I have a pet theory about the use of aliases but I don't really have enough evidence to draw any firm conclusions yet. There seem to be explanations offered in a general sort of way but real evidence to back them up seems to be lacking.

Can I ask any of you who have been researching names on memorials (or elsewhere) where an "official alias" has cropped up in the CWGC database entry for them - and post any details you may have uncovered as to the reasons for the man serving under an assumed name.

To be specific I am only looking for men whose entries in the CWGC database take the form:

SMITH, served as JONES.............etc.

Many thanks.

Andy.

Andy

I can kick off with my own Great Uncle Harry Ingram who served as William Henry Kenney & is listed on CWGC in the way you describe.

Uncle Harry's name as registered at birth was William Henry Kenney although he was known as Harry Ingram & appears as such on other official documents, for example 1901 census. His parents (my Great Grandparents were not married at the time of his birth). His Father was Samuel Ingram & his mother was Annie Kenney. They in fact did not marry until shortly before the birth of their next child William Kenney Ingram (my Grandfather & Harry's younger brother).

Why he served using his correct but unused name of William Henry Kenney is not known, although family stories (which unfortunately can no longer be corroborated) suggest he/others had issues regarding his illegitimacy & this impacted on the decision.

http://www.freewebs.com/snake43/mysteryman.htm

See above: I do appreciate he is not an 'alias' case as you have requested but I think this wil be of interest. My thoughts are frazzled by this guy.

Des

Andy, I am not sure if this helps but

Serjeant George Park died aged 40 was 139428 of the 252nd Tunnelling Coy. Royal Engineers who died on the 24/06/1916 and buried in Bertrancourt Military Cemetery. CWGC says that he served as WEST, G. Brother of Mrs. Margaret Marshall, of 27, Kingscavil, Linlithgow. Native of Kilbirnie, Ayrshire.

He was a MM winner though the memorial in his native town says that he won the D.C.M. The only thing that I can get from it is his age although 40 is not old he was part of the B.E.F. There may be something in his earlier military career that he was ashamed for maybe even discharged for so he had to change his name to re-enlist for the war. There is not a lot to go on when finding out why people served under a different name.

Kevin

Andy,

Here is a lad listed on several memorials in Stamford, Lincs;

LITTLEDIKE, ERNEST
Initials: E
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Unit Text: 26th Bn.
Age: 36
Date of Death: 29/07/1916
Service No: 607
Additional information: (Served as LINCOLN). Son of William and Caroline Littledike, of 3, All Saints St., Stamford, Lincs, England.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial: VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL

Can't really find any reason why he served as "Lincoln". He and two brothers had immigrated to Australia before the war, he was unmarried, and his parents remained in Stamford.

I have his full records, (and the Aussie Red Cross "Missing" file) and when I first researched, nothing stood out in his papers to account for the alias.

Jim

I have. Pte John Sommerwill, served as Edwards. 4th Grenadier Guards. CWGC has his name spelled incorrectly - Summerwill - on the Edwards page. Still working to explain exactly why he changed.

A man called Arthur Evans enlisted under the name of Walter Simpson (6th Lincolns)and was awarded the V.C. for an action S.W. of Etaing. When I had reason to query this previously because of a letter Simpson had written to a Family in my Village, Paul Reed sugested it might be Evans. The late and much respected Bob Coulson then of this forum delved into the circumstances and found out that Evans/Simpson was born in Everton, Liverpool died in October 1936 in Sydney Australia, buried in Sydney but his remains were then brought back to the U.K and reburied in Park Cemetery Lytham St. Annes. Despite Bob's efforts he didn't come up with a reson why he enlisted under the name Simpson.

Regards Cliff.

Perhaps the most famous New Zealand soldier of the Great War was Dickson Cornelius Savage, who served as Richard Travis - awarded VC, DCM, MM. He initially served with the Otago Mounted Rifles, going AWOL and stowing away to Gallipoli as initially the MR were not sent to the peninsular. After Gallipoli, he joined the Otago Regiment bound for France. Here he became the "King of no-man's land". He was killed in action 25 July 1918. CWGC lists him under his real name and recently also under Travis; every reference in the NZ histories refers to him as Travis. He is the only New Zealand soldier to be honoured with an entire chapter of an official regimental history dedicated to his exploits.

Savage appears to have taken the name Travis around the end of 1909, but the reasons are unknown.

His record in the NZ archives is humbling.

Whatever his reasons, he was extraordinary.

One of the men on the Menin Gate "served as Duty, A(lbert)" I think we might guess why. His real name was Atkinson.

I always wanted to know the story behind the grave in Aldeburgh marked:
J H Carradice served as J Wilson, Seaman RNR 7929/A, HM Trawler Dane, 28 August 1915.
Harper

Hi whilst going through the 19th division artillery nominal rolls i came across this man ,


Name: BROOKS
Initials: J T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Driver
Regiment/Service: ALIAS
Date of Death: 08/12/1917
Service No: 12880
Additional information: See BEESLEY, the true family name.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: GODEWAERSVELDE BRITISH CEMETERY


Name: BEESLEY, JOHN THOMAS
Initials: J T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Driver
Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery
Unit Text: "C" Bty. 87th Bde.
Age: 32
Date of Death: 08/12/1917
Service No: 12880
Additional information: Served as BROOKS. Son Thomas F. and Martha Beesley, of 20, Duke's Place. Liverpool Rd., Manchester.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. M. 2.
Cemetery: GODEWAERSVELDE BRITISH CEMETERY


regards Dave

Andy,

R. Scott, Private 133288 has an obvious reason for an Alias as his family name is recorded as Finkelstein.

Rob.

A CWGC headstone in this parish cemetery is for 19 year old Pte JR Moston, Machine Gun Corps with his alias name of JR Hayworth engraved on the stone, and on his CWGC detail. He enlisted under his mother's maiden name. His niece told me that it was to confound the Recruitment drive for being under age, but to enable his family to 'recognise' his whereabouts with mum's maiden name.

Roy Egerton Cooke is one of the Old Boys I have been researching. He served under the alias Leslie Fain Craig. On his service records there is some correspondence as the family wanted the family name on his grave, and indeed it is there with his alias. However, his service papers are found under his alias, I surmise the family never provided the statutory declaration required to change the name. So his true name is on the CWGC site, with his name and alias engraved on his headstone, but the service papers are listed under the alias.

I cannot find anything written down as to why he did this, but he went to school in WA, his NOK (sister) lived in WA, his parents were still alive in 1921, but he enlisted in South Australia, so I assume that perhaps his family or employer may not have wanted him to join up. His no. is 64 so he must have been quite quick off the mark to enlist.

Name: COOKE, ROY EGERTON
Initials: R E
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Trooper
Regiment/Service: Australian Light Horse
Unit Text: 7th
Date of Death: 06/08/1915
Service No: 64
Additional information: Served as CRAIG.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. G. 11.
Cemetery: SHELL GREEN CEMETERY

Cheers
Shirley

Thanks for all replies and please keep them coming (although I'm not sure I can discern any patterns here yet). I guess most of the reasons will probably have been lost in the mists of time by now.

Andy.

Geraint,

I'm afraid that sounds like an old family tale - probably originally created to disguise the fact of his illegitimacy, and subsequently unwittingly accepted as the truth. He knew the name he was registered under at birth - and enlisted under it.

Andy.


Births Jun 1900 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAYWARD John Ramsey Ruthin 11b 299


Marriages Jun 1900 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hayward Mary Elizabeth Ruthin 11b 579
Mostyn John Boulton Ruthin 11b 579


There is no corresponding record for a "John Ramsay Mostyn."


Will - I guess your relative was also just being honest when he enlisted - and gave his real name as registered at birth. If you think about it, to do otherwise could have been construed as lying upon enlistment.

I may be being either naive or obtuse here, Martin, but why would the name "Albert Atkinson" cause him to adopt an alias?

Andy.

Yes! It seems so. That is probably the major reason for aliases. A widow with children, re-marrying, would assume her new husband's name, and so would the children. Ditto with illegitemate children when mother married later.

Andy

Indeed you are correct, although the family story suggests it was done as a deliberate/provocative statement concerning his illegitimacy. Whether it was directed to his parents or persons outside of the family is unclear because there are a couple of versions of the story depending on who you talk to.

It may be one of them, although there are quite a few permutations on this theme:

- mother widowed and remarried
- parent(s) died and child brought up by other relatives and adopted their surname unofficially
- illegitimate, and generally used new family name but used officially registered name when enlisting
- official adoption, using new surname locally but used officially registered name when enlisting