Heres a link to a newspaper article this week on a Lincolnshire lad John Swift and the search for relatives

http://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/Sear...vate.5576406.jp

Richard

Richard

Well done!

Mel

Just to update on the search for relatives. After the Stamford Mercury article unfortunteley no relatives came forward. We have now discovered that John's mother died in 1919 and father Charles died in 1934 and is buried in Bourne Cemetery. I've enlisted the help of the Lincs Family History Society (Bourne Branch).

It would appear that a sister of John's Kathleen married a George Wilson in 1924 in the adjacent Peterborough registration District and seem to have had children George in 1925, Sheila in 1927 and possibly a Ruth in 1929.

Also another sister Annie may have married in 1908 in Bourne a Joseph Wall and had children Joseph Geoffrey and Edith in the Oakham area.

Richard

A further update reveals that Annie did not marry Mr Wall- she is still single on the 1911 census. However there is news of an article in the Lincolnshire Free Press on 26th September 1916 with a picture of John Swift.- More to follow in due course

Richard

Heres a picture of John, wearing a Lincolnshire Regiment cap badge from 26th September 1916 Lincs Free Press

Sheila Wilson married Bernard A Baxter in Spalding, Lincs in 1948
Reference Volume 3b Page 164

Does not appear to be any offspring Baxter/mother Wilson

Cap badge looks like the Warwicks antelope to me!

oohps- you might be right

Richard

A picture of John Swift has now emerged from the South Lincs press in 1916. Also a few more details on cousins and uncles in Bourne in Lincolnshire

Richard

I've had word that a very distance relative has come forward from Bourne, Lincolnshire

Richard

Hi Richard,

That's great news

Regards

Michelle

Just been looking at John Swift's medal card which has his pre 1917 service number of 1136.
Does any one know if its possible to date roughly from other service numbers when he might have joined?

Richard

Problem solved- just found his service record at Ancestry.Enlisted 29th October 1914 in Rugby. Approved for service in Coventry on 30th, the battalion HQ.Home address is Bourne, Lincolnshire.

Other little insights into who he was: Aged 23 years old. On the medical examination there were the following details:
chest size when full expanded 35.5 inches, size of expansion 3 inches. Height 5ft 8 inches. Physical development described as good.

One further insight was on personal belongs returned- two letters and a mouth organ sent to his father on 16th June 1919.

Richard

Richard,

John Swift's pre-1917 number was 3115. I don't know at the moment when he enlisted, but I'll let you know as soon as I can.

V.