J M Coenen - did he serve in the war?

[Cnthree3]

Hello

I am trying to establish whether an ancestor served in the first world war. I have been unable to find any records for him, but I am not very good at this!

Johannes Meinardus Coenen (Born Sasbagh as his father was illegitimate but always used grandfathers name Coenen which was formally changed in 1906 for him and his father) NOTE - his father has exactly the same as him.

JM Coenen - also known as Joseph Maurice coenen - feb 1894 - Dec 1956.
(He had a son, also Joseph, who died in the second world war.)

Johannes Mijnardus Coenen was born on 17 Feb 1894 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands as the only child of Johannes Meinardus Coenen (born Sasbach) and Wilhelmina Massee.  His birth name as registered in the Netherlands at birth was Johannes Mijnardus Sasbach (also spelt Sassbagh). He used the first names Joseph Maurice / Morris as he got older.

Johannes Mijnardus Coenen was educated at  Addison Gardens School, admitted on 27th August 1901 aged 7 - name Johann Coenen, so even though birth name Sasbach not yet officially changed, was using Coenen as his surname.  He was living in 40 Lena Gardens, Fulham, London, the address is shown on both school admission records. No parents names on school records.

In 1911 census he was  still living in 40 Lena Gardens, Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith.   Joseph was shown as a music student, and he went on to become preficent in the Cello.

On 7th March 1913, when he was 19, Joseph married Mary Jane Gay Nowell, daughter of George Henry Nowell and Mary Gay Partridge, in Quebec, Canada. Dates would suggest they 'had to' get married due to Mary being pregnant, so it is possible they emmigrated to Canada when they found out Mary was pregnant, got married, and then Violet was born 9th May 1913.  Joseph and Mary Coenen returned to London, England in Aug 1913 and their second child Nellie, was born in October 1916.

n 1917 Joseph Coenen was performing in picture houses in Aberdeen and other places, (evidenced through newspaper cuttings) and so was clearly travelling around with work.

However by late 1917, when Joseph was 23, he appears to have been in a relationship with Florence Lydia Kerr, daughter of Robert John Kerr and Helena Warwick, Because  Josephs' son, Joseph Coenen (1918 - 1942) was born 29th June 1918 .

newspaper articles suggest Joseph Coenen was living in Aberdeen from July 1917 to January 1918 and one refers to him playing with the 2nd Buitallion Gordon Highlanders, however there are no records to suggest he was a member of the 2nd Bitallion Gordon Highlanders, but it does beg the question whether or not he did any national service during the war - I can not find any records for him. He woudl certainy have been of conscription age, which started in 1916, when he was 22 years old.

Can anyone help me work out if he did any war service at all? Many thanks

Gail

[tonepad]

Some of the newspaper clips from Aberdeen refer to him as a Dutch Cellist.
If he did not become a British Citizen, then he would not have needed to serve in WW1.
The Netherlands remained neutral in WW1.


Tony

[Cnthree3]

Thanks Tony, that may well be the explanation - really appreciate that help.