Fred Hagger - Died 29 Mar 1917, France & Flanders, Private 16th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.  Service No 57855.  Buried Mesnil-St Nicaise Churchyard, France.  Enlisted Bedford 15 Jan 1915.  Awarded Victory and British War medals.  He is also commerated on the war memorials at Old Fletton and Hitchin in Hertfordshire. The 16th Bat were mobilised [Click to continue…]

Private Albert Edward Commins was born 10 Nov 1880 at 16 Betterton St St Giles and was my grandfather, between 1884 and 1885 was admitted to hospital with broncopnuemonia  and a diseased finger . He left 4 children between 5 and 14 at his death, and also was the cause of my Gmother's nervous breakdown. I knew that my Gfather had died in WW1 but had [Click to continue…]

Francis Octavius (left) and Riversdale Nonus Grenfell were twin sons born to Pascoe du Pre and Sophia Grenfell on 4 September 1880. On leaving Eton College in 1899 Francis wished to pursue a career in the Army and Riversdale, ‘Rivy’ chose a business career but trained with the Buckinghamshire Hussars. In October 1900 Francis joined the Seaforth [Click to continue…]

The WW1 service record of Charles Messent might never have been found but for the Guild of One-Name Studies. The World War 1 service record of Charles Messent Private 10450 3rd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment popped up in my study purely by luck. Unfortunately, more than half of the service records of WW1 soldiers were destroyed in September [Click to continue…]