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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Annie65115 on Wednesday 20 August 08 20:22 BST (UK)

Title: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: Annie65115 on Wednesday 20 August 08 20:22 BST (UK)
Thomas William Kilner was born in Leic in 1881.

In July 1915, he joined the army and gave his address as 5, Lion Terrace, Carlton Road, Nottingham. He served in the Leicestershire regiment in India and Mesopotamia and was discharged as no longer fit for service in Jan 1818.

I can find no record of him after that; I don't know if he returned to Nottingham or even the UK.

If anyone has any info either about a possible "sighting", or any info about the Nottingham address, I'd be very grateful!
Title: Info on army discharge records
Post by: Annie65115 on Wednesday 20 August 08 20:27 BST (UK)
I'm trying to trace my great-grandfather, Thomas Kilner.

He joined the Leic Regiment in 1915, served in India and Mesopotamia, and was discharged as no longer fit for duty in Jan 1818 (due to "intemperance"!)

I've found this info on the British Army WW1 pension records site. I've also found the address from which he joined the army but I can't see any discharge address. In fact I can't even tell if he returned to the UK.

Does anyone know if there is any way of finding this out?

Muchas gracias!

Moderator Comment: topics merged
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: CaroleW on Wednesday 20 August 08 22:19 BST (UK)
I notice he was already married when he enlisted so presume he did not return home to your great grandmother

Same message also posted on the following links so check in case of duplicated replies

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,322539.msg2031957.html#msg2031957

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,322542.msg2031971.html#msg2031971  now merged
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: Annie65115 on Wednesday 20 August 08 22:34 BST (UK)
The marraige had broken down before he enrolled.

Although he had children (otherwise I wouldn't be here!),  no allowance was made for them in assessing his pension.

He seems to have disappeared without trace - I'm wondering if he ever came back to the UK or if he "went native" on discharge - I guess some people did that?
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: cheshiremog on Wednesday 20 August 08 22:56 BST (UK)
Hi Annie
And a warm welcome to Rootschat - lots of lovely people on this site
Yes I have looked at his pension record on ancestry - at time of attestation in 1915 - for married - he first says 'no' then says 'yes' . No dependants are mentioned which is odd and also his mother Mrs Underwood is given as his next of kin (next of kin - would usually be his wife not his mother) - so looks like the marriage had broken up by the time he attested.

I found a marriage in June Qtr 1903 in Leicester District  Thomas Wm Kilner to either Evelyn Holyland or Adeline Chamberlain Simons - do you know which one he married.

If Thomas is your great grandfather - do you know the name of your grandfather ?

Do you know the names of any of Thomas Kilners children ?
mog
Title: Re: Info on army discharge records
Post by: forester on Wednesday 20 August 08 23:19 BST (UK)
 If he is Thomas William Kilner, Pte 19421, Leicester Regiment, then his intended place of residence on discharge looks like 36 (or 56) Donnington St, Leicester. Discharged 18/01/18.

Military character: Good
"A sober, honest, reliable man"

Phil
Title: Re: Info on army discharge records
Post by: CaroleW on Wednesday 20 August 08 23:27 BST (UK)
But he is shown as an alcoholic on his pension record
Title: Re: Info on army discharge records
Post by: forester on Wednesday 20 August 08 23:40 BST (UK)
I'm only repeating what's written.  ;D

Funnily enough though, Sober has been underlined about ten times.  ???

Phil
Title: Re: Info on army discharge records
Post by: ricky1 on Wednesday 20 August 08 23:44 BST (UK)
 :) :)
Title: Re: Info on army discharge records
Post by: ricky1 on Wednesday 20 August 08 23:48 BST (UK)
also this bit
Title: Re: Info on army discharge records
Post by: km1971 on Thursday 21 August 08 08:10 BST (UK)
Hi Annie

If his medal index card does not say that the medals were returned - they had to be signed for - it is safe to assume he was discharged back in the UK. Also his pension would have been paid at home.

Ken
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: forester on Thursday 21 August 08 09:40 BST (UK)
He was discharged at Lichfield.

Phil
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: forester on Thursday 21 August 08 10:35 BST (UK)
Hopefully this will work  ::)

Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: manmack on Thursday 21 August 08 15:07 BST (UK)
thomas would not be eligible for a pension,his condition was not caused or aggrevated by his war service.
he was also accidentally wounded,but he would not get a pension,because it was due to his gross carelessness.
there would be no allottment made for his mum,because she died in july 1917.
its possible that his wife had formed a relationship,with someone else,if she did,then shes not entitled to any pension award for her and her children.

mack
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: Annie65115 on Thursday 21 August 08 21:09 BST (UK)
Now watch it you lot, spreading slurs about my great-grandfather's drinking habits all over t'internet  ::)  ;)

He married Eveline Holyland in 1903; they had 2 children, Vera Eveline b 1903 and Maud b 1905. I don't know when the marraige broke down but it was when the children were very little. Eveline lived the rest of her life with someone else who brought the children up as his own, so that's clearly why there was no mention of them on the papers. And I can't find what happened to Vera either, although I know she lived to adulthood in the Leicester area. Maud was my grandmother, and the Kilner name was hidden from posterity until I started poking around the censuses etc a few months ago!!

Sarah Ann Underwood was indeed Thomas Kilner's mother; she'd remarried after Thomas's father died; the 1901 census shows the Kilner siblings as step children to William Underwood, and Sarah's there too.

Thanks for the suggestions re discharge address - I couldn't see any of that on the discharge papers -- was Lichfield the administrative place and the Leic address his home address?

muchas gracias :)
Title: Re: KILNER, Thomas, Nottingham
Post by: forester on Thursday 21 August 08 21:47 BST (UK)
There is a golden rule when looking at the "Pensions" records on Ancestry......... go backwards, as well as forwards from the opening page.
For some strange reason, I think because the cover sheet, or attestation sheet wasn't always at the front when they photographed the files, there can be more pages before the opening page, than there are after it.

Lichfield was the army centre from which he was discharged; possibly the regimental depot.
The Leicester address was the address that Thomas gave as his intended residence; whether he went there or not, is anyone's guess.

Phil