Francis (Frank) joined the 1st/4th Batallion of the Berkshire Regiment during WW1, with the service number 3450, and was killed in the Somme, France in August 1916. His name appears on the Pier and Face 11D of the Theipval Memorial. The Commonwealth War Grave Comission reveals the following information:- The Thiepval Memorial will be found on the D73, off the main Bapaume to Albert road (D929). Each year a major ceremony is held at the memorial on 1 July. On 1 July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a failure. In the following weeks, huge resources of manpower and equipment were deployed in an attempt to exploit the modest successes of the first day. However, the German Army resisted tenaciously and repeated attacks and counter attacks meant a major battle for every village, copse and farmhouse gained. At the end of September, Thiepval was finally captured. The village had been an original objective of 1 July. Attacks north and east continued throughout October and into November in increasingly difficult weather conditions. The Battle of the Somme finally ended on 18 November with the onset of winter. In the spring of 1917, the German forces fell back to their newly prepared defences, the Hindenburg Line, and there were no further significant engagements in the Somme sector until the Germans mounted their major offensive in March 1918. The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. The memorial also serves as an Anglo-French Battle Memorial in recognition of the joint nature of the 1916 offensive and a small cemetery containing equal numbers of Commonwealth and French graves lies at the foot of the memorial. The memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was built between 1928 and 1932 and unveiled by the Prince of Wales, in the presence of the President of France, on 31 July 1932. The dead of other Commonwealth countries who died on the Somme and have no known graves are commemorated on national memorials elsewher The memorial contains information on 72100 casualties.
George Rackley aged 59 died 1900-2 Wokingham 2c 262
George was living in Woodley with his Uncle George in the 1841 census.
"Harriet Rackley, aged 24, domestic servant for 12 years at 188 Cambridge-Heath, Hackney. Buried as unknown. Clothing and property identified by Peter Haden, her master's son. Witness was one of the saved. His mother, aged 74, was lost, and has been identified at Barking." Article from the Times newspaper. I (source, Davina Byrne) have no doubt that this is Harriet although for definite proof we need to see the 1871 census. Harriet was on board the "Princess Alice", accompanying her mistress Margaret Haden on a day-trip. Although there is no proof it would appear that a lot of the people on board had been visiting Rosherville Gardens in Gravesend. The "Princess Alice" collided with the "Bywell Castle" a collier ship. 640 lives were lost.
William joined the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars at the start of WW1 and was killed in France soon afterwards. He attained the rank of Lance Corporal and had the service number 6886.
After the death of her husband James, Amelia went to live with her daughter (my Grandma) Florence at 49 Hampden Road, Kingston. One night, due to the unfamiliar surroundings, she fell down the stairs and never recovered from her injuries.
Henry is noted in the 1881 census as aged 9. Isaac Randall is not shown in the 1871 census and Ellen is noted as a widow, thus we can presume that he was deceased. In the 1871 census she has a lodger named Charles HAWTIN, who is noted in the 1881 as an Uncle named ORTON. Possible his REAL name was HAUGHTON and he suffered from a Sarf Landon and mistranscribing. Distinct probability that he is the father of Henry. Henry cannot be found in the 1901 census.
Free BMD has a Sarah Ann Randall married 1879-2 Lambeth 1d 616 Only male on 1d 616 is Thomas William Sayers, who is NOT the husband.