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Posted by hazel (U15008319) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
Hi all Im new to this board and hoping someone can help point me in the right direction !
An older relation mentioned the other day that her uncle was killed in the first world war. Ive looked and he isnt on the CWGC site so then I bought his medal card.
That shows he was in the Royal Sussex regtiment and then deserted in 1917. Whereabout unknown.
He doesnt appear in Shot at Dawn .
There is a James H W Potter marrying in Camberwell in 1921 but my questions are has anyone come across a deserter disappearing from battle and escaping from war. Did men have home leave back to England through the first war ?
I shall of course be getting the marriage cert just to see if its him but anymore suggestions would be great.
Thanks Hazel
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by Bashfuljan157 (U5893214) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
Think this is his service records , on Ancestry briefly looking at the pages , he is from Eastbourne and has a relative called Louisa Potter,
mentions 2 periods of leave in England , and al about his desertion
British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
about James Henry Walter Potter Name: James Henry Walter Potter
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1898
Age at enlistment: 18
Birth Parish: Christ Church
Birth County: Sussex
Document Year: 1916
Regimental Number: 11087
Regiment Name: Royal Sussex Regt
Number of images: 13
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Thats the man thank you. His mother was Louisa . I havent access to Ancestry ,wish I was though but its just too expensive for me !
Is there anyway you could send over the pages to me ? although already you have given me much more than I had or were likely to have. Thrilled to bits bless you
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
This was the program shown a few weeks ago with Alan Carr's Family History showing his relative who deserted in the UK and changed his name avoiding being caught but carried on Family life in another area, it was very interesting.
Edna
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Thats the man thank you. His mother was Louisa . I havent access to Ancestry ,wish I was though but its just too expensive for me !
Is there anyway you could send over the pages to me ? although already you have given me much more than I had or were likely to have. Thrilled to bits bless youΒ
Hazel you can try a free trial for fourteen days but need a credit card to set it up then cancel the trial in time a day or two earlier.
The local library sometimes has an Ancestry sub if you have a memory stick you can view at the library and download to the memory stick for free.
But you are free to ask on here too.
Edna
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Hi Edna
Ive watched every other program but had to miss that onewith Alan Carr and it would have answered my question ,I wasnt even sure if they got any home leave in the first war and now I know.
Love the program and the family all know now not to disturb me while its on but going to miss it till the next series !
It doesnt look like mine changed his name if its him who married in Camberwell in 1921.
Im not going to get any sleep tonight ,too many questions and scenarios going on in my head Ho Hum !
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
I have had my free trial Edna ages ago and they wont let me have another go the rotters !! but I hadnt thought of the library ,Good thinking thank you x
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
If you have a partner with a different e-mail I'm sure they would like to try a 14 day trial on your behalf
A word of caution about the library version I've found you can't always see as much info as you would like but maybe that's just my area. Good luck.
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Yes Im sure my husband wouldnt mind but then he wouldnt know !!! But Im slightly worried about them not taking the cancelation request,I had an awful job when I did the free trial the last time,could have been me but I dont think it was.
But Ive just had another look and they also do pay as you view [must have missed that the last time ] so thats the answer and then I will get some sleep tonight and thats well worth Β£7.
Many thanks all
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
The name changes were only on the stuff that the council could see like the Electoral roll as all the kids were of the same name I think and employment and stuff but all certs were correct.
If a man of age to enlist was walking the streets then joe public wanted to know why he was not in uniform so a good reason had to be used, I cant remember the one for Alan Carr's rellie.
Edna
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
, in reply to message 10.
Posted by Bashfuljan157 (U5893214) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
The name changes were only on the stuff that the council could see like the Electoral roll as all the kids were of the same name I think and employment and stuff but all certs were correct.
If a man of age to enlist was walking the streets then joe public wanted to know why he was not in uniform so a good reason had to be used, I cant remember the one for Alan Carr's rellie.
·΅»ε²Τ²ΉΜύ
Think Alan Carrs rellie, moved away to an area he wasn't known and got work in a huge ammunitions factory, ( can't recall the name of it ) so that in one way he was contributing to the war effort ,
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
It would have been fraught with problems wouldnt it and he must have been constantly looking over his shoulder . Im hoping that he wasn't an artful dodger, a skiver but that he had seen too much suffering and just couldnt take more although so many poor souls didnt have the choice.
Terrrible times to have lived through
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
There was a list of deserters which was quite long (see WDYTYA about Alan Carr's family) and these would have been advertised in the Police Gazette. Leave was allowed during the First World War and people did get married in some cases during this leave.
I think he may have changed his name as there is no death for him, but if you can trace Louisa Potter mentioned in his Army record then that might help. I think there more than just a desertion here as there was a lot of equipment unaccounted for when he disappeared, it might be relevant that he disappeared a month after recovering from Gun Shot Wounds.
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
The name changes were only on the stuff that the council could see like the Electoral roll as all the kids were of the same name I think and employment and stuff but all certs were correct.
If a man of age to enlist was walking the streets then joe public wanted to know why he was not in uniform so a good reason had to be used, I cant remember the one for Alan Carr's rellie.
·΅»ε²Τ²ΉΜύ
Think Alan Carrs rellie, moved away to an area he wasn't known and got work in a huge ammunitions factory, ( can't recall the name of it ) so that in one way he was contributing to the war effort , Β
As I recall it was suggested that he went to the munitions factory as he could 'disappear' amongst all of the workers.
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
[Personal details removed by Moderator]I going to have to wait to see his service record because a silly as it seems pay day isnt till another two weeks and things are tight.
His mother was named Louisa Potter nee Gearing .The Potters by the way are from my husbands side and the Gearings are from mine which makes this much more interesting.
There is a James H. W. Potter who marries an Ellen Hall in Camberwell in 1921 and that cert. will have to wait as well till pay day.
It certainly looks as if he was a rogue and a thief by what you have told me and I thank you for that I think ! So he was shot and recovering at home in Eastbourne and then ran ?
Would anyone with access to what I would love to have please send it to me ?
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
, in reply to message 15.
Posted by Bashfuljan157 (U5893214) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
Hazel The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ doesnt allow us to put personal email addresses on here due to Data Protection ,,,,,,,, however there is a site called Rootschat, which has a Personal message feature , Rootschat is free to join , and after 3 postings you can send PM(Personal messages) I don't post there often , but have registered there , so if you'd like to PM me your email addy I can try and send you the pages of the service record for your ancestor, My PC skills aren't that great , but I'll figure it out ! ........ My user name there is jan57. ........ Of course there is the National Archives at Kew where the service records are held,, but I think they charge for searches , unless you are close enough to visit yourself
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
, in reply to message 15.
Posted by clematised (U3233879) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
Hazel you can not add you e mail addy here as it is agains the rules as well as being unwise to post it on the web for all to see, the mods have removed it before the message got through.
You will have to see if you can get it from the library or elsewhere.
Edna
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
I know really stupid but dont do that as a norm and just didnt think this time, story of my life !
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Thanks Jan
Im a carer at home so money and time for me is in short supply and cant get to London anymore. If you dont mind I will do as you suggest and Im so very grateful to you . It would be great to finish this mans story as Ive got several people in the family who remember him being spoken about . Clearly they would love to know the truth.
Thanks again and sorry to have broken the house rules .
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
, in reply to message 19.
Posted by Bashfuljan157 (U5893214) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
OK Hazel I'll look out for your PM , though it'll be tomorrow now as I'm logging off for the night
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by clematised (U3233879) on Wednesday, 19th October 2011
You have to post three messages on rootschat before you can send a PM to someone, post on the newbys thread over there.
Edna
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Thanks Edna
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
I forgot to mention that his Army file says that he was formerly a seaman, so he could have run away to sea. It is known that merchant seaman sometimes did not use their real names. He may have used his real name for his National Registration card during the Second World War, but it costs about Β£30 to get the information.
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
Well that makes perfect sense of the family story then .The oldest member of the family insists he was a seaman but remembers no more and now just wants to know what became of him. Just goes to prove I suppose that sometimes there are little nuggets that will eventually fit together.
cant thank you enough
Link to this forum: James Henry Walter Potter born 1898 in Eastbourne Sussex
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