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B'ham Aston & Nechells Surnames

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Photo or information available of the men of Birmingham who joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the Great War 1914-18
Abel F - Allbutt P - Allen James - Allen R.E –Arbuthnot - Arkell R.E  -Asbury - Asbury R.J - Bainares F - Banner J - Bannjng A.H. - Bass C.H .-Bates R.H - Bath H. -Batty J.- Baxter A.N. -Beddoes-Bent A.G.-Bevan A.G,- Birks J- Bishop T.- Blake Cpl.G.P.- Blake G.P.-Blaymires -Bluck -Boneham- Boswell Reuben- Bown A – Braganhall -Bridgewater J.O.-Brogan- Brooks - Brown- Broxton B.- Bunce- Bunce S- Bustin R.-Butler J.-Butwell W.A.-Carter B.-Chatwin W.-Checketts F.E.A.-
Chilwell W.-Collins A-Cooke F.-Cooper E.-Cox J.W.-Crump H.-Cumberland-Currah J.H.-Dandy H.-Darby A.-Davies F.W-Davies J.F.J- Dayus F.-Downs I.- Earp W.F.-Eccles J.W.-Edwards W.-Edwin -England W. -Evans C.C.-Evans E.-Everett F.-Everton - Farr S.-  Faulkner FT.- Fellows C.H.-Field C.- Finlan J.-Fox H.-Garratt A.-Garratt E-G.Gazey-George G.F.-Gerrand A.E.- Gibb.F.-Gilderthorpe -Giles J.-Golby J. F.- Gorman E.P.-Greaves G.C.-Green E.W.-Green F.E.-Greenway F.W.F.-Grimmet T.- Hall Albert – Hand - Hanks P.O.- Harnes T.-Harper H.J.-Harris-Harvey A.V.-Heath A. H.-Hewitt T.-Higgins G.-Higginson F.H.- Hill J.- Hill T.-Hodgetts H.J.-Hogan-Hopkins W.-Hughes A.-Hunt-Huskisson T.-Ison J-Jackson Cpl.-Jackson F.-Jackson J.-James E.G.-James G.H.-Jarvis W.-Jenkins A.E.-Jennings E.-Jones G.- Kathrens G.- Keepax W - King J.W.- Kinsell W.- Latham G.H.-Lavender A.- Lawley T.- Lawrence C.- Lawrence C.L.- Lees G.- Lewis - Lewis J.- Linthwaite A.E.- Long E.- Maddocks A.B.-  Malins T.W.- Marshall- Mathews S.- Mclndoe J.- Meredith W.- Mincher T.- Mitchell P.G.- Morgan T.- Morris- Morton W.- Neale- Nesmith A.- Nickolls T.W.- Norton A.H.- Oates.A- O'Gara A.- Page Pte. - Page W.- Palmer R.- Parker A- Parker LCE - Penn J.- Perks A.G - Priest- Puffer R.- Puffet R.- Rackshaw - Rackshaw A.V- Richards A.C - Richards T.- Ricketts R- Robinson J.- Robinson S.- Rock - Roden D.- Rowe F.S.- Rushton F.G.- Sankey- Saunders C.- Scragg W.- Shepard T.- Simkins J.W.- Simpson W.A.- Smith A.- Smith Albert - Smith G.L - Snooks W.- Somerfield E.E. - Stanley J.- Stead R.- Stevens B. - Stockwell W.H. - Stokes J.- Stonehouse T.- Stubbs S. - Stubley G - Styche I. - Tarrat S.- Taylor J. - Taylor J.H. - Thomas W.-Thompson P.W.G - Tiplady P. -Tracy - Troman E.- Turral H.F.- Twyford A. -Vale H.-Vince A.- Wakelin C.J.J.- Wallace C.- Wardell - Webster A - Webster C.F.- Wells J.R.-  Whitfield- Whitfield A.- Whittaker A.- Wilkes H.- Wilkes Harry -Williams A - Williams Albert - Williams T.- Withington -Woods F.- Wright G.- Yendall G
 
My Father 36481 Lc/Cpl George Richard Knight 2nd Battallion Royal Welsh Fusiliers was born and bred a Brummie.Born in 1897 at Cheston Road Aston.  He Joined the RWF when they came on a recruiting drive to Curzon Street in Jan.1916, 5 months later he was awarded the Military Medal for his part in the Red Dragon Crater fighting for his life with 5 other men when the Germans exploded a mine under the front line trench at Givinchy they held the line fighting 150 of the enemy with nothing more than shovells and anything they could lay their hands on ." Hammer" Lane Dads pal a well known B'ham Boxer knocked out two Germans with his bare fists. they held the line for 2 hours  till re-enforcements came.
You can read a full account of the story in an annotated edition of "Old Soldiers Never Died" in which I supplied nearly all the photographs, the Nickname for the Royal Welsh Fusiliers was the "Birmingham Fusiliers" as over half the men were Brummies.
I have gathered a large amount of info on the B'ham Men and have decided to share it with any relatives who's names I have put up here
Intresting Website with info on George Richard Knight who lived at  Cheston Road Lupin Street, Long Acre, and Cromwell Street
https://www.citybatts.com/html/royal_welsh_fusiliers_regiment.html
 
Cromwell,would you happen to have any info on A H Hewitt listed above??
 
I think you read it wrong, as I have info on a Thomas Hewitt plus photo also William and John Hewitt
 
Thanks for that,i am looking for the Hewitts from the Aston area,in particular Richard b 1930 and also his father also Richard.
 
My Great Uncle was Alfred George Bent and is listed on your photo post. He lied about his age and joined up in 1915 (said he was born in 1897 - actual birth date was c1900).He was mentioned in despatches and actually was posted to my husband's home town (Newtown, Powys) in 1920. Small world.
He rose to the rank of Lt Colonel and was discharged in 1947 I think.
Not bad for a son of a bedstead fitter born (I think) in Aston or Duddeston!!

I have a late photo of him but not one when he joined up! Any chance of a copy??
 
This is excellent - thanks. I must say he changed a lot but that is no surprise really is it? The address too is very useful - they moonlighted around Sparkbrook so it is a surprise to see they made it over to Lower Darwin Street - that's a long way to push a cart lol
 
I dont know how much info you want but I can tell you from when he joined up to discharge day by day
as I have the War diaries for the battalion
I take it you are a chap ? hard to figure by name
 
I have his record of service but am not sure of the actual date of discharge - it is post 18-03-46 but I am not sure whether the record is complete. The columns on the recrods are military work; sport; other admin items; decorations; commanding officers, however I have no detail whatsoever on day to day tasks or on any reports written about him - those would be most interesting.

What else have you got please - I appreciate the time you are spending on this. I know he was awarded the MBE in 1942 and was mentioned in despatches in '39/'40 and on 29.11.45. Do you know why he would have moved round the btns so much - would it be due to loss of life, promotion etc?
 
Any Info Royal Worcesters from the Great War. my Grandad David Windle, Cromwell
 
Caroline,
Its all according how much info you can handle, he was in my fathers battalion and served under 4 very famous men so this opens up an whole avenue for you to explore but before we go any further can you give me the Name, number, regiment etc that is on the edge of his medals including M.M
 
Alf, Need more info such as Battalion or number which would be on the edge of the medals then I can give you details on if he was in the Retreat from Mons or Somme Battles etc
So many men had the same name , I dont want to give anyone the wrong details
 
Dear Cromwell, I'm desperately searching for any info on my Grandfather James Hopkins.He seemed to vanish between 1914 and when my deceased Grandmother re-married in 1925.I noticed an old soldier named Hopkins in your e-mail and wondered if you could let me have any info. you have.
Many thanks
Pete H
 
Pete this chaps name was William Hopkins,Do you know what Regiment he was in because if not an impossible task as the Hopkins run into the hundreds
 
I'm afraid I haven't any more info.Cromwell.
I'm really struggling to trace this side of my family. many thanks for your kind interest.I'll keep ploughing on.
All the best,
Pete H.
 
Did this chap survive or if he disapeared he might have been killed if so I could do a check
 
Just did a check if he was a birmingham man who's Father was William and Mother Ellen I have him
And a photo but you would not known him in a group photo of the Battalion
If it is him I have a load of info on the Chap
 
Hello Caroline: Wow! This is amazing to see the photo and write-up of your Great Uncle Corpl. A. G. Bent. Was searching through the names to see if any of my family names were on there but no luck.
We can sure be grateful for the sacrifice all of these soldiers gave to keep our countries free. My father, George Frederick Burlton, born Birmingham, 1895 was a Canadian Expedtionary Forces, soldier in WW1. I have written to the Defence department for Canada to obtain a photo of him but I had no luck. You are very fortunate to have this photo and information.
Thanks so much Cromwell for all your devoted work on this site.
Isobel
 
Isobel, Thanks for those kind words which I appreciate as it makes it all worthwhile.
Never say never about getting a photo of your Father they are all out there somewhere. And in places you would not dream of looking.
Outside the RWf Archives at Caernarfon I have one of the largest collection of RWF photos from the Boxer Rebellion, India, Burma to the Great War that I know exists and as a lot was left to me I feel I should share it with people as I spent months restoring faded and damaged photographs that had been kept in a damp shed since the Great War virtually.
The photo I have of my Father was found behind a wardrobe of someone who died, it was rolled up and had been since 1920.When I unrolled it, it was six feet long and showed the whole of the Battalion, it is now framed and hanging in my hall.
I have a very good Data Base and work with a few very good people who now their history and write as a team. Writing is not my strong point so I do all the artwork and photographic material but I have a go now and then. The Great War is my Field and love the research
Now going back to your Father. Do you know what unit he was in, in the Canadian army? As I have got quiet a lot that were in the Sphere newspaper from 1914 and other magazines of the time. Then I can add him to my database and see what comes up

Photo of Cpl A.G.Bent cleaned up a bit
 
I've really hit a brick wall trying to find any info. on my Grandfather.My father and his siblings were born between 1909 and 1914 to James Hopkins and Mary Wiggins.I've unsuccessfully tried to find details of their marriage.It is possible that Mary was living in Manchester in 1901,but all the children were born in Birmingham.Mary remarried in 1925 and put widow on the certificate.
If William and Ellen were James's parents could you let me have that info.It might just be the key I'm looking for to solve this mystery.I've only found one couple named William and Ellen on the 1901 census,they had a son James aged 18.Could this be the soldier that you've found?( RG 13 / 2871.)

Once again,many thanks for your interest,you deserve a medal yourself !
Many thanks,
Pete H.
 
Pete
Don't want to lead you down the wrong path.What you need before anything else is a birth certificate to get the right chap and start from that point
I have got a James Hopkins who served under the name of Mc Hale, Mother was down as next of kin
Mary McHale Hopkins, father was John Hopkins so in this case its a bet the John was not his real father so he served under his fathers name which went on a lot, and the army had a hard job sorting the next of kin out, thats why wrong names were put on gravestones and memorials
Only other James Hopkins with parents James and Mary came from Turriff Aberdennshire so I guess you can count them out (I think)
So cannot help you anymore, best of luck in your search.
 
Dear Cromwell many thanks for your help and interest. KRO.

I'm beginning to think my Grandparents were never married !

Another skeleton in the cupboard,oh the disgrace ! This family tree researching sure gets exciting.
Many thanks,Pete
;D
 
Can you please give me any information on my uncle JOHN (JACK) LAMB, OF ASTON I know he was in the great war. lived in Thomas Street Aston. was a member of the Salvation Army in Victoria Road & a Commisionair at the Dunlop factory.He married Edith (nee Wooley) my mom sister.
can you help with any army records. or any of his back ground?
ASTON
 
Do you know what regiment he was in, did he have any medals etc.
Need to know this info.or cannot help
 
Any, wooley's, Jenney's, Lamb's, Matthew's,Shelley's, in Aston & Nechells Surnames listings I would like to know.
regards, ASTON
 
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