Searching for my Great-Grandfather

[Katie]

Hello,

I am hoping someone maybe able to help with a lookup or advice. I am looking for my great-grandfather: John Alexander Nicholls. All I know is that he fought in WW1, wasn't killed in action but died later of illnesses resulting from being gassed in the war (conjecture from my grandmother). I have no idea what regiment, although he was an electrician so possibly the Royal Engineers. I know this is a long shot.

Thanks

[Alec]

Hi Katie

Do you know your Great-Grandmother's name and all their children where, born etc

[Katie]

My great-grandmothers name was Edith Grace Fyrth, born in Dover Kent in 1891. I know all of their children and the date of their marriage. They got married after John had left the Army. Children were Albert, Joan and Doreen. They got married Jan 21st 1921.

I know that John Nicholls was born in London (my grandmother said St Johns Wood but this could be wrong) and that his father was called John Nicholls also. My grandmother showed me the marriage certificate.

I'd really love to know what regiment he was in, and where he served. My grandmother told me all she could remember, and the regiment wasn't one of the things.

[Alec]

Hi

Being that Edith Fyrth was born in Dover Kent and their first child was also born their I would presume they married there so probably met there while he was in the Army so that should narrow down the likely regiments that barracked at Dover

Births Mar 1922
Surname First name(s) - Mother District Vol Page

Nicholls Albert J - Fyrth Dover 2a 2002

[Katie]

Thanks Alec. He wasn't in the Army when they got married, he'd already left. I'm not sure if he left and then moved to Dover, or if he was posted to Dover and then left and got married.

Where is the reference to Albert from? BMD index?

[Alec]

Hi Katie

It is most likely they met when he was posted to Dover -bear in mind he could have had more than one posting to there

Yes it was FreeBMD http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

[Katie]

Thanks Alec, I'll see if I can find the regiments posted there at that time.

[Alec]

Hi Katie

I wondered why they took so long to marry!

-It was Edith's second marriage -here's her first

Marriages Jun 1909

FYRTH Edith Grace Dover 2a 2047
WARNER John Henry Dover 2a 2047
---------------------------------------------
Name: WARNER, JOHN HENRY
Initials:J H
Nationality:United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service:Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
Unit Text:"H" Coy. 1st Bn.
Age:27
Date of Death:01/09/1914
Service No:L/8270
Additional information:Son of Mr. and Mrs. Warner, of 60, Clarence St., Gravesend; husband of Edith Grace Warner, of 84, Wyndham Rd., Tower Hamlets, Dover.
Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial:LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate. ... lty=724515

Poor man died at the outbreak of war

[Katie]

Thanks Alec, I knew it was her second marriage- sorry! Thanks for finding that information, that's brilliant!

[Alec]

Hi

She was only 17-18 when she married so I suppose she was pregnant and this was her child

Births Sep 1909
Warner John William E Dover Vol 2a page 1125

Do you know if this was the case?

other possibe and definites

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Births Mar 1911

WARNER Florence E Dover 2a 1067
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Births Jun 1913

Warner Edith D Mother -Fyrth Dover 2a 2174
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Births Jun 1915

Warner Lillie M L Mother -Fyrth Dover 2a 1991
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Katie]

Oh dear! My grandmother would not be happy with that news!!

Those are all her children - last one is Lille - named so as her dad was fighting in France at the time apparently.

I've been looking for years - how did you find all those so quickly?

[Katie]

In fact, looking at the dates Lille was born when her dad was dead. He died September 1914, and she was born June 1915. That means he must have been in France less than a month when he died.

[Alec]

Oh dear! My grandmother would not be happy with that news!!

Those are all her children - last one is Lille - named so as her dad was fighting in France at the time apparently.

I've been looking for years - how did you find all those so quickly?

He could even have died within hours of being there and I would think he was killed at Lille.

FreeBMD is constantly being updated and added to daily so is worth looking at regularly

[Katie]

I have re-visited FreeBMD (I imagine I'll be up til all hours looking!) and have registered to do some inputting myself there.

My grandad has just come round with loads of remembrance cards - busy busy busy!!