Free access to military databases on Ancestry this weekend

To commemorate Remembrance Sunday, Ancestry are allowing free access to the following military databases:

• British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
• British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920
• British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
• Gateshead, Durham, England, Roll of Honour, 1914-1920

Here is the link to all Ancestry's military databases. If you already have a subscription, then you may find that new databases have been added since you last looked, including the registers of the award of the Silver War Badge, which was featured in the post about Peter Fitzhenry of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

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Peter Fitzhenry of the Royal Army Medical Corps

I've come into possession of a 1914-1918 British War Medal for a Private Peter Fitzhenry 73815, who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Unfortunately, he is one of the many soldiers whose records were burned during the bombing of London during World War 2, so there is no service record to link him to. The Royal Army Medical Corps enlisted men from all through Great Britain and Ireland, so there is no local regimental link suggesting where he lived.

The good thing is that he seems to have made it through the War alive, as he doesn't appear on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

All I know about this man so far is that he was born before 1901 (in order to be over 18 years of age at the end of the war), and he enlisted somewhere in Great Britain and Ireland.

His medal card shows that he wasn't promoted above the rank of private, that he wasn't mentioned in dispatches, and came out of the War with the "standard" two medals - the Victory Medal and the British War Medal (and not the 1914-14 star, so he enlisted in or after 1916). All in all, you would think, a pretty quiet war.

However, the inscription at the bottom of the medal list "SWB list RAMC/1875" shows that Peter's war was anything but quiet.
SWB stands for Silver War Badge, and was often known as the Silver Wounds Badge. There is a very comprehensive description of the history of the badge here at the excellent "The Long, Long Trail" WW1 family history research site.
In brief, the badge was mainly awarded to soldiers who had been invalided out of the forces after having seen service abroad (there's a list of the other less common reasons). Each badge was numbered to the soldier it was issued to. It was designed to be worn on civilian clothes to indicate to the public that the person had been discharged from the Army, rather than he was someone who was avoiding enlisting.

The SWB lists are held at the National Archives and contain some service details of each soldier who was issued with the badge including the reason for discharge. So the next time I'm there, hopefully I can find out more about Peter.
If anyone is at the archives and fancies doing a look-up for me, the document number is WO329/3237, looking for Peter Fitzhenry SWB RAMC/1875.
And if Peter was your forebear please write to us at the Blog and tell us more about this war hero.

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Lest we forget - Lewis Frank Fitzhenry 1899-1918

In the "Lest we Forget" series of posts last November to commemorate Remembrance Sunday, we remembered the sacrifice of

Lewis F. Fitz-Henry 1st Sergeant US Army 101st Infantry Regiment.
Entered the Service from Massachusetts
Died November 6, 1918
Buried in Plot A Row 19 Grave 12 at Suresnes American Cemetery, Suresnes, France

Lewis was aged just 19 when he was killed in action only 5 days before the end of hostilities in Europe. I couldn't find out that much more about him other than what was given in the above transcript from the American Battle Monuments Commission, but it did lead me to a fascinating story of an inventor, his machine and a trans-Atlantic marriage.

According to the 1860 US census, the well travelled Edward Fitzhenry (a farmer and currier, born about 1829 in Maine) and his wife Sylvia (born about 1931 in Vermont) were living in Tualatin, Clackamas County, Oregon with their 3 children,
Walter (born Massachusetts 1852)
Marian (born California 1856) and
Lewis F Fitzhenry (born Portland Oregon 1858)

They went on to have at least two more children:
Edward (born Oregon 1861)
Charles (born Oregon 1865)
but by the 1870 census, Sylvia was living back in Vermont with the four younger children and no Edward. But it seems that he was out and about getting the patent for his machine for improving the processing of leather - for a currier (as Edward gave his occupation in 1860) is a leather processor - the middle stage between tanning and actually fashioning the leather into finished articles.
The patent applications first appeared in The London Gazette in 1866

NOTICE is hereby given, that the petition of Edward Fitzhenry, of the State of Oregon, of the United States of America, praying for letters patent for the invention of " a new and useful machine which may be employed for scouring, sleeking, or setting hides or leather," was deposited and recorded in the Office of the Commissioners on the 10th day of September, 1866, and a complete specification accompanying such petition was at the same time filed in the said office.

In 1873, Edward was filing his patent applications from Boston, and in 1875 and 1876 from Somerville. Massachusetts.

The next time we encountered Lewis, it was 1877 and he was in Yorkshire, England getting married to Mary Hodgson

Marriage solomnised at the Parish church in the parish of Baslingthorpe in the county of York
April 16th 1877
Lewis Frank Fitzhenry aged 22 Bachelor Machinist
10 Stanhope Square
Father Edward Fitzhenry (Machinist)

Mary Jane Hodgson aged 21 spinster
5 Amberley Terrace Chapletown Road
Father: Anthony Hodgson (Currier)

Now I have a theory here. Lewis was helping his father promote his new machine. Mr Anthony Hodgson either bought one of the machines or, (more likely looking at the residences in which he lived in the 1871 and 1881 English census) he was the employee of a business which bought this machine. Lewis accompanied the machine to England to help set it up. He met Mr Hodgson's daughter and married her. Perhaps he stayed in England for a while to supervise importing more machines.

By the 1880 US census Lewis and Mary were living in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts. (The 1910 census has Mary's immigration year as 1879)
Unfortunately because of the loss of the 1890 US census, there's little record of the next 20 years, and I can't find the family in the United States in the 1900 census, but the family was back in England for the 1901 census and they were living in Leicester this time. This is where the records start to get a bit strange, with Mary variously describing herself as married and widowed.

Lewis F Fitzhenry senior was not with them
Mary Fitzhenry was enumerated as a widow aged 42, born in Leeds, working from home as a confectioner.
With her were Irene L Fitzhenry aged 5 and Lewis F Fitzhenry aged 2 (born in 1899 in Wisconsin according to the 1910 US census)

In February 1904, the three returned to the US on the SS Saxonia (Liverpool to Boston).
Mary (aged 45) described herself as married and a "wife" in the occupation column.
With her were Irene aged 8 and Lewis aged 4. They were all US nationals and were last living in Leeds.
The family were going to stay with Mary's brother in law, E L Fitzhenry (of 36 Charlestown Street, Boston, Mass.) although their home address was given as 5th Street, Wellington, Mass.

Irene died in 1907 in Malden Massachusetts of the complications of appendicitis and her death was apparently registered by her father, Lewis F Fitzhenry senior. It seems that reports of his death had been premature.

In the 1910 US census, Mary once again described herself as a widow and was keeping a lodging house in Malden. Lewis aged 10 was living with her.

And this is all we have about the family until Lewis' untimely death in the War.
His mother was informed as his next of kin and the US Government offered to pay for her to make a trip to his grave in France, an offer which she declined. (reference "List of Mothers and Widows of American Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Entitled to Make a Pilgrimage to War Cemeteries in Europe. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1930.")


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Lest we forget: Daisy Aletta Fitzhenry, South African nurse,1888-1918

In the post for the fallen combatants of the Great War, one name stood out because not only was she the only woman on the list, but she was a nurse rather than a soldier.
Here's a bit more about Daisy and the South African Fitzhenry connection.This has been mainly pieced together from painstaking transcriptions of the Uitenhage and Graaff Reinet Methodist Records by Ellen Stanton and Nolene Lossau. These records are spread across multiple postings on the Rootsweb South Africa British Immigrants messageboard.

Daisy Aletta Fitzhenry was born in South Africa on 30 July 1888 to John Arthur and Kate Fitzhenry (nee Cawood). She was baptised on 16 November 1888 at the Uitenhage Methodist Church and her baptism is number 221 in the register. Uitenhage is is the Eastern Cape Province, inland from Port Elizabeth.
She had at least 4 siblings:
William Henry (b. 15 December 1886)
Sidney Cawood (b. 22 October 1890)
Florence Ann (b. 13 April 1892, married Cecil Rhodes Dobrowsky in 1922)
Kate (b. 23 June 1893)
Her mother Kate died on the same date as her sister Kate's birth, presumably in childbirth.
John Arthur married again to Hester Sargeant Patrick in April 1895, and they had at least one son
Arthur Raymond (b. 6 December 1896).

Daisy joined the South African Military Nursing Service and served with the combined Allied troops in Southern Africa. Politically, the South Africans and British combining military forces was a significant occasion after the bitter battles of the Boer war less than 20 years before when the concentration camps had claimed the lives of many South Africans. She served in the military hospital at Dodoma in Tanzania. Dodoma was occupied by the South African troops in 1916 and the military hospital was used as a casualty clearing station.

Daisy was mentioned in dispatches in the London Gazette (6th August 1918 page 9228, although in the Gazette search engine the published date is 2nd August) with numerous other soldiers and Allied support personnel. She is listed as a nursing Sister rather then having a military title. Here's the whole list and it's amazing how many soldiers from throughout the old British Empire were here fighting in Africa. Someone would be "mentioned in dispatches" for a brave or noteworthy action in the field on battle, and received a certificate and a silver oak leaf to wear on their dress uniform.

Although the war in Europe finished on 11th November 1918, the war in East Africa continued until the German surrender on 23 November 1918 (the date the news of the German surrender in Europe was received by the German commander in Africa). By this time, an influenza epidemic was sweeping this part of the continent through a population weakened by years of famine. Between 50-80,000 people died (Here's more about the famine). Daisy died on 1 December 1918 (cause of death not known to me) and is buried in Dodoma cemetery.

In 1925 the Journal of the Royal College of Nursing (England) published an article listing those nurses from the Overseas Nursing Services who had died as a result of the combat and requesting donations for a memorial to be placed in the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Women's Hospital in London. This article is reproduced here. Daisy's name is amongst those listed.

If anyone out there has any more information about Daisy Aletta Fitzhenry, please write into the blog and let us know more about her. In the next post, more about Daisy's family tree.

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Lest we forget - Private John Fitzhenry 9956 of the King's Shropshire Light Regiment

The post about the Fitzhenrys who died in the Great war prompted Sara Murphy to write to us.
She is the great great, granddaughter of John Fitzhenry of the King's Shropshire Regiment. (For our overseas readers, Shropshire is a county in West of England next to the Welsh border.)

I'm very grateful to her for sending us the following information which she has given her permission to post here.
John was the only surviving son out of 9 children. (His father was also called John and originally came from Ireland.)
John's daughter, Dorothy (Sara's grandmother) was born around 7 months after John was killed and gives her name on her birth registration as Dorothy Fitzhenry. His widow Elizabeth Lila Smith (formerly Fitzhenry) was quoted to have said "if I ever had a son l would cut his legs off before sending him to war".

Sara has sent a link which shows that John is listed on the Oswestry park gates War memorial, right hand-side 3rd from the top.

http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/roots/packages/war/war_r04c.htm

Sara would be very pleased to hear from any descendant of this Fitzhenry branch. If you send me an email, I'll pass it on to her.

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Lest we forget - the Fitzhenrys who fell in the Great War

As we approach Remembrance Sunday, we remember with gratitude those Fitz(-)henrys who died in battle and as a result of wounds received in the First World War. Each Remembrance Sunday, we will publish the story of another soldier and their name will link to their story on this blog.

My source for the first thirteen casualties is the excellent Commonwealth War Graves website with extra details referenced. The names are in alphabetical order.

Sapper Arthur Fitzhenry 18684 of the Australian Engineers ( 8th Field Company) died 14 October 1920 aged 25, buried at Sydney Waverley General Cemetery.

Private Charles Edward Fitzhenry 1126, of the Australian Infantry,A.I.F died 21 August 1918, buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport. He served as DOYLE. Son of Michael Herbert and Elizabeth Fitzhenry. Native of Richmond River. New South Wales.

Serjeant Charles Joseph Fitzhenry 5905 of the Royal Fusiliers, died 14 November 1916 aged 26. Commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial for the missing soldiers of the battle of The Somme. Son of Harry and Martha Mary Ann Fitzhenry, of 7 Satanita Rd., Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

Sister D A Fitzhenry of the South African Military Nursing Services died 1 December 1918. Buried at the Dodoma Cemetery.
(From the "Great War Forum" website, her forenames were Daisy Aletta)

Private Edward Fitzhenry 10285 of the 4th Battalion of the Worcester Regiment died 28 April 1915 at Gallipoli and commemorated at the Helles Memorial, Turkey.

Private E Fitzhenry 41581 of the Yorkshire Regiment died 5 April 1917 and is buried at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, Belgium.

Private John Fitzhenry 9956 of the King's Shropshire Light Regiment died 25 September 1916 aged 26. Commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial for the missing soldiers of the battle of The Somme. Son of John Fitzhenry, of Welshpool, Montgomeryshire; husband of Elizabeth Lila Smith (formerly Fitzhenry), of 6, Southalls Buildings, Willow St., Oswestry, Salop

Sapper J Fitzhenry 5964 of the Canadian Railway Troops died 4 April 1917 and buried at the Highland Cemetery, Roclincourt, France.

Gunner James Fitzhenry 13140 of the Royal Field Artillery died 5 April 1917 aged 30 and buried at Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. Son of Thomas and Mary Fitzhenry, of Fair Gate, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

Private Michael Fitzhenry 4423 of the Royal Irish Regiment died 8 May 1915 aged 21. He is commemorated at the Menon Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium. The son of Edward and Margaret Fitzhenry, of Kilmannon, Cleariestown, Co. Wexford.

Rifleman Patrick Fitzhenry 7395 of the 6th Royal Irish Rifles died 6 August 1915 at Gallipoli and is commemorated at the Helles Memorial. Husband of Catherine Fitzhenry of 11, Banner Street., St. Helens, Lancs. (He is mentioned in the Wexford casualty list as being from New Ross Wexford.)

 Private Peter Fitzhenry 7246 of the Australian Infantry AIF, died 4 October 1917 and is commemorated at the Menon Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

Private T Fitzhenry 7110 of the Irish Guards died 18 August 1918 aged 22, and buried at Vevey (St. Martin's) Cemetery, Switzerland. Son of Annie Carty (formerly Fitzhenry), of 3, Johns Gate St., Wexford, and the late Robert Fitzhenry. Under an agreement with the neutral Swiss government, some wounded prisoners of war from Britain, France and Germany were interned in Switzerland. A total of 88 British and Dominion service personnel are buried there. (From the "Irish Guards in the Great War" website, his forename was Thomas)

And from the United States (American Battle Monuments Commission)
Lewis F. Fitz-Henry 1st Sergeant US Army 101st Infantry Regiment
Entered the Service from: Massachusetts Died: November 6, 1918Buried at: Plot A Row 19 Grave 12 Suresnes American Cemetery Suresnes, France

If there are any other Fitzhenrys that I have missed, please let me know so I can update this posting before Sunday.

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