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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Julie King on Wednesday 02 November 16 06:59 GMT (UK)
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My great grandfather Cristopher May received an engraved flask donated by the family and engraved "with grateful thanks and appreciation for services rendered in No Mans Land, Cuinchy, France June 8th 1916 Lieut Edwin C Keiher". Can anyone help me find any relation to this Keiher. He may have been German but would love more information
Julie King
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www.freebmd.org.uk the first record of that family name is a marriage in 1950 for a Keiher
that marriage and their 6 children are followed by a death in 1974 of a Lucy Keiher - it states she was b 1919 ....ALL those records are in Stoke on Trent ....
try asking on the Staffordshire County Board if any member recognises that Surname ??
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It's possible he may have been Canadian or an ANZAC. I can't see an MIC for him so it doesn't look like he was in the British Army.
Do you know which Regt. & Batt. your GGrandfather served in ?
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Probably not but maybe worth a mention...there's a Lieutenant Edwin Chappell KELIHER who served in France with the Royal Sussex Regiment.
Maureen
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Good find Maureen.
Got on his trail. Can't see anything that mentions a Batt. however the war diary for the 13. Batt. states;
1 June 1916: Relieved by 11th Sussex. A Company moved to Cambrin Point, B to Braddell Castle, C to Cuinchy Keep, Caters Post and Tourbieres.
5 June: Relieved 11th Sussex in same Cuinchy sector. A to right, D in centre, B on left. C in support in Esperanto Terrace. Patrols sent out, but fairly quiet.
8 June: Relieved by 11th Sussex, moved to billets in Annequin North.
So in the right place at the right time.
more digging to be done.
Edit:
Lt. E.C. Keliher was in the 11th RSR in the trenches at Cuinchy on the 8/6/16 having been made C.O. of D Coy a few days earlier.
There was activity but no mention of men going into no-mans-land on that day.
There was mention of the Germans bombing sap 16 at 11 pm. on the 8th. & getting into it but they were dispersed by their bombers.
Really need to know which Batt. your man was in.
found a Cpl. Christopher May RSR no.1131 is this him ?
Edwin married Queenie Upson 1920 & had 3 children, 1 boy & 2 girls so must be descendants around.
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Edwin Chappell Keliher was appointed 2nd Lieut in November 1914 in the Royal Sussex Regiment and transferred on 11 May 1917 to the Army Printing and Stationery Service. Finished the war as Capt.
maxD
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Julie - is it Keiher or Keliher?
I see that there is a medal card for a Corporal Christopher May of the Royal Sussex Regiment (1131)
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Hi,
Maybe Christopher MAY was one of the "brave fellows",
Bexhill-on-Sea Observer 17 June 1916
Regards,
Daisy
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I would say it is highly likely and that he subsequently presented Christopher May, and probably others, with a token of his gratitude.
maxD
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Pity the poster doesn't feel the same.
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His wounding is recorded in the 116th Brigade diary on the 9th June 16 with the entry "One of our patrols encountered enemy patrol in No Mans Land and enemy were driven back to their trenches by our bombers". Bit odd that his own 11th Battalion diary doesn't mention it and doesn't list him among the June wounded, it happens though.
maxD
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Thank you to all for the research - this has all been really interesting. Great to know some more info I will start to see if I can find any further information - time permitting.
Cant thank you all enough
Julie
The detail on the flask reads: Segt C May 11th Royal Sussex with ever
greateful thanks and appreciation for services rendered in 'No Man's Land' Cuinchy, France June 8th 1916 Edwin C Keiher, Lieut
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The name on the flask has seven digits and I read it as Keliher.
Flash to bang 13 months!
MaxD
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Just an update after a bit more research. My Great Grandfather was indeed one of the brave fellows who rescued E C Keliher from No Mans Land in Cuinchy France.
My grandson, who is a 15, is going to Ypres on a school trip in May and it jogged me into having another look at this story.
Thank you all for your help
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Your post prompted another look at this interesting story.
If your grandson hasn't seen it, he should see the Peter Jackson film "They shall not grow old" **. It is being shown again on BBC2 at quarter past midnight tomorrow (Monday).
The place where the incident took place is about 30 miles south of Ypres so it may be that their itinerary won't allow a visit to that area. Jim1 pinpointed the area just to the east of Cuinchy. The map and image at the link below shows the area. The battalion took over the line of trenches (the blue line) running from the (now) Route Nationale north to the canal, now covered in woods, during the day on 8 May and it would have been quite normal for officers to lead patrols forwards during the night to check what was in front of them.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15&lat=50.5201&lon=2.7699&layers=101465011&right=BingHyb
Have you been able to access the brigade war diary which does record the wounding?
MaxD
**He got the title wrong, apparently deliberately, should be "They shall grow not old"
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Hi Julie
My son has just spotted this.
My grandfather, who was born in 1888 and died in 1970, was indeed Edwin Chappell Keliher. He later married Queenie Upson and their son was my father Patrick Keliher. They lived near Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex.
I know little about my grandfather's exploits in WW1 but I do have a box of his medals from The Royal Sussex Regiment and I know he ended his army service as a captain. When he died he left me a shillelagh - I don't know why, but it may indicate (?) he went on to serve in Ireland to help suppress the Irish uprising.
MaxD states below that Edwin transferred to the Army Printing and Stationery Service which makes sense as he joined his father's family printing business which was successful until it hit hard times in about 1955 and was taken over.
I never heard of the name Christopher May - what a shame but it sounds as if he saved Edwin's life. So 103 years later, he gets my profound thanks.
If you see this do please get in touch. I live in Somerset/Devon
All the best and Happy Christmas
James Keliher
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Welcome to RootsChat, James :)
If you make at least one more post (just say Hi etc), you can use the Personal Message (PM) system for the exchange of personal data, such as e-mail, with Julie.
Have a look at https://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
KG
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Many thanks! 8)
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Good find Maureen.
Got on his trail. Can't see anything that mentions a Batt. however the war diary for the 13. Batt. states;
1 June 1916: Relieved by 11th Sussex. A Company moved to Cambrin Point, B to Braddell Castle, C to Cuinchy Keep, Caters Post and Tourbieres.
5 June: Relieved 11th Sussex in same Cuinchy sector. A to right, D in centre, B on left. C in support in Esperanto Terrace. Patrols sent out, but fairly quiet.
8 June: Relieved by 11th Sussex, moved to billets in Annequin North.
So in the right place at the right time.
more digging to be done.
Edit:
Lt. E.C. Keliher was in the 11th RSR in the trenches at Cuinchy on the 8/6/16 having been made C.O. of D Coy a few days earlier.
There was activity but no mention of men going into no-mans-land on that day
There was mention of the Germans bombing sap 16 at 11 pm. on the 8th. & getting into it but they were dispersed by their bombers.
Really need to know which Batt. your man was in.
found a Cpl. Christopher May RSR no.1131 is this him ?
Edwin married Queenie Upson 1920 & had 3 children, 1 boy & 2 girls so must be descendants around.
Good information ;D