RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Adrian Smith on Thursday 03 January 08 11:21 GMT (UK)
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Hello all,
I'm looking for details of my Grandfather's First World War record. I know he was gassed and was plagued with bronchial problems for the rest of his life. At the moment,I don't even know what regiment he served with.
Charles William HEMMENS b 1890 in Winscombe, Somerset before moving to WESTBURY, Wilts. Married April 18 1914 [poor sod, just before Archduke Ferdinand was shot].
Not much to go on I know.
Adrian.
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Hi Adrian
Can't see him in the Medal Roll Index - perhaps he was in the Navy? It might also indicate that he didn't see service in a theatre of war (served in the UK).
I'm sure you are aware that around 60% of WW1 service records were badly damaged by fire in 1940 - they are gradually being conserved and put on-line.
Bill
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Hi Adrian !
Do you have an photos of him in uniform ? or do you have any family stories ?
I can't see a card either .... for Charles William or William Charles .... but I'm wondering if he went by another name perhaps ??
Annie :)
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If he was gassed it sound like he would have served overseas (somewhere like France, Germany, etc.). May be surname is mistranscribbed on Medal cards.
Is he listed on local War Memorial (need to check where he was born and where he lived at time of enlistment as well as wherever his wife was from)? What about schools or churches he attended (they often have WWI Roll of Honours that sometimes list regiments, rank, etc.)?
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I thought it sounded like he came home aghadowey !! .....
though here are some Hemmens who didn't .... are any of these soldiers yours Adrian ??
HEMMENS, ERNEST FRED
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Somerset Light Infantry
Unit Text: "A" Coy. 7th Bn.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 22/06/1918
Service No: 11239
Additional information:
Son of Mrs. Matilda Hemmens, of 13, Kensal Rd., Victoria Park, Bristol.
Casualty Type:
Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:
VIII. D. 12.
Cemetery: COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY
HEMMENS J A
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Date of Death: 06/12/1917
Service No: 34209
Casualty Type:
Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:
V. H. 1.
Cemetery: GOUZEAUCOURT NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
HEMMENS, WILLIAM HENRY
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Hampshire Regiment
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 01/07/1916
Service No: 19131
Additional information:
Son of Thomas George Hemmens, of 6, Nightingale Terrace, Station Rd., Swanwick; husband of Margaret Hemmens, of 3, Lingfield Court, North St., Gosport, Hants.
Casualty Type:
Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:
Pier and Face 7 C and 7 B.
Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
HEMMENS, HERBERT WILLIAM
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Coldstream Guards
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 04/11/1918
Service No: 20608
Additional information:
Son of William and Lucy Hemmens, of High Grove, Blagdon, Bristol.
Casualty Type:
Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:
G. 8.
Cemetery: VILLERS-POL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Annie :)
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I thought it sounded like he came home aghadowey !! .....
Yes, but many War Memorials and Roll of Honours (especially ones in churches) list those who died and those who served, sometimes mentioning wounded, POW, etc.
Often the local newspapers have articles with news of soldiers and their relatives (sometimes a separate column for this and sometimes scattered throughout the paper). However, it does take time to search through each issue of the newspaper in hope of finding anything.
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You're right aghadowey !! I found that with my Honour Roll too !!
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Cant find him in RN NA archives but these lads are from same place and same surname could be related??
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=last_name%3dhemmens&catid=15&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*
Ady
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Look at the dates- possibly a generation earlier than Charles William?
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Maybe he dropped the Charles and went by Willie or William?? have done a wildcard search on Charles Hem**** cant find anything :(
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Wow! I never imagined such a positive response - many thanks to everyone who has contributed.
I should have made it clear that Charles returned and lived until 1960 - he is buried in Westbury.
Unfortunately there are no photos that I am aware of but I'll put the feelers out amongst the legion of Hemmens cousins & report back if I find anything useful.
Liverpool Annie: Fortunately, non of those Hemmens' are mine.
mmm45: All of the Winscombe Hemmens' are familiar names to me and I suspect that they are related to Charles [and me] in some way; however, a brick wall in my research prevents me from making a positive link. Thanks for the information - I wasn't aware that this site held so much information.
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Not sure if this is helpful or not...
Winscombe has a WW1 memorial tryptych in the porch of St James the Great which also lists those who served - including a G [defo a G!] and an H Hemmens.
From the Vestry record book it seems that in 1914/15 that "G" was in the Somerset light Infantry and "H" was in the RFA. No "C" or "W" mentioned
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Hi Craigside_Pete and welcome to RootsChat ! :) :)
I'm sure Adrian will be glad of your suggestion and help !
I love the thought of the memorial in the porch of the church .... do you have any pictures ?
so many churches have "lost" their memorials in one way or another !
Annie :)
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There are some pictures on the ww.craigside.com site - its all 'work in progress' and hasn't been touched for quite a while!
Here's a (rather large - sorry!) pic of the tryptych
(http://www.craigside.com/assets/images/Triptych_on_remembrance_day.JPG)
The Hemmens pair are either side of the Cross "bar" on the right.
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Lovely photo Pete ! .... thank you for showing us ! :D
May they rest in Peace !
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http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?image_url=http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc006/385201a.gif&id_nbr=461908
Another Somerset lad here in the Canadian Exped Force same surname.
Ady
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Why thank you Annie...
To be honest, I'm no fan of it.....I've a picture of it when it was new and the names are laid out entirely differently AND there are differences in the names of the dead between it and the stone memorial in the churchyard - even though the wood tryptych was moved to the porch c 6months before the cross was erected ???
It gives me my one last problem of a name I can't trace....I'm thinking of hiding the tryptych!
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Why thank you Annie...
To be honest, I'm no fan of it.....I've a picture of it when it was new and the names are laid out entirely differently AND there are differences in the names of the dead between it and the stone memorial in the churchyard - even though the wood tryptych was moved to the porch c 6months before the cross was erected ???
It gives me my one last problem of a name I can't trace....I'm thinking of hiding the tryptych!
There are 10 differences in the names of the Honoured between these two main memorials,
3 names appear on the Memorial Cross but not on the Triptych,
5 appear on the Triptych but not on the Memorial Cross
2 differences in the spelling of names [that on the Memorial Cross being the correct spelling that matches to the war records.]
Don't you love it ?? ::) ..... you think things would be straightforward and they end up driving you crazy ... believe me ... I know !! ::) :D
If you to start a new thread ... maybe somebody will be able to help you !!
Annie :)
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Firstly, may I apologise for neglecting this thread for so long. Other fascinating things have popped up including one murder and one manslaughter case in the family and I have spent all of my time running these down.
Terrible lot the Hemmenses!!
Anyway, back to Char's war record. It seems that I may have been given some duff information by one of my rellies as no-one else can remember anything about him having served in the military in any capacity! Another red herring - sorry.
craigside_pete: Great site, I'm sure there will be some relevant stuff there when I get time to digest all of the information. Love the pictures of the memorials!
mmm45: Many thanks for that link! Ernest is the grandson of a rather mysterious relative that I have been trying to nail down for ages! I had no idea that Ernest had served in the Expeditionary Force.
Gotta love this place ;D
A.