Wrong name for WW1 casualty?

[Just Gillian]

I found William Hadrill's service records a while ago and duly noted his 1915 death in Mesopotamia. However, I have just discovered him with his half sister and her husband on the London electoral rolls in 1920. I have now also found his marriage in 1919.
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1623&iid=31280_198572-00236&fn=William&ln=Hadrill&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3830716

I've finally found the family in 1901 (mistranscribed Hardritt) and discovered William had a younger brother.
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7814&iid=LNDRG13_507_508-0480&fn=James&ln=Hardritt&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3829943

William Hadrill c 1890 NW London. 1891 census birthplace is Paddington. Birth registered Paddington Sep Q 1889

Harry Hadrill c1892 NW London. Birth registered Marylebone Dec Q 1891

1911 Census
William Hadrill c1889 Kings Cross. Soldier 2nd Royal West Kent Regt Roberts Barracks Peshawar India
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2352/RG14_34983_0411_35/39052298?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3d1911England%26ran k%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d0%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dWilliam%26gsln%3dHadrill%26dbOnly%3d_F0 006301%257c_F0006301_x%252c_F0005DFC%257c_F0005DFC _x%252c_F0006866%257c_F0006866_x%252c_F0006867%257 c_F0006867_x%252c_F0005DFD%257c_F0005DFD_x%252c_F0 006300%257c_F0006300_x%252c_F800686D%257c_F800686D _x%252c_83004005%257c_83004005_x%252c_F000686E%257 c_F000686E_x%252c_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26uidh% 3dyg6%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d3%26h%3d39052298&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord
William Hadrill c1890 Paddington. Gunner RHA Woolwich barracks
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2352/rg14_02881_0560_34/4436914?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3d1911England%26ran k%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d0%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dWilliam%26gsln%3dHadrill%26dbOnly%3d_F0 006301%257c_F0006301_x%252c_F0005DFC%257c_F0005DFC _x%252c_F0006866%257c_F0006866_x%252c_F0006867%257 c_F0006867_x%252c_F0005DFD%257c_F0005DFD_x%252c_F0 006300%257c_F0006300_x%252c_F800686D%257c_F800686D _x%252c_83004005%257c_83004005_x%252c_F000686E%257 c_F000686E_x%252c_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26uidh% 3dyg6%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d4%26h%3d4436914&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

The William Hadrill Royal West Kent Regt is the one who died in 1915. His service records are on Ancestry but are very damaged.
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angs-c&gsfn=William&gsln=Hadrill&sbo=0&uidh=yg6&pcat=39&h=801137&db=BritishArmyService&indiv=1
(relevant images actually begin at 22466 and not 22468). His half sister Helen/Ellen Marsh (from 1901 census) was sent his effects and also listed were a full brother, William Hadrill (whose stated age ties in with the Sep 1889 birth reg), and a half sister Mrs W Bryant (Alice Maud from the 1901 census). He first enlisted in 1908 but, because of the condition of the pages, it is impossible to see if service was continuous until his death.

There is also a medal card on Ancestry for a William Hadrill of the RHA.
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1262&iid=30850_A000662-02607&fn=William&ln=Hadrill&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1576606

The CWGC site lists the death of William Hadrill of the Royal West Kent. It states he was the son of the late Mr and Mrs James Hadrill, but gives his age as 21.

I can find no trace of Harry Walter Hadrill after the 1901 census and I can find no suitable second William Hadrill birth or census entry to account for the two soldier Williams in 1911.

I am wondering if Harry Walter could have enlisted using his brother's name and birth details. But I can't see a reason why he should have done, as I understand no verification of age was necessary if a recruit claimed to be 18. The RHA William Hadrill of 1911 could have been the "real" William.

I'd welcome opinions please.

[kiterunner]

This is the medal index card for the one who died in 1915 (no 8955):
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1262&iid=30850_A000662-02608&fn=William&ln=Hadrill&st=d&ssrc=&pid=1576607

Yes, it does look as though he might be Harry Walter and was calling himself William for some reason.

[Merry]

I agree that the army would not have asked for proof of age if a person was signing up as an adult (ie supposedly aged 18 or over). They only started asking for proof when conscription was introduced at the begining of 1916.

So, if Henry was registered in Q4 1891 it's likely the earliest he might have been born was September 1891.

On the third page of the army record is the date 8th April 1908 when he would have been 16 then. Perhaps when he signed up he knew he looked young, so he thought questions might be asked. If he used his brother's name and they said "you don't look 18" he would be able to "prove" his age by showing his brother's birth (or baptism) cert.

I have to say I wonder if people would have had the forethought to do this in 1908. But they did do it in WW1, so I suppose there's no reason they mightn't have done the same before then!

[Just Gillian]

Thanks Kite.

I'm surprised that the Basra Memorial has the age wrong as I'd have assumed details of age would have come from army records.

It does seem sad that he should be remembered under the wrong name, but then I suppose everyone closely connected to him at the time would have been aware of his true identity.

I suppose the military was, sadly, far too occupied with the aftermath of death in action at the time to be interested in querying why their William had a full brother William.

[Just Gillian]

Thanks Merry.

I can't think why Harry would have needed to enlist as a supposed 18 year old but I know nothing about enlisting as a boy soldier eg whether there were any restrictions on numbers. Also, both Harry's parents had died in 1901, when he was 9/10, and I have no way of knowing what his circumstances had been between then and 1908. I think my next step wil be to trawl through the Poor Law records again.

[Merry]

I think boy soldiers earned less than men so he might not have wanted to do that. Boy soldiers were employed as buglers and drummers etc so perhaps as well as not getting a full wage, their jobs didn't sound very exciting!

[Just Gillian]

He paid a high price for his decision!

I've just been trying to work out how I knew the Royal West Kent were in Peshawar in 1911. (resolving yet again to make proper notes in future!)

[Shona]

Have you seen this on Google Books?

http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Queen_s_Own_Royal_West_Kent_Regiment.html?id=n X9TygAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

He would have been serving on what is now the Afghanistan/Pakistan borders.

[Just Gillian]

Thanks Shona. No, I hadn't seen that. I'll have to make enquiries to see if it's available via my library.

[Shona]

This is where the 1st and 2nd battalions served:

1st battalion Royal West Kent Regiment
1892 Chakratta
1894 Meerut
1896 Peshawar
1899 Aden
1901 Malta
1902 England: Shorncliffe
1904 Malta
1906 England: Dover
1909 Bordon
1911 Dublin
August 1914 France and Flanders

2nd battalion
1892 Dublin
1894 Enniskillen
1896 Dublin
1898 Egypt
1900 South Africa
1902 Ceylon
1904 Hong Kong
1906 Singapore
1908 Peshawar
1912 Multan
February 1915 Mesopotamia

[Shona]

This is a good source for info on the regiment and their movements in WW1.

http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/QORWK%20C%20T%20Atkinson.html

[Just Gillian]

Thank you Shona.

I've just read the section from July24th 1915 from your link above - the date William/Harry Hadrill was killed. I was amazed to read that one group had to carry a conspicuous yellow flag to avoid being hit by their own artillery - making them a great target for Turkish marksmen.