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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: EllyC51 on Sunday 12 August 18 23:09 BST (UK)
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Hello. I'm having trouble tracing what happened to a relative in WW1. His name appears on his local war memorial but with no details online. His name is Joseph Palmer Gill, from Hawstead in Suffolk and was born in 1893. He was a Corporal with the 2nd Suffolk Regiment. His parents were Walter John Gill and Susan Ann Gill, nee Palmer. I'm new to this so not sure where to look. Many thanks in anticipation.
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There is a Medal Roll Index card for a Joseph R Gill reg number 27616 Suffolk Regiment. It's a matter of opinion whether the R should be a P and he was a Private not a Corporal
However - there is no birth registration for a Joseph Palmer Gill in Suffolk. He is just shown as Joseph aged 8 on the 1901 and his parents, Walter and Susan nee Palmer married in 1892
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I couldn't find a birth record but he shows up on the 1901 census.
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Where is he in 1911? Who did he marry? Have you found him on the 1939 register to confirm his birthdate
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Could this be your man on the CWGC site.
The name has been mixed up.
Appears as:
Corporal
PALMER, J G
Service Number 7925
Died 22/01/1916
2nd Bn.
Suffolk Regiment
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1623180/palmer,-/
Tony
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That sounds good
except for first name.
Soldiers died in the great war
James Gill Palmer
7925
Cpl Suffolk Reg 2nd Batt
Hainstead, Suffolk (transcribed)
Died 22/01/1916 KIA
Cathy
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James Palmer aged 19 Lance Cpl 2nd Batt Suffolk reg from Hawstead appears to be in Aldershot 5 years before his death.
Cathy
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Soldier's effects register has his wife as Ada R. Hudson.
She remarried in 1919 as Ada R Palmer.
His death is recorded as 22/1/16.
Attested 1910 according to his number meaning he either lied about his age or he was born prior to marriage.
I can find just 1 Joseph Palmer mmn Palmer born 1891 Aston.
It would be perfectly reasonable to have his name as Gill on the local memorial as that's the name he was probably known by & was also of course the name of his parents.
For marriage & attestation purposes he's used his birth name of Palmer.
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James Gill Palmer , no mother's maiden name , J Q 1892 Thingoe 04A 757
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So looks like Walter's son but born before marriage.
You said:
I'm having trouble tracing what happened to a relative in WW1
This is what happened.
He was one of 33 men missing presumed killed.
In green the egg shaped crater which was the British front line held by 2/Suffolks.
On this map now in the hands of the Germans.