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Captain F Townley MC DCM

R

"R.Dodds"

New Member
I'm Branch Secretary of my local Oldbury Royal British Legion Branch; we have a great deal of memorabilia within our archives. One bit of which is a memorial plaque to Captain F Townley MC DCM OBE who died in 1948, from the as a branch we are trying to put together something more than name,rank,serial number. However I'm a complete novice & I am after a little advice,guidance we want to do the archive for all persons remembered in our branch premises.

regards
R Dodds
Branch Secretary
Oldbury Royal British Legion
 
R.Dodds, Welcome to the forum, only had time for a quick search, a number of bits of information available on net, seems a interesting man to research.
Awarded MBE in 1938 Birthday Honours List,
DCM awarded in 1918 when he was RSM 1/6 RWR,
MC was awarded before 1918.
Ancestry has medal cards
In "Soldiers from the War" by Charles Carrington says he was recommended for VC.
There's a photo available at https://www.ww1photos.com/RoyalWarwickshireRegt.html (have to pay)
I will have another look later.

Colin
 
Francis Townley was 57 when he died in 1947 his 58th birthday was later in the year so his birthdate was 1890 Birmingham

He was a civilian in 1911 living at 46 Dudley Road , a brewery clerk, with his parents Francis and Louisa and siblings
Ernest ,Ralph and Arnold.

1938 Kings Birthday honours


Francis Townley,DC,DCM, Company Serjeant Major, 45th Royal Warwickshire Regiment

(Anti Aircraft Battalion, Royal Egineers,Territorial Army)

awarded the Military Order of the British Empire.
 
Colin & Alberta
Thank you for your help - I'm now going to Smethwick Library (Sandwell Archive) to try & find some things out there, as stated before i'm a complete novice at this, so it all seems a little daunting. While I have been looking I keep being re-directed to different genealogy sites , have you got any idea which is the best one?

Regards
Richard
 
"R.Dodds" said:
Colin & Alberta
While I have been looking I keep being re-directed to different genealogy sites , have you got any idea which is the best one?

Regards
Richard
Click to expand...

Hi Richard,

I, and a few others on here use,

https://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/index.php
and
https://www.genealogy-specialists.com/

Whilst the 1st one is actually owned by the people that own the site Forces War Records, it is not a War Records site as such. It is a Genealogy site which, through its ownership, attracts a number of Forces queries, many of which can't be answered.

Without going into details, the 2nd site 'split' from the 1st. As to which the better 'Researchers' stayed/migrated is open to question?

Choose one or the other. Don't post the same on both. They are both free.

I have an interest in this as I have an Edward Stanley Townley, b 1912, as one of 'my lot'.
 
Replying to this thread has lead me to again look at this line and on the Ancestry "UK, WWII Civilian Deaths, 1939-1945", I see that his (Edward Stanley's) parents, James & Jessiemine, and sister, Alma Eileen, aged 21, died 10 Apr 1941 at 1 Torry? Grove, Eastfield Road, Alum Rock.

Perhaps I need to look further into this family?
 
I attended the Sandwell Archive at Smethwick Library today, a little overawed however staff there were excellent & with their help managed to find out a few facts, as i stated previously apart from the plaque nothing else was known about this gentleman. But so far its been quite an eyeopener for a complete novice like me, it appears Captain Townley was quite a character.

Francis (Frank) Townley was born in 1891 to father Francis and mother Louisa. From what I have learnt so far that in 1916 while serving in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, regimental number 200053; when he was promoted to Sergeant Major, he was awarded the Military Cross. In 1918 while in action on the Asiago Plateau he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

The citation for the action on the 30[SUP]th[/SUP] October 1918 while serving with the 1/6/RWAR reads “200053 RSM F.Townley MC “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy attack. He gathered battalion headquarters together and covered all approaches to headquarters. He assumed command, and held off repeated efforts of the enemy to advance. His splendid example of cool fearlessness encouraged his men to hold the position until reinforced.”

In an article from the Black Country Bugle dated 9[SUP]th[/SUP] June 2005 entitled “All the fun of the fair at 30's Oldbury Carnival” the article describes the 1938 Oldbury Town Carnival, part of which states ” On Wednesday, it was time for another Coronation, this time of the irrepressible Frank Townley as The King of Mirth. After the robing ceremony, the King was crowned on the platform near the Cenotaph. At his signal, a hilarious "Confetti Battle" began in the streets, with handfuls of coloured paper flung at each other by Oldbury townspeople. Meanwhile, Langley folk were cheering on their own procession, which met with the newly crowned King and his Queen at the Bell Hotel, before returning to Langley High Street”.


The following is taken from his obituary in the Weekly News February 20[SUP]th[/SUP] 1948 – One of Oldbury’s best known figures, Mr. Frank Townley, MBE, MC, DCM of 539 Wolverhampton Road Oldbury died on Saturday after a short illness, he was 57 years old.

Mr. Townley who for many years lived at Brades Village was well known in the district for his work with the British Legion of which he was President, and as Secretary of the Soldiers, Sailors and Airman’s Fund. Most of his good work was in connection with ex-servicemen, and during the war he served as a Captain of the Home Guard, firstly with the Royal Worcestershire Regiment and then with the Home Guard Company at Messrs Mitchell and Butlers, Cape Hill.

In 1938 when he was associated with the 45[SUP]th[/SUP] (Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Anti Aircraft Brigade, RE, TA, Mr. Townley received the MBE in the Kings Birthday Honours.

In WW1 Mr. Townley had a distinguished record; in 1916 when he was when he was promoted to Sergeant Major, he was awarded the Military Cross and in 1918 while in action on the Asiago Plateau he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

As Chairman of the Broadwell Branch of the Conservative party and a member of the Oldbury Borough Conservative Branch, he was well recognized. He was also a Mason. He worked for Mitchells and Butlers for 43 years, beginning as a telephone boy and ending as a traveler.

Tribute to Mr. Townley’s work for Oldbury was paid by Mayor (Alderman B.T. Robbins) at Tuesday’s meeting of the Education Committee, when he described Mr. Townley as a man who really loved his town and was always associated with its social activities. “I doubt if there was a voluntary organisation in the district with which Mr. Townley and his wife were not associated with” the Mayor added.

Awards

  • 1915 Star
  • Victory
  • British
  • MC
  • DCM

Definately need to research some more.
 
Ken your Townley line appears to have been from Manchester

1911 Garrison Lane.Aston

James Townley age 24 b. Manchester
Jessie Small age 23 b Aston
James age 1

James Townley enlists on 24th January 1915 in the Royal Engineers
details given as James Townley ,age 28years 30 days,garrison lane Aston.
married Jessie Small St James , Ashted, 7th November 1909
children
James Elson 18.2.1910
Ernest William 24.4.1911 (this would have been after census was taken)
Edward Stanley 21.8.1912
they then had Alma in 1919
 
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Cheers Alberta. Thanks for that.

Rather remiss of me not to mention that we also have some very capable Researchers here on this site.:smug:
 
Hello and good evening
I found this by mistake, as i was looking for something else.

I see by the reponses, that somebody was looking for edward stanley townley, he was my grandfather.

He died at the age of 96, which was a few years ago, his brother ernest died many years before.

As stated his mother, father and sister were killed in torrey grove when a bomb landed in the war

They are all buried together at the cemertry at the swan yardley.

My grandfather used to live in bordesley green, then moved to yardley where he died,

He married my nan, hilda beatrice and had a daughter gloria, she in turn had a boy and a girl,
floyd and michelle, who in turn have had children, and also grand children.

MY GRANDFATHER NEVER SPOKE ABOUT CAPTAIN TOWNLEY, SO AM UNABLE TO HELP THERE.
Also never spoke about james, (before my time) been told he used to be called jim,

I personelly spent the last years with my nan and grandad, and these will be happy memeries.

I know that there are now only a coulpe of townleys left, as all the family took different names,

Ernest wife died 2 or 3 years (gwen) they had 3 or 4 children, but am unsure were they might be,
Apart from 1 of them, but would have to ask him if he wanted to be known.

I could give you more, but may be going on about nothing you are intrested in,

Your Sincerly

Floyd Carter
 
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