Flying solo

HeadAboveWater

:eek:

Wow!! What a find!! And mind if I say something? I honestly thought I was reading a novel there! You have a knack for telling a story I'll give you that!!

Yip. Military Museums. No idea where to direct you on that one though, sorry.

NewLeaf_2

how fascinating! I think a military museum too

Rainbow_Bridge

He sounds like an extremely brave relative, one to be very proud of.

You could make a collage of all the bits that interest you, frame it and display it in your home, if you are of a creative mind-set.

We visited Etaples war cemetary, last spring, to locate a relative's grave and it was a very moving experience.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and dear MSE friends, and welcome to Greyfox :wave:

I'm still thinking about yesterday's remarkable 'find' which I've learned - thanks to Greyfox - might be quite valuable. But what sets this collection apart from all the ones offered for sale on the site Greyfox sent me a link to, is the letter from George V.

It's not just a note to someone who has served his country with honour, penned by a secretary and signed by the monarch. The same hand both wrote and signed it, and the tone is warm and familiar - clearly this ancestor was personally known to King George and Queen Mary. However, the soldier was an NCO - not the kind of person who moved in royal circles during the early twentieth century - unless perhaps, he was a peace-time employee?

There is so much more to discover in this history, I cannot just hand it over to become a museum exhibit, not yet anyway - this might turn out to be the thing I was looking for to fill my evenings, now that I've lost the future I was expecting - of growing old alongside DH.

HeadAboveWater wrote: »

Wow!! What a find!! And mind if I say something? I honestly thought I was reading a novel there! You have a knack for telling a story I'll give you that!!

Thank you for your kind words, HAW - were you reading my mind?
I'm not fit enough to take on a paid job - although I've been offered a post at the school where DS3 teaches - and I'm not disabled enough to claim benefits, so once again I need a self-employed occupation to boost my income.
A book about a royal servant and his war experiences would have some appeal - though I doubt it would net more than selling his collection of medals and documents; it could be a worthy addition to the family researches already carried out by my father and grandfather.

On that tack, I spotted another interesting name on the Roll of Honour, which took me back fifteen years or so. To a time when I had two sons and a foster child out of school (hah - there are another three stories - but I'll not bore you with those here!). I took home-schooling seriously, with a sort-of Montessori approach that worked for my group of boys ranging from six to thirteen years old. For several months part of our history lessons involved following up my father's research on his uncles who died in the Great War. We visited the grave of one, and found the name of the other on a war memorial - easy as we regularly passed through France while driving to the cottages.

The point of my digression is that I know the names, ranks and regiments of these great-uncles. I do not have their service numbers committed to memory, so cannot be certain - but I think that by an amazing co-incidence the one whose body was never recovered, was decorated on the same day as the man whose DSM medal is now sitting on my desk.

Wow again. They would not have known each other as one was an ancestor of mine and the other from DH's family - but I'm taking the extra connection as a very good omen. :think:

Unfortunately when I'm living at the cottage it will be very difficult to access the archives I already have, or visit regimental museums etc., to research the history of my newly discovered hero. Much can be done with the internet, but as the boys and I discovered during our DIY history lessons, nothing beats making a journey of discovery in person.
Hmm.

HeadAboveWater

*Robin* wrote: »

Thank you for your kind words, HAW - were you reading my mind?

I'm not fit enough to take on a paid job - although I've been offered a post at the school where DS3 teaches - and I'm not disabled enough to claim benefits, so once again I need a self-employed occupation to boost my income.
A book about a royal servant and his war experiences would have some appeal - though I doubt it would net more than selling his collection of medals and documents; it could be a worthy addition to the family researches already carried out by my father and grandfather.

Amazing how wee things all seem to link together since your 'find'! It's definitely given you a lot to think about! A new project to focus on maybe...?

greyfox

Hi, Robin,

I've got subscriptions to the two major Family History websites, so may be able to find some info for you. For example, I could check the 1911 census to see if your relative was in one of the Royal Households then and may be able to find your Great Uncle's service number (though there's only a 50/50 chance of that as a lot of WW1 records were destroyed in the Blitz.)

If you'd like me to have a look just PM me with their names, years of birth (+ birthplace, if you know it) & your GU's regiment & I'll see what I can find.

It's only fair to warn you that Family History can become quite addictive!

GF

*Robin*

greyfox wrote: »

I've got subscriptions to the two major Family History websites, so may be able to find some info for you. For example, I could check the 1911 census to see if your relative was in one of the Royal Households then and may be able to find your Great Uncle's service number (though there's only a 50/50 chance of that as a lot of WW1 records were destroyed in the Blitz.)

If you'd like me to have a look just PM me with their names, years of birth (+ birthplace, if you know it) & your GU's regiment & I'll see what I can find.

Thank you for the offer Greyfox - and thanks very much for your suggestions. In fact Great Uncle's service number is known - it's in the family archive somewhere; the problem would be finding it in the available time, in the stored boxes of information that has already been uncovered by various family members - including the history projects of my three young scholars; Grandpa was very pleased to add those to the archive.

DH has subscriptions to the Genealogists Society and the Military Records Group (I may have those names slightly wrong). I've got his log-in details so can do that research myself any time until next spring, when the subscriptions run out. I also have access to the census so can check the lists of the various palace employees myself, from wherever my pc is plugged into the internet.

greyfox wrote: »

It's only fair to warn you that Family History can become quite addictive!

..I know!

NewLeaf_2

do you live near Kew?

Igamogam

Just dropping in for a skim read........how exciting,your find I mean. Look after that lot carefully its a true treasure And keep us posted with what you find out. There was a reason that box was left out.............

*Robin*

Hello Diary and dear MSE friends,

Well my bubble has burst. Suddenly I have no more patience for neighbours who expect me to take in their parcels [several times a week] and lug them round in the evenings, or MSE posters who seem determined to commit financial suicide, or banks whose employees give contradictory advice.

Am struggling with the problem of a tenant who wants to move in before I am ready to move out - discovered last night that my minor health problem requires an operation to sort it out; no way can I get that done and the arm be fit for driving in four days - oh b#!!@r!

Greyfox I've already packed away that interesting collection [because I'm supposed to be moving at the end of the month] but thanks very much for your offer of help - please can I get back to you when I'm in a position to research further?

Igamogam wrote: »

Just dropping in for a skim read........how exciting,your find I mean. Look after that lot carefully its a true treasure And keep us posted with what you find out. There was a reason that box was left out.............

Hi Igamogam :wave: Hope all is well with you. Yes I think you're right - although that box must have been unopened for years. My timing in finding it was - well actually I don't know - maybe it will be useful to have this project to look forward to?

My new vacuum storage bags have turned up - time to pack up all the spare bedding and DS' clothes..
(I might be some time ).