Quote:
Originally Posted by Coquet
That is a bit mysterious. No chance his wife could have been a local? Perhaps he was in the navy reserve in early 1914, choosing up here to live for some reason? Whisked back down south by the Admiralty on the declaration of war, pregnant wife left behind?
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Oh if it was only that straightforward.....no! Families, siblings, parents, all local to Hampshire. There must have been someone who thought so much of him that even in 1921 they wanted his name on the memorial.
I even got his military record from NA and there is a possible gap. He joined in 1901 and was permanently on ship or in port. January 1913 he left and joined the RFR. Gap between January 1913 and July 1914 which was when he joined the Venus and then the Kent. Jan 13 address given as Gosport.
Tried looking for birth registrations in Northumberland with his and wife's maiden name as mother's name. Nothing. I think I'm going to have to get the child's death cert and see who he ended up with. Hmmmm.