VIC: B D & M Lookups please

[Bellejazz]

Not that they would be good role models 
Raylen

Better than my g grandfather who I discovered got VD in Egypt! 

 

- Belinda.

[Raylen]

Belinda,


Just to confuse you a bit more

There is ANOTHER record for Kerrin Smedley enlisting in the army.
(Primary description of  item 8086650) on www.naa.gov.au
He enlisted 1/8/1915 and was discharged 31/10/1915
for 'Family Reasons'

Interesting isn't it?

Raylen

[Raylen]

Henry William Smedley enlisted in the army too!

He spent more time in hospital than he did fighting in the war!
I did notice another case of AWOL   

Raylen

[Bellejazz]

Ok
I think we are working it out now.

It seems the Keerin that enlisted on the 1-8-1915 and was discharged for "family reasons" is the real Keerin. The wife's name matches, the birthplace matches, the religion (RC) matches.

The second Keerin (incorrectly labeled Kurin by the NAA) does not match Keerin at all but is a perfect match for GKA, he has GKA's mother, birthdate and presumably religion (C of E), he enlisted 3 months after the real Keerin was discharged.

So it seems George T. Wilmshurst either met the Smedley family and for some reason decided to use Keerins identity, or given the dates and him enlisting after Keerin's discharge, perhaps they were friends and Keerin told him he could. Funny thing is there are letters to George's mother regarding her son "Keerin Leslie Smedley" so apparently even she was in on the ruse!

The only thing I can think of is that George had been in trouble with the law and was not permitted to sign up???

Worthwhile theory?

- Belinda.

(fascinating stuff it really is!)

[Bellejazz]

Henry William Smedley enlisted in the army too!
He spent more time in hospital than he did fighting in the war!
I did notice another case of AWOL   
Raylen

I noticed the many, many hospital admissions ... some rather unpleasant things too 

As for the AWOLS, yes, well, hmmmm 

 

- Belinda.

[helensfamily]

George Thomas Wilmshurst was my grandfather. His friend was named Keiren Smedley. Keiren Smedley applied for 2 jobs one on the trams and the other on the buses. He got them both, so my grandfather took one and Keiren took the other. Obviously he had to use his friends name of Keiren Smedley. When WW1 broke out George Thomas Wilmshurst enlisted in 1917 as Keiren Smedley. He only changed his name back to George Thomas Wilmshurst when he married in 1930 because Nanna insisted he marry under his proper name. And that is the brief story of George Thomas Wilmshurst AKA Keiren Smedley