Robert Hadfield

[lydiaann]

I am searching for the direct descendants (if any) of Robert Hadfield.  During World War I he was a 2nd Lt in the Durham Light Infantry - from the photograph I have, he would appear to be 30-40 years old so I have given him a birth date of 1880 +/- 5 years.  He was probably a friend of my father, thus an Oldham area man.  The back of the photo is annotated "Died in 1945", which would suggest that he was old enough to have married and had a family.  I have an address on his war record of 11 Wesley Street in Royton; I believe that was on his discharge from the DLI in 1923.  I would love to reunite this photograph with his family to ensure that he is not forgotten.  Can anyone help, pretty please?

Lydiaann

[genechaser]

Hi Lydiaann

Robert Hadfield (D) Oct/Dec 1945 Middleton 8d-683  Aged 62

[lydiaann]

Thanks, Genechaser:  I had that as a possible; however, unfortunately it does not give family information.  I am going to chase this backwards this afternoon (I'm in western Canada) to find his birth and a possible marriage, etc. which may give me some better idea of what to put out there!

Lydiaann

[km1971]

Hi Lydiann

He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 31 October 1917. His medal index card is on the National Archives website - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=2659528&queryType=1&resultcount=9

There is a good chance you can download a copy from Ancestry for free. Theirs are in colour and there is an outside chance that an address is given. Officers had to claim their WW1 medals and the card can sometimes give a correspondence address.

Just re-read yopur post. Do you have his service record from Kew?

Ken

[lydiaann]

Hi, Ken:  Thanks for the post.  Yes, I got the details from his medal card (via Ancestry), which is where I got the address from in the first place.  What's this about Kew?

Unfortunately, I haven't managed to isolate either a birth or a marriage yet - Robert Hadfield was quite a common name then! - but I shall keep trying.

Lydiaann

[km1971]

Hi Lydiaann

Kew is the National Archives. Most WW1 officer's records were lost during WW2, but unlike the other ranks there may be a separate supplementary file that can contain anything from just a death certificate to over a 150 pages, as in the case of my GF. I will try and find him in the NA indexes and get back to you.

Ken

[lydiaann]

I have marked this as "Completed".  I could find no other information on this man so I have sent his photograph to Durham County Archives for the Durham Light Infantry collection.  If his photo is displayed, maybe someone may recognize him and complete the story for them.

2nd Lt Robert Hadfield, Durham Light Infantry.  RIP.