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World War One / Re: Bedfordshire Regiment
« on: Sunday 27 April 25 22:27 BST (UK) »
Thanks for that. Anthony is an enigma all round! He went to Birmingham University at 16 and didn't go with the rest of his family to New Zealand in 1905, although he arrived alone in Melbourne in 1909 and was with them when they moved to Sealake in Victoria soon afterwards. He seems to have been very much a loner and moved around quite a lot. As you say, he appears in various electoral rolls after around 1917 and worked as a labourer and farmer. He finally died alone in his hut in Rosewhite. His younger brother William (by then known as Ian Christian Maydwell) was his executor.
I have nothing now to say he served in the Forces either via the AIF or in the British Army. His age was right to sign up and his two younger brothers did so. His birth surname was Whitfield (his mother's maiden name) and as far as I can tell William I'Anson wasn't his father although he seems to have supported him throughout once he appeared on the scene. He did use the I'Anson surname sometimes and also his mother's later adopted surname of Maydwell so I have to check various options, especially as I'Anson is often wrongly written as Janson and other variants! I think he was probably quite secretive and eccentric so I may never be able to find more...
I have nothing now to say he served in the Forces either via the AIF or in the British Army. His age was right to sign up and his two younger brothers did so. His birth surname was Whitfield (his mother's maiden name) and as far as I can tell William I'Anson wasn't his father although he seems to have supported him throughout once he appeared on the scene. He did use the I'Anson surname sometimes and also his mother's later adopted surname of Maydwell so I have to check various options, especially as I'Anson is often wrongly written as Janson and other variants! I think he was probably quite secretive and eccentric so I may never be able to find more...