Harry Norman Lee WEST

[BarossaPearl]

Hi I am hoping that someone can help. I have been researching my husband's grandfather, Harold Norman Lee WEST, who supposedly was born in Mt Gambier, South Australia in 1889.  To date, I have found nothing that would support this. However,  I have come across a Harry Norman Lee WEST born in Colchester in 1888. According to the British Army Records. Harry attested with the R Horse and R Field Arty in 1906, but I am beginning to think that these two are actually the same person because apart from the names there are an amazing amount of other coincidences. Can anyone shed any light on this for me? I am particularly interested in the years between 1906 and 1914. All help will be gratefully received.

[millymcb]

I found this hidden away in on the resources board so it has been missed. I have move it here - Can anyone help?

Milly

[gortonboy]

hi,,,what info do you already have re the Harold West in Australia that could help us link him to the one born in Colchester?  did he get married in Australia?  do you have the certificate?  does it give his fathers name and occupation?    if you can tell us all you know ,,we can try and see if we can link them?   for instance,,,do you have the Harold in Australia   signature on any document ? if so,,,you could compare it to the signature on the army service record.

[gortonboy]

just to note that Harry Norman West was born in 1886 in Colchester...birth registered in the July/Aug/Sept quarter in Colchester,Essex   volume 4A  page  508......according to the army record he enlisted on the 20/11/02  and served till 18/12/1905.It is probable he lied about his age in order to enlist. His parents were Edward Joseph West b c 1856  Portsmouth,,who was in the army,,,and Mary Anne West b 1860 according to the 1881 census,,,but b 1864  according to the 1891 census in Guildford,Surrey.

[gortonboy]

Edward Joseph West married Mary Anne Timms in 1878 in Guildford,Surrey.
Do you know what year your Harold emigrated to Australia ?

[gortonboy]

i have read a couple of your previous posts...i see that your Harold gives his father as Edward   a surgeon,,,this is interesting,,as Edward Joseph West was in the Army medical corp,,he was in the army for 21 years,,,in the 1881 census he is described as  2nd corporal  A M Corp..he served from 1873-1894,,,,i dont think he was ever a surgeon,,,but maybe Harry exaggerated his fathers profession a little ,,he is described in the census as an army dispenser,,,,so a dispenser of medicines,,he finished his career in the army as a Sergeant,,,Surgeons were officers. 

[gortonboy]

there is also this record which seems to record a Harry Norman West born in Colchester signing up with the Australian army in WW2,,,He enlisted in Swanbourne,WA. His d.o.b. is given as 23 august {same as in Edward Josephs army record} but year is given as 1893 {lieing about his age again?}  his next of kin is given as Florence West.Service number W27765.
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=6506500

[gortonboy]

the link may have expired,,,,i just searched in the naa archives for Harry Norman West.

[Jebber]

If it is of any help, the Harry WEST born in Colchester was working at the Canford Cliff's Hotel Ravine Road Canford Cliff's Bournemouth in 1911.

I would imagine that he was the same one who sailed to Sydney on the  BELTANA in 1914.

Jebber