Hello again all. Having today received a long letter from my friend, it's time to write again in the hope people can, once again, shed some light on things. My friend also asks me to thank you all for the invaluable information that I very much doubt I'd have found on my own but that aside, I'll start by saying Edward's army records *have* been applied for but I suspect the search may take a while and maybe this will also help explain that somewhat. I think it's probably best/easiest to simply quote his letter and if anyone can help/assist with any part or parts of it, that would be amazing!
The 1939 e-roll shows Richard Alfred Poyser and his 2nd wife, Mary Jane (nee Haddon/Marshall) living at 91 Albert Road, Aston. No other Poysers or Haddons of voting age are listed ... so where are they?! (Good question) The 1939 census lists them there with Ellen Poyser (Hickman) and Grace E Haddon (Wallis) plus 7 closed entries - all of which we know must be people who are now dead so the records should be open. (I totally agree and without knowing which names are blanked out, how are you supposed to provide death details and who to even if they did?)
The 1945 e-roll shows that Richard and Mary have moved next door to 93. The 1950 e-roll shows them still there with five Haddon relatives living with them:-
Eric W Haddon - Mary's son born 20/8/1923
Ruth Haddon - Eric's wife married 1947 nee Osbon
Ronald G Haddon - Mary's son born 21/2/1928
Frederick E Haddon - Mary's son born 15/9/1924
William E Haddon - Mary's son born 6/7/1920
So (he says), where are the Poyser and other Haddon offspring? Most would have been of voting age by then.
Interesting co-incidence, in 1939 at number 93 we have Samuel and Mary Ann Marshall, which was Mary Jane Poyser/Haddon's maiden name. So were they her relatives?
Finally I'm not 100% whether or not this is the right or best forum to ask in but you may all find it of interest so please bear with me ... referring to the later and larger newspaper article that was kindly posted earlier in this thread, he says -
The article [also] makes clear that he (Edward) wasn't actually located with the rest of his regiment for a large part of the war ... however the 'specialist unit' referred to in the article, along with the reference in the history to Lt General Bill Slim, immediately tells me (that's my friend of course) that my father was likely a member of the legendary Chindits (mostly Gurkha soldiers) and their predecessor origin units. It was always obvious he (Edward) knew a lot about Bill Slim and the Chindits ... it would also explain why he may have been in certain places he mentioned and battles that his parent regiment did not take part in. Also of interest from the first letter to the newspaper is that he's listed as Ordnance Branch, South-east Asia Command rather than giving his regiment. This could be another clue to his not being with the rest of the regiment at that time, which ties in with the reference to "specialist unit".
As the saying goes, the plot thickens.
Finally, I promise, at least for now, he asks if the lady with the Newspaper Archive access (forgive me for not scrolling back to check who it was), or anyone can find out anything on an Australian expedition that Uncle Arthur (reminds me of Pike in Dad's Army! lol) remembered seeing Edward was part of in 1952/3.
Also he says that if anyone else is researching Poyser, I'd be happy to help with other information or even access to my tree on Ancestry. Just let me know please.
Thank you everyone. Any help or guidance or information would be *extremely* and gratefully received. Comments also much appreciated so on that note, I'll leave it there. Cheers again, Nick