Joe and Morton Siswick

[Guest]

I'm trying to find out about my wife's father, Joe Siswick and her Uncle Morton Siswick who joined the Sherwood Foresters in WW1. They enlisted together and must have been in-line together as they have sequential numbers Joe 20102/269320 and Morton 20103/269321.

Do these numbers mean anything to anyone? Both survived the war although Morton was shot in the thigh and neck and is supposed to had a silver windpipe inserted.

[Pat Atkins]

The medal rolls for the British War & Victory medals say they served overseas in 1/7th Battalion, a Territorial unit known as the 'Robin Hood' battalion raised predominantly from Nottingham. The LLT here has the basics of the battalion's war service, which was all on the Western Front, and there's a bit more here.

 

That second regimental number was the result of the renumbering of the Territorial Force in early 1917, I should think (so, when they joined up they were given their regimental number, but in 1917 all Territorials were given a new, longer number to replace their original). A 7th Bn man with the number immediately before Morton's, 269319 A/Cpl Ernest Sims, has a Silver War Badge record which shows he enlisted on 10th December 1915; 269324 Pte Stanton enlisted on 31st October 1915. I guess the two brothers joined up somewhere towards the end of 1915, then. 

 

They certainly can't have served overseas before January 1916 as they weren't entitled to either a 1914 or a 1914-15 Star. I couldn't see a Silver War Badge record for Morton Siswick, which just means that he wasn't discharged from the Army unfit - doesn't mean he wasn't wounded, possibly multiple times. Though a silver windpipe sounds very exotic! If there are service papers for one or both (you can search on Ancestry or FMP), then you'll learn more but it should be said that the majority were lost in the Second World War.

 

Cheers, Pat

 

[SISWICK]

Hello !
My name is Jennifer Siswick ,I married Graham Siswick ( son of Edward Siswick ) grandson of Charles Edward Siswick who was brother to Morton and Joe . 
Regarding Morton ,I know he was an excellent cricketer and I too heard the family legend or myth about the silver windpipe .

I never met Joe ‘tho I know he had a daughter Josephine and retired to Scarborough .You may be interested to know that Gladys Evelyn Siswick served in World War 2 as a driver and received a commendation from the Colonel in Chief  for her excellent service. I have the actual letter and commendation .

I am very interested in family history and any information that you have regarding Morton and Joe will be gratefully received .

I am currently collating the Siswick heritage with the intention of passing it down to my brothers in law Robert and Martin .I quite literally have spent the last 50 years collecting details ( including some from the early 1800s & before ) When one bears the name of Siswick it has a great advantage of being much easier to research .

Sadly my husband Graham passed away in 2016 (pancreatic cancer ) He was a passionate sportsman ,playing RU in his early life and later managing Harrogate RUFC for 25 years and the Yorkshire County RU team for 10. You may be interested that his lifetime career was in textiles ( keeping up the family tradition !) 

Archie ,(brother to Morton ,Joe ,Frank ,Charles Edward) was a crack Rugby League player and is now in the Wakefield Trinity Hall of Fame and a numbered player .

Kind regards 

Jennifer Siswick 

PS I too have a daughter ( Deborah born in 1976 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately, the original poster, shown only as Guest,  is no longer a member of the forum. We won’t hold any contact details for them. 

[Matlock1418]

14 hours ago, SISWICK said:

Regarding Morton ,I know he was an excellent cricketer and I too heard the family legend or myth about the silver windpipe .

Welcome to GWF

On 26/06/2018 at 17:22, Pat Atkins said:

I couldn't see a Silver War Badge record for Morton Siswick, which just means that he wasn't discharged from the Army unfit - doesn't mean he wasn't wounded, possibly multiple times. Though a silver windpipe sounds very exotic!

Morton SISWICK, 269321, Notts & Derby [Also 3141]

Pension records at WFA/Fold3 show he was discharged 27.3.19 [under a Z Reference rather than one which might suggest a SWB] and received a disability pension of 5/6 pw from 28.3.19 to 30.3.20 - under the prevailing 1918 Royal Warrant this was the 20% degree of disability rate for a pension Clas V soldier / Private [without child(ren)]

They also record he was claiming/receiving a pension for: GSW Throat. 

Address:  Whitelands, Sandal, Wakefield

He received further pension at the 20% rate and which rather looks like it finally ended with 7/6pw for 70 weeks from 29/3/22

M

Edited 28 August by Matlock1418

[SISWICK]

Thank you for the details of his pension etc. He came from a family of 9 so there was a good support network throughout his l

bachelor life .I think however that the injury probably impeded his sporting prowess .It’s good to remember those whose lives were saved but turned ‘upside down ‘as a result of war injury .

Jennifer Siswick