO 363/364 is needed.

[robbie]

I have learnt of a chap called Gerald Stickles, aged 105, living in a residential care home near Dover.

I live near Dover if I can be of any help. Your email doesn't appear to be working today.