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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: McTalbert on Saturday 09 June 18 19:54 BST (UK)

Title: Please confirm my theory
Post by: McTalbert on Saturday 09 June 18 19:54 BST (UK)

Samuel KENWORTHY (1893-1917)

I am trying to trace an S. KENWORTHY who appears on the Great War Memorial Plaque in Tanfield Lea Community Centre, Co. Durham.

I have managed to identify a Samuel KENWORTHY who died on 11th February 1917, aged 23 and was buried in Tanfield Churchyard on 15-Feb-1917. His grave does not have a headstone. The 1911 Census shows that at the time he was a coalminer, born in the Tyne Dock area of South Shields in 1893, the son of William Broadhead KENWORTHY and the late Esther KENWORTHY of 7, Shop Square, Tanfield Lea.

After advertising locally I have been loaned the attached photograph purporting to be of Samuel KENWORTHY who died on 11th February 1917.

 

It appears. However, that the man has 3 or 4 “Overseas Service” stripes on his right sleeve and as these were not introduced in December 1917 he could not heve been wearing them before his death in February 1917.

Before I disappoint the owner of the photograph is anyone prepared to confirm my theory?

In addition, it is unlikely that anyone can identify the lapel badge but can anyone identify the insignia above the “Overseas Service” stripes?

McTalbert

Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: KGarrad on Saturday 09 June 18 20:05 BST (UK)
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website lists 2 casualties under the name of S Kenworthy:

16447 Rifleman Sam Kenworthy, 11th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
Died 3/9/1916
Son of Linneaus and Elizabeth Kenworthy of 178 High Street, Stalybridge, Cheshire

Captain Stanley Kenworthy, 17th Bn. Manchester Regiment
Died 1/7/1916
Son of John Dalziel Kenworthy of Seacroft, St Bees, Cumberland
Husband of Dinah T Kenworthy
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: Jebber on Saturday 09 June 18 20:15 BST (UK)
Yes, they are overseas stripes and it looks like the badge of a WO2.
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: MaxD on Thursday 14 June 18 10:26 BST (UK)
Bit late to this but have we discounted RN seaman Samuel Kenworthy born 18 Sep 1893 S Shields, served from 1912 whose record (on FindMyPast) says that he died at Newcastle General Hospital 11 Feb 1917.

There's a familiarity about this info, has it been covered somewhere else?

MaxD
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: stevej60 on Thursday 14 June 18 23:38 BST (UK)
Strange that no record exist's on the CWGC website for this man also his name is spelled with
two N's on the memorial again no trace on the CWGC site with this spelling,I love a good mystery
Ill see what I can dig up!
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: stevej60 on Thursday 14 June 18 23:45 BST (UK)
You know I'm thinking Australian for that collar badge
https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/australian-imperial-force-aif-badges-1914-1918
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: barryd on Friday 15 June 18 05:23 BST (UK)
I am very familiar with Tanfield Lea and WW1 Soldiers who died from there and surrounding areas.

Two items of discussion.

The Durham Light Infantry Museum had a bound copy of the Stanley News with obits/photographs of servicemen who died WW1. Goodness knows where that is now.


There is a Samuel Kenworthy who died March Qtr. 1917 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Aged 23. Free BMD.  I am suggesting that this may be the Seaman already mentioned. However same name, same age? So close but perhaps so far away. 
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: stevej60 on Friday 15 June 18 09:28 BST (UK)
The Chester Chronicle would be a good source of information too perhap's with a photo,it's looking
like a strong possibility this is the same man so perhap's a non-commemoration case for the CWGC
to deal with,I think either way the soldier in the photograph is not the same person.
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: MaxD on Friday 15 June 18 09:31 BST (UK)
Note the parallel tread here which has the same answers to the same questions!:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?action=post;topic=794924.0;last_msg=6518671

(Stevej60 - you have sussed this already)

MaxD
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: McTalbert on Friday 15 June 18 15:35 BST (UK)
Many thanks to you all for responding to my appeal for help.

I am now completely confident that the photograph is not Samuel KENWORTHY. I have obtained a copy of his Royal Navy record and can now report back to the photograph’s owner with the following:

KENWORTHY Samuel. Stoker. SS111668.
Royal Navy. H.M.S. Queen Mary.
Enlisted in the Royal Navy on 22-Jan-1912, aged 18 years. Served on HMS Renown, HMS Minerva II, HMS Vernon, HMS Ariadne and, from 04-Sep 1913 until 19-Jan-1916, HMS Queen Mary. After transferring to shore-base, Victory 1, on 20-Jan-1916 he was invalided from the Royal Navy on 30-Sep-1916.
Note: HMS Queen Mary exploded and sank at the Battle of Jutland on 31-May-1916 with the loss of 1266 men. Only 20 members of the crew were rescued.
Died in the General Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, on 11-Feb-1917, aged 23 years.
Born in the Tyne Dock area of South Shields on 18-Sep-1893. Prior to enlisting in the Royal Navy he was employed in a coalmine. Son of William Broadhead and the late Esther KENWORTHY of 7, Shop Square, Tanfield Lea.
Buried in Tanfield St. Margaret Churchyard on 15-Feb-1917.
Commemorated:
    Memorial Plaque, Tanfield Lea Community Centre.

As for the photograph, I will research the possible Australian uniform angle further by asking the owner whether any of her family had emigrated to Australia or New Zealand (presumably the ANZAC uniforms were the same for both countries).

As for photographs in the Stanley News, Durham County Record Office has microfilm copies of this newspaper and those will be well worth looking at in the future. The Illustrated Chronicle has literally thousands of photographs of Great War servicemen from the North East, many of which have been scanned and can be viewed online at www.flickr.com/photos/illustratedchronicleww1/albums. I have been through the bound copies of the Illustrated Chronicle held by the library and photographed the photographs of the local men not shown on Flickr.

Once again, many thanks.

McTalbert
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: stevej60 on Friday 15 June 18 23:17 BST (UK)
Glad your all sorted with this inquiry I would be interested toknow what the In from the cold
project would make of the case for possible recognition of him by the CWGC.
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: mmm45 on Saturday 16 June 18 15:18 BST (UK)
For inclusion on CWGC you'd have to get death certificate to see if it mentions war cause of death and if it was related to cause of discharge
It can be quite unfair as on surface it will appear the sinking and his death 5 months later are related but it may not be enough to get him added to Debt  of Honour

I ve had three added but some weren't.

Ady
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: stevej60 on Saturday 16 June 18 22:37 BST (UK)
Agree Ady,wonder if the in from the cold project are worth a try?
Title: Re: Please confirm my theory
Post by: mmm45 on Monday 18 June 18 22:17 BST (UK)
http://www.infromthecold.org/

Give  them a shout they can at least guide you.Good luck.

Ady