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An initiative for the Centenary of ANZAC is Poppy Park that saw poppies made to commemorate the Australian war dead. People could purchase these poppies and research the soldier that was commemorated. I have purchased 5 of these poppies and intend to pass them on to the families with a brief history of the lad's service.

The first one to arrive is for an English lad from Lancashire, named Percy SANDHAM, he was born in Bolton c1892 and the son of Fredrick and Jane Hartley Rollinson. Percy served with the 30th Bn AIF and was killed 25.02.1917, has no known grave and commemorated on VB Memorial.

Percy was head chorister boy at Bolton Parish Church (St Peters) and when the Roll of Honour at the Aust War Memorial was being organised his mother gave her address as 49 George Street West Birmingham.

Other than the details in his service file, at the AWM and on CWGC I have had little success in tracing his family so that I can pass on this poppy to them. Any help locating his family to enable the poppy to be sent to them would be greatly appreciated.

What I have managed to establish is that Percy had a sister named Frances. Frances married Percy Yates and had three children, Frederick, Eileen and Myra. Frederick married Gladys Beatrice Elsie SMITH in Birmingham and she died 2005 in Dorset. So I am hoping that at some point in time the family of Frederick and Elsie Yates moved to Dorset and someone can put me in touch with them so I can send them Percy's poppy.

PS:
A David Sandham apparantly has a tree on GR for this family and someone has contacted him but as yet no reply.

Liverpool Annie suggest that I post this here as she believed you all liked a challenge.  Both Tim and I would be grateful for any help you can give us with these lads

Bright Blessings
Sandra
www.fromelles.net

PS: Forgot to mention that the Battle of Fromelles apart from being WW1 took place July 1916

Of the 192 Australians believed buried at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, quite a number were originally born in the UK.   Although a few emigrated with their immediate families, many listed their next of kin as still residing in various parts of the UK.

The following list is those UK-born Australian soldiers buried at Pheasant Wood for whom no descendant has been identified. 

If anyone is able to assist with locating descendants who may still reside in the UK, we would be exceptionally grateful to hear from you. 

397 Private Douglas CASWELL
Born: Powyke, Worcestershire, England
NOK: Eberron and Sophie CASWELL (parents)
More at: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,379789.0.html

1252 Lance Corp Sydney DENNIS
Born: London, Middlesex
NOK: William and Elizabeth Broad DENNIS (parents)
Address: 20 Guildersfield Rd, Streatham, London

889 Private Henry GARDINER (GARDNER)
Born: Whitewell, Yorkshire
NOK: Elizabeth Ann ASHTON (sister)
Address: 92 Victoria Rd, Walton Le Dale, Preston, Lancashire

1274 Corporal Robert Courtney GREEN
Born: Battersea, London
NOK: Augustus Phillip and Jane GREEN (parents)
Address: 168 Ashley Road, Upper Parkstone, Dorset

3819 Private James John HARRIS
Born: Kingston, Dublin, Ireland
NOK: James and Kate HARRIS (parents)
Address: East Pier Battery, Kingston, Dublin, Ireland

842 Sergeant Charles Stevens HILL
Born: East Molesey, Kingston on Thames, Surrey
NOK: Alexander and Ellen HILL (parents)
Address: 31 Spring Gardens, East Molesey, Surrey

689 Private Arthur Mossop JAMES
Born: Paddington, London
NOK: Albert and Susan JAMES (parents)
Address: 240 Guiness Bldgs, Draycott Ave, Chelsea, London

1624 Private John (Jack) T. JOYCE
Born: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
NOK: Mary ROSE (mother)
Address: Cambois, Northumberland
NOK: Robert, Nellie, Edwin and Mary ROSE (half-siblings)
Address: Cambois, Northumberland

2462 Private Walter PHEASANT
Born: Bow, London
NOK: R.F. PHEASANT (father)
Address: 4 Barry Ave, Stamford Hill, London
NOK: Ethel PHEASANT (sister)
Address: 15 Trellis St, Malmsbury Rd, Bow, London
more at: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,379859.0.html

4581 Private Benjamin RICHARDSON
Born: Blaxall, Suffolk
NOK: Benjamin RICHARDSON (father)
Address: Blaxall, Tunstall, Suffolk

1312 Private Horace Frederick ROBINSON
Born: Gillingham, Kent
NOK: John ROBINSON (father)
Address: 2 Galley Hill Terrace, London Rd, Greenhill, Kew
More at: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,380063.0.html

1216 Corporal James Hugh ROSS
Born: Stirling, Scotland
NOK: James A. and Alice T. ROSS (parents)
Address: Parents moved to Australia with family and lived in Northcote, Victoria.
- another reference was given to Mrs J CLARK (sister/aunt?) of 9 Hillingdon Gardens, Cardonald, Glasgow, Scotland
More at: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,379841.0.html

4873 Private Joseph SCOTT
Born: South Shields, Durham
NOK: Mrs Margaret MORDUE (sister)
Address: 5 Cornelius Square, South Shields, Durham

1046 Private Robert Grieve Moncrieff SCOTT
Born: Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
NOK: Andrew Moncrieff and Christian Bryden Grieve SCOTT (parents)
Address: Upper Kier, Thornhill, Dumfrieshire, Scotland

690 Corporal John TOOLE
Born: Liverpool
NOK: George Henry and Martha TOOLE (parents)
3 Mountjoy St, Everton, Liverpool

239 Sergeant William WASS (MM MID)
Born: Winsley, Derby, Derbyshire
Previously served with the Sherwood Forresters in Boer War, China, India, Malay, Egypt
NOK: Germain WASS (father)
Address: Morend Farm, Chellaston, Derbyshire 
More at: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,379920.0.html

Valda ... I have had a dickens of a time navigating the National Archives site to get the the index.  Is there any chance you can post the link please?

Also ... I remember reading somewhere that all military pensions were kept at the Chelsea Hospital archives ... possibly online.

Fedelmar

From The National Archives army attestation papers index

WO 97/597/142 ALEXANDER DABELL alias ALEXANDER DAYBEL Born NOTTINGHAM, Nottinghamshire Served in 45th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 24 1820-1823

If this is the man, on the 1871 census he was still in Nottingham, a lodger and widower but back working as a frame work knitter.

Regards

Valda

I have been a member of this forum for quite a long time ... some of the members here know me through other avenues of research  ... I thought I had better let you all know what I am doing with some of my time ... there are three things primarily.

First: I am the convenor of Saving Graves W. Aust and we are fighting to retain the headstones in cemeteries across W. Aust. The main thrust of my focus is to protect the graves of service personnel and trying to make the government and authorities leave these alone. The Board responsible for Karrakatta Cemetery W. Aust ... through the renewal program that they use saw fit to remove 27 headstones from official war graves during the 1980's. Recently I have been successful in having these replaced. Sadly, due to the 'beautification' of some sections it is now not possible to put a headstone at the top of a grave but somewhere near it.

Second: I am compiling a biographical index of WWI personnel who were born in Albany W. Aust and those that enlisted in Albany W. Aust but were born elsewhere (mostly from the UK). Currently this index sits at some 800 personnel and I anticipate that this will be published sometime next year.
This index includes:
photographs of the person (where possible)
photographs of graves overseas or in Australia
photographs of memorial plaques in Albany Avenue of Honour
photographs of memorial plaques in Avenue of Honour Kings Park
photographs of memorial plaques in Garden of Remembrance Perth War Cemetery
State & Federal War Memorial listings
Honour Board listings
Basic service details of the enlister

In addition to this, I am compiling a biographical database of all defence personnel who participated in other theatres of war who were born in Albany W. Aust and those that enlisted in Albany W. Aust but were born elsewhere. This database is in excess of 1500 personnel and will not be published but will be gifted to the Albany RSL, Albany Historical Society and the City of Albany.
This index includes:
photographs of the person (where possible)
photographs of graves overseas or in Australia
photographs of memorial plaques in Albany Avenue of Honour
photographs of memorial plaques in Avenue of Honour Kings Park
photographs of memorial plaques in Garden of Remembrance Perth War Cemetery
State & Federal War Memorial listings
Honour Board listings
Basic service details of the enlister.

Third: I am compiling a database of all defence personnel buried in the Fremantle Cemetery W. Aust with existing headstones. This will be published on CD - Rom sometime next year.
This index includes:
photographs of the person (where possible)
photographs of headstones in Fremantle Cemetery
photographs of memorial plaques in Avenue of Honour Kings Park
photographs of memorial plaques in Garden of Remembrance Perth War Cemetery
State & Federal War Memorial listings
Honour Board listings (where possible)
Basic service details of the enlister.

Last year I published "For King & Country: Official War Graves in Fremantle Cemetery" which is a biographical index of official war graves in Fremantle Cemetery W. Aust. This includes those men that were sent to Australia for hospitalization during WW1.
This index includes:
photographs of headstones in Fremantle Cemetery
photographs of memorial plaques in Garden of Remembrance at Perth War Cemetery.
Australian War Memorial listings
Basic service details of the enlister.

If anyone has any information that can aid these projects I would be forever grateful

Somewhere in amongst this I try to do family history and pick up a paint brush

Bright Blessings
Sandra

--------------------
I Remember Them:
Charles Edwin AUSTIN ... WWI - Australian Broad Guage Railway Operating Company
Edward Alexander AUSTIN ... WWI - 106 Howitzer Battery (KIA) buried Menin Road South Miltary Cemetery
Harold George DAY ... WWI - 44th Battalion (Died of wounds age 19) Buried Nine Elms
Jabez Henry DAY ... WW1 - 11th Battalion (wounded)
Clarence James DAY ... WWI - 16th Battalion and WWII 2nd Australian Forrestry Corp
Francis Archibald POND ...  WWI - 10th Battalion The Queens (KIA) buried Dunhallow

For King & Country: Official War Graves in Fremantle Cemetery.
Version 1.
Monumental inscriptions and photographs of official war graves in Fremantle Cemetery Western Australia.  Includes photographs of corresponding plaques in the Garden of Remembrance at the Perth War Cemetery and basic service details.
pdf format

$A15.00 plus $A5.00 postage within Australia. $A10.00 overseas postage