Sorry couple of slight amendments will highlight...
Hello Casalguidi
No happy to oblige...didn't want to swamp the thread with info first off
OK
This is my Grandfather.
There has always been a rumour in my family as follows.
He lied about his age to get into the army under age.
He also changed his name from Gunner to Reeves, it is assumed for the reason above...a bit extreme but there it is.
All of my relatives on this side are now deceased unfortunatly.
I always thought this odd as he would have been old enough to join up in the First world war. It turns out he joined up in 1899 to The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
I have been to Kew and got quite a lot on him..
On the form it started to spell Wrotham as Rootum as thats how its pronounced and was corrected to Wrotham..so thats where he said he was born.
Army says he was 20 years and 2 months
on 02 May 1899 and 19 years and 8 months on
30 Oct 1899. This cannot be correct but one allegedly is and one isn't..its only a year though and possibly neither is correct if in reality if he lied.
He joined the East Kent Militia (At Canterbury) on 02 May
1899 (Attested)
He then joined or was transfered to the regular army "East Kent Regiment" The Buffs, the one he already served in on
30 Oct 1899.I have the Attestation papers for the Militia and the WO 364 records from Kew.
On the next of Kin section on one form it just says "sister kate in Brixton Middx."
On the Militia form there is no place to state next of Kin on some types so the drill is to write it on the back.
Usually some one writes say...present address and gives an address and Next of Kin say Mother at another address or just a next of kin...sometimes it just gives a name...on my Grandfathers one it just said "Horse and Groom" Stanstead nr Wrotham Kent.
On the only civil documents I have for him it both puts his birth at 1882 exactly.
(Death and marriage cert) Both in London Lewisham and Peckham.
If this was his real age it make him about 17 when he joined up...you were not allowed to be posted overseas until you were 19 so this may have been why he lied as he was overseas in June 1900.(Boer War)
On my grandfathers marriage certificate (in Lewisham) which I have it says "Father William Reeves, Scaffolder, Deceased" he married in 1923.
On my fathers birth cert it says his father is "William James Reeves"
I have done a bit of research myself and there are a lot of Gunners and Reeves in the Stanstead/Wrotham area. The families even inter married!
There are Williams in these families.
I have not found any William Gunner or Reeves that matches within my criteria though. Something is not right with this and maybe he didn't want to be found?
I have a note on the Militia form that says "Where do you live at present" in 1899. He says St Peters Canterbury. He gives his employer as Mr Trueman (Road Maker?) and he is a himself Laborer.
There is another question which says "Where have you lived in the last 12 Months" and this is what I cannot read...
It looks like "Chatham" in the Parish of which looks like "North Kingsdown"
OR it looks like
Char(t)ham in the parish of Nac (Long line as if pausing! then)kington
I would be happy to scan and sent to anyone who would be kind enough to give an opinion!
I know if anyone can unravel this you can...I appreciate all help on this as if I dont unravel it then this line is not open to reseach
Cheers
Paul
