Arthur George Barr, What did you do in WW1???

[Jason Jase]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to uncover more information on my biological great grandfather and what he did in WW1
I spent 8 months trying to find out which was the exact Arthur George Barr who I am related to (there was a few in England at that time) luckily I figured it out.

The short story is a fair size Air force base was established near a small town of Ridgewell, Essex my Great grandmother
Daisy Lily Cooper met a
Arthur George Barr born 11 Sep 1896 Chatham, Kent, England and died Jan 1983 Beverley, Humberside, England. Daisy and Arthur married 13 May 1916 They were both young adults and Daisy became pregnant with my Grandmother Pamela Ruth Barr born 24 Sep 1917 Ridgewell, Essex, England. (supposedly Pam was born during a bombing??? does anyone know how to find out if that is true???

Anyway Arthur was never involved with being Pam's father and supposedly was still involved with the war effort. Pam Was raised by Daisy's parents as Daisy was a Nurse somewhere?

I don't know what George did during the war or why he abandoned his family??? I was wondering if he was stationed elsewhere? went off to fight? or what he did during the war? After WW1 ended he went back to living in his home town and never going back to his wife. The marriage was nullified in court in 1928 without him attending and Daisy and Arthur both got remarried to different spouses.
 
His name and military information was on my Grandmothers birth cert.

Arthur George Barr
1917 • Ridgewell, Essex, England
1st A.M. No 2226 Royal Flying corp 73rd Squadron Mechanical Engineer

I tried a couple times to search military / Air force stuff but come up with nothing
Can anyone help with this?

[steviebyday]

  he was in France, from 30/9/1915 to 15/12/1915,
   sent home wounded or sick.

[tonepad]

73 Squadron does not seem to be connected with Ridgewell in Essex in WW1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._73_Squadron_RAF


Tony

[Andy J2022]

His service docs are on FindMyPast.
He enlisted 18 - 11-14, was a fitter/turner, Served in the RFC before transferring to the RAF 1-4-1918.  Served in 132 Sqn and 6 DD (no idea what that was), then last operational posting was at School of Aviation.  Transferred to the RAF Depot 29-12-1918 and discharged to the reserve 25-1-1919. Was hospitalised with flu, sent back to UK  from France, 19-11-1915 to 31-12-1915.  Returned to unit 1 RAS St Omer in France There's a physical description of him. His marriage details which I assume wou already have.He received the 14-15 star and the victory medal. He served 20 days detention 25-9-18 to 14-1918 for disobeying an order from an NCO. Address on discharge given as 61 Ludlow Road Southampton. There's also a crossed out entry for 50 Commercial Rd Southampton.

The National Archives also have his divorce details (J 77/2497/7804) but again I'm guessing you already have those.

[Jason Jase]

Thank you for that.

Andy what was the Physical description of him ?

my grandmother Died in 2007 and as far as I know see didn't ever meet him?

[Andy J2022]

73 Squadron does not seem to be connected with Ridgewell in Essex in WW1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._73_Squadron_RAF

I don't think Ridgewell was an RFC airfield during WW1. It was a USAF base in WW2, and the website dedicated to it makes no mention of anything pre-WW2. http://www.rafcamuseum.co.uk/pages/history.html

[Andy J2022]

Thank you for that.

Andy what was the Physical description of him ?

5' 7½"
34" chest
Brown Hair
Hazel Eyes
Fresh complexion
Born Chatham, Kent
Civiliam Occupation Turner/Fitter
His wife Daisy was recorded as his next of kin living at 50 Commercial Road Southampton (later crossed out)
CofE

[Jason Jase]

Well I guess the ridgewell thing was why I was having a hard time finding him.
I am still wondering where Daisy and George crossed paths

George would of been in active duty I assume
it appears they married in Alverstoke, Hampshire, England 1916
Daisy was a nurse so maybe when George came back from France in 1915?
Daisy was also living in Kensington before that
Are any of those places close to where George was posted.

Daisy did go back to Ridgewell to give birth to their Daughter though.

Sorry I'm not from England and and am only semi-familiar with the towns / counties in relation to each other

[Andy J2022]

He was admitted to North Evington Hospital, Leicester 15-12-1915 and discharged on leave 22-12-15 so if it was a hospital romance, it was pretty quick!