RootsChat.Com

Hi chrish53

Did you follow up on the link I posted here

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=683035.0

if not goggle search for "English Cemetery Cairo" for other suggestions and this

https://lydiasmithwatsonyear.com/2016/01/17/american-and-british-cemeteries-in-cairo/

I had forgotten I had asked this before! I just have traced the picture which I cannot post as every attempt to reduce it's size fails which results in me getting more frustrated.Thanks Dawn for the help my friend is now fairly sure she knows which cemetery and has offered, less her, to have a throrough look for me and to take a new photo.

Check the address given in this further report (halfway down column 5) against the address you have for the family in 1911.  http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4013486/4013489/31/

This looks spot on! I at first I thought this could not be right as they lived in Cubits Court, forgetting that they had moved by the 1911 census. Once again thank you everybody.

Something else to bear in mind is that he was born as plain Henry on 4/4/1893 Llandilo - both census he appears in shown him as plain Henry too even though younger siblings are shown with 2 Christian names.   It's possible he could have enlisted as plain Henry Howells too.

Annette

This is quite true, his birth certificate also shows him as just Henry Howells. When the Valentine middle name came in sadly we may never know. However, his marriage certificate and death certificate all show Valentine. He was known as Val, this I know from newspapers where he was shown as attending funerals where he was noted as Val Howells. On one occasion: Val Howells, his wife May and son Spencer (my Dad who was Henry Spencer). Added info. I have looked for Val and Valentine Howells.

I have just checked freebmd and the Henry Vincent Howell b 1879 died in 1881

There is a birth for a Henry Victor Howell in 1898 who could be another possible candidate for the medal 

A few known facts and apocryphal stories that may help anyone who can help me:

1: I apologise for not thanking you for your efforts sooner Carole, I have not been on RootsChat for some time and I do need to tidy things up a bit.
2: My cousin has been asking as she grew up in the same house as 'Val' and remembers that our grandmother told her that post WW1 he was a broken man. He died in Bryntirion Hospital, Llanelli on the 2nd Feb 1957 aged 63 (my age now).
3: I do recall my late father proudly telling me that his father, "Val', was in Egypt for some time and part of T. E. Lawrence's support column. Which suggests he was with a transport unit? It is also the reason Dad took me to see "Lawrence of Arabia" at the cinema.
4: We were told he was gassed on the western front, most British troops were withdrawn from the Middle East to bolster the forces in France and Flanders, I believe.