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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: nicdigby on Thursday 25 June 20 23:03 BST (UK)
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Hello, I hope you clever people can help!
Trying to find any info at all about part of the family; the father Mr Coombes was injured in WW1 and then sent to British India, when he was still in the British Army. I would like to find out more but am really stuck, have looked on Ancestry and FindMyPast but am still a beginner.
Here is what I have to go on (everyone has deceased).
Mr Coombes marries Christina who becomes Christina Coombes. (?Christina as first name - or similar). She was born in India.
Mr Coombes gets sent to India with the British Army, we think AFTER WW1 but not sure.
They marry.
They live in Sybil House, near Lucknor, India. It's an indigo plantation. There is a brother called Denzel Coombes who wrote a book about his days in India but I can't find it so not sure if it was published.
They have four children:
1) Audrey
2) Elaine born 8 Feb 1924, near Lucknor, India.
3) Barbara
4) David born I think Adra, Bengal under the name David Walden Coley: that is the name on his funeral service (died 2/3/2014) and indeed it is the name I have found on FindMyPast British India baptism and births records....no idea why his surname is Coley on the records.
The marriage either fails or Mr Coombe dies and Mrs Coombe re-marries, to Anthony/Tony Horne and the children have their surnames changed to Horne while in India (not sure about David).
They all end up back in England eventually. I've only found Elaine's passenger list, nobody else's.
No hints on Ancestry or FindMyPast. STUCK!!!
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Update, have just found them all born under the surname COLEY?!! I have no idea who Coley was. Perhaps Mrs Coombes maiden name?? Or another husband?
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Hi ,
Possibly the story has been mixed up a little ?
Have you seen these records on FS-
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGJQ-NPV
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGWP-YYC
ev
Added-
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVZZ-ZHCL
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGJ6-MZ3
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Hi ,
Possibly the story has been mixed up a little ?
Have you seen these records on FS-
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGJQ-NPV
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGWP-YYC
ev
Added-
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVZZ-ZHCL
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGJ6-MZ3
This looks really promising, thanks ever so much. I had not seen them, I had not looked on Family Search. Is there anything else relevant there that has caught your eye?
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You may also find something of use on Families in British India Society
https://www.fibis.org/
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Thank you, I’m going to have a look
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A bit of military info. Apologies if you already have it.
Louis Coley L/Cpl. no. 9576 1st. Batt. Lincs. Regt.
He was a pre war regular (attested 1913) as he has the 14 Star with clasp & roses.
He applies for the clasp in 1923 giving an address of:
Eastern Bengal Coy.
AFI Dacca E. Bengal.
Info:
http://armenianchurchbangladesh.com/photo-gallery/dhaka-social-history/eastern-bengal-volunteers/
His WW1 service record didn't survive & his record post war is not held by the MOD.
He appears on a passenger list in 1920 destination New York & he's a musician travelling with about
half a dozen other musicians.