Author Topic: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove  (Read 1233 times)

Offline ladynicotine

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John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« on: Monday 20 November 17 12:00 GMT (UK) »
I have a photograph of my Gt Grandfather Thomas Grove taken approx 1916 when he was in the Labour Corp.  He's with 2 fiends (friends even!), & on the back they're named as John Mill of Anfield St, Dundee & A E Swait (?sp?) of Russell Road, London.  I'm interested in contacting people who might know about the war service they did, as I've been unable to find my Gt Grandfather's service record and hoped others may be able to share some information.  There's a family story that he was at Salisbury Plain for a while, possibly with the RAF, but more than that I don't know.

Lady Nicotine
Eastwood - Kent/Sussex; Apted, Phillips- Sussex; Jermy - Norfolk; Grove - Buckinghamshire; Coles - London; Pilgrim, Harvey - Kent/Essex; Gambrell/Gambrill - Kent

Offline chinapaddy

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #1 on: Monday 20 November 17 12:22 GMT (UK) »
you might find them here
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
there is an A.E. Swait and a Thomas Grove in 1918
But you need to pay a subscription to view Full records
Corri, Holland,
Newman, Kiernan,
Lyons, Murphy

Offline KGarrad

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #2 on: Monday 20 November 17 12:25 GMT (UK) »
No! NO! No!

Forces War Records have an abysmal reputation, and have no databases that aren't available elsewhere.

Do a search on RootsChat for FWR to see what other RootsChatters think! ;D

Nearly 70% of the WW1 Service Records were destroyed in a WW2 bombing raid.
Have you found any Medal records for these people?
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)

Offline ladynicotine

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #3 on: Monday 20 November 17 13:19 GMT (UK) »
I'd be a bit cautious about the FWR for Thomas Grove if it is 1918 - he was invalided out some time in (I think) 1917.  I've seen a record for Swait that looks quite promising - but it's on Fold3 & you've got to put credit card details in before you start your free trial, which I'm always a little wary of.  May have to go down that route though.
Eastwood - Kent/Sussex; Apted, Phillips- Sussex; Jermy - Norfolk; Grove - Buckinghamshire; Coles - London; Pilgrim, Harvey - Kent/Essex; Gambrell/Gambrill - Kent


Offline jim1

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #4 on: Monday 20 November 17 13:44 GMT (UK) »
Quote
No! NO! No!
add another no for me.
The Labour Corps was formed in early 1917 & made up initially of the service battalions of other Regiments so he may have been with another mob prior to that.
If he was invalided out there should be a mention on the Silver War Badge Roll.
With quite a common name it's going to be difficult knowing if you have the right one.
Seeing the photo might shed a little light possibly.
Warks:Ashford;Cadby;Clarke;Clifford;Cooke Copage;Easthope;
Edmonds;Felton;Colledge;Lutwyche;Mander(s);May;Poole;Withers.
Staffs.Edmonds;Addison;Duffield;Webb;Fisher;Archer
Salop:Easthope,Eddowes,Hoorde,Oteley,Vernon,Talbot,De Neville.
Notts.Clarke;Redfearne;Treece.
Som.May;Perriman;Cox
India Kane;Felton;Cadby
London.Haysom.
Lancs.Gay.
Worcs.Coley;Mander;Sawyer.
Kings of Wessex & Scotland
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Offline MaxD

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #5 on: Monday 20 November 17 14:00 GMT (UK) »
Seen jim1's post - left this one to add a (very) small bit)

Thomas Grove's dates need a wee bit of clarifying.  The Labour Corps wasn't formed until Jan 1917 which means the photo, if clearly identifiable to the Labour Corps, is after that.  The RAF wasn't formed until April 1918 so if he was invalided out then (presumably) before that.  I don't find a Thomas Grove Labour Corps on the Silver War badge records  which indicate invaliding out.  I don't find a Thomas Grove Labour Corps in the medal records.

Sticking with him - what is it that says Labour Corps about the photo?  Is his cap badge identifiably Labour Corps or are there other clues?  Where did he come from? Any middle initial?

Two John Mill Labour Corps , no Swait so far.

MaxD

I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia

Offline MaureeninNY

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #6 on: Monday 20 November 17 14:07 GMT (UK) »
A E SWAIT will be Arthur Edward SWAIT. On the CWGC site as A E Swait . On the London Electoral Rolls at the same Russell Road address. Trees on A*try may provide some info.

Maureen

Offline MaxD

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #7 on: Monday 20 November 17 15:29 GMT (UK) »
The CWGC Swait was in the Royal Air Force - although this doesn't exclude him from having been in the army beforehand.  The CWGC address however is not Russell Road but Lewis Road Mitcham so may not be the electoral roll person.

MaxD
I am Zoe Northeast, granddaughter of Maximilian Double.
 
It is with great difficulty I share with you that in the early hours of 07 August 2021, Maximilian passed away unexpectedly but peacefully.

With deep sadness,
Zoe



Double  Essex/Suffolk
Randle/Millington Warwicks
Sokser/Klingler Austria/Croatia

Offline ladynicotine

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Re: John Mill & A E Swait (?) & Thomas Grove
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 21 November 17 15:14 GMT (UK) »
His full name was Thomas Edmund Grove, born in Wandsworth, London in 1876.  Died in Whitstable in 1922.  I've never seen or heard anything about him being awarded any medals - and as my father & grandfather were both only children I don't think they could be elsewhere in the family - particularly as 1914-18 is an area of special interest to my father & seems to be the only bit of the family history he knows anything about!

Family information is that he was "conscripted into the Labour Corps", but as you say he may have been somewhere else first.  He was very unlucky to be caught, as he was right at the upper age limit when they got him.

He died of TB  - on his death certificate it gives the date on which this was originally certified, and it was (I believe) right at the end of 1917.  I don't have that information to hand at present.  Family information says that he was in hospital with "pneumonia", & discharged himself against doctors advice, as his wife & son were in danger of being evicted & he wanted to go & sort that out.  This was apparently why he got no war pension.  My assumption was that this was when the diagnosis was made & that he was actually invalided out.  It's certainly possible that he wasn't actually discharged until after the end of hostilities.

We have two embroidered postcards that he sent his son (my grandfather) - one of these seems to have the RAF "Wings" on it, which is where that information came from.

Now I have a name for Mr Swait I'll be able to do some digging around various other sites, so thank you for that.  If I can get the photo into a suitable format I'll try & post it as well.

All this is much appreciated.

Lady N
Eastwood - Kent/Sussex; Apted, Phillips- Sussex; Jermy - Norfolk; Grove - Buckinghamshire; Coles - London; Pilgrim, Harvey - Kent/Essex; Gambrell/Gambrill - Kent