Imperial Australian Forces WWI - S.H WILLIS

[Newbie in SA]

Hi Ros,

Thank you for the info on Reginald Courtenay Willis.  Interesting entry as Reginald is a family name!  The time line however is off.  The newspaper article refers to the Battle of Somme which took place in June 1914.  And this Reginald died in 1912 ..  Perhaps I have more family that I don't know of!  It is however quite possible that he could be the brother of the LT S.H Willis that I am seeking!

[rosball]

Yes Newbie - I didn't think he was Lt S.H.Willis (even my poor history is better than that ). I just thought he could be a brother ... ?

I can't find an S.H. Willis in embarkation roll http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/first_world_war_embarkation/?Name=willis&ServiceNumber=&Unit=
or nominal roll http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/first_world_war/?Surname=willis  for WW1. 

The closest I can find is a Seaman Willis (!) (no middlename) born in Kent in 1880'ish with NOK brother George and on his marriage cert (included in service record), his father is Timothy Willis (deceased).  Hmmm nothing to tie him in and he doesn't seem likely  ...

regards,
   Ros

[Newbie in SA]

Ros!

Please forgive me, I did not mean to offend you!  I get so carried away and was excited at the family name connection, I really did not want to give you a history lesson!!  I am extremely grateful for the wonderful support that I get from guru's like yourself and would not in a million years have got to where I am without this support.

I do think you found the right family, if I can only tie it back to my tree now..

Vanessa

[rosball]

No offence taken at all Vanessa    I am just fumbling around looking for Courtenay Willis connections or an S.H. Willis in WW1 ...  

cheers,
   Ros

[Newbie in SA]

  Thanks Ros!

[ennael]

Hi,
  There is a connection between Rajah Henry and Reginald Courtenay.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KDR1-PJK

Reginald Courtenay WILLIS, "New Zealand, Probate Records, 1848-1991"

Image 121 gives Elizabeth Francis as living in Sydney N.S.W and Edward Julian TOSSWILL (Lawyer) of Port Ligar New Zealand.

Rajah Henry on his WW1 Service Document gives his mother as Francis Elizabeth WILLIS of Port Ligar, Sounds County, New Zealand.
Also an address of 1 Queens Street Rushcutters Bay, N.S.W

Edit to add:
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DOM19151018.2.46.2&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----2willis+port+ligar--

 Further Edit:
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=MEX19120821.2.27

Leanne

[Newbie in SA]

Hi Leanne!

So it seems that the two are definitely brothers.  You guys are amazing.  Now can you wave your magic wand and fit them into my family tree? 

V

[Newbie in SA]

Hi Leanne and Ros

This is the way I understand it thus far:
Mother:    Elizabeth Frances Courtenay ??
Father:       Stewart Henry Willis
Children:    Rajah Henry Willis
      Reginald Courtnay Willis
      E.J Tosswill nee Willis (the solicitor’s wife)

Reginald Courtnay WILLIS
In the article from the Marlborough Express the obituary mentions that he was the son of Captain S.H Willis and that Mrs E.J Tosswill of Port Ligar is his sister. We also know from the probate record that his solicitor is Edward Julian Tosswill of Port Ligar (my presumption  ... his brother-in-law)
We know from the probate record that his mother is Elizabeth Frances Willis
And that Rajah Henry Willis has the same mother, according to his WWI service record and is in Egypt in 1912 with the 18th battalion in the Australian Forces
There is still no Lt S.H Willis (as per my newspaper article in the Waterford News), could it actually be a third son?  Fighting in Gallipoli and Somme in 1914.
What do you think?

[~MERLIN~]

Lieutenant Rajah Henry WILLIS aka Stewart Henry WILLIS (Jr) is the one your are looking for

http://dhistory.org/archives/naa/items/8855081/

Death:

Rajah Willis d. 18 June 1949 QLD #B22354
Father: Stewart Henry WILLIS
Mother: Elizabeth Frances COURTENAY

Stewart Henry WILLIS d. 18 June 1949 QLD #B22354
Father: Stewart Henry WILLIS
Mother: Elizabeth Frances COURTENAY

https://www.bdm.qld.gov.au/IndexSearch/BirIndexQry.m