TOPIC:

Hi Ian

I'm keeping everything crossed this is the same person - but you are right, we need to be sure.

Frederick John b. 1st Jan 1878 in Thurlton, Norfolk (moved to Suffolk aged 3 yrs to Blythburgh and often in the census returns this is put down as his place of birth).

Parents Thomas Charles Clarke and Anna (nee Scarll).

Not sure of his medals because they are "lost" somewhere in the family. All I know is that there were 7 of them (we have fuzzy photograph of them) one of which has bars on it; one looks like a star. Only detail as mentioned in the newspaper article. Apparently he was "mentioned in dispatches" and my aunt remembers a letter signed by ?the king and/or Churchill - but alas that has gone the same way as the medals.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Best wishes,

Susie

You're welcome.

Give me a few days to get everything together and I will let you know what I find. It may of course be after the New Year, but I'll see what I can do for you.

Kind regards
Ian

Thank you Ian

There is no immediate rush - we've been trying to track him down for years, so a short wait is fine now. Although I have to say that now we've started I am keen to find out more.

Thanks again for all your help - it's brilliant.

Have a good Christmas.

Best wishes,

Susie

2692 Private John Clarke was born in Suffolk and was almost 19 years old when he joined the Army in 1889.

SusieW wrote: Hi Ian

I'm keeping everything crossed this is the same person - but you are right, we need to be sure.

Frederick John b. 1st Jan 1878 in Thurlton, Norfolk (moved to Suffolk aged 3 yrs to Blythburgh and often in the census returns this is put down as his place of birth).

Parents Thomas Charles Clarke and Anna (nee Scarll).

Not sure of his medals because they are "lost" somewhere in the family. All I know is that there were 7 of them (we have fuzzy photograph of them) one of which has bars on it; one looks like a star. Only detail as mentioned in the newspaper article. Apparently he was "mentioned in dispatches" and my aunt remembers a letter signed by ?the king and/or Churchill - but alas that has gone the same way as the medals.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Best wishes,

Susie

Thank you Frank,

Now that sheds a different light on things. Susie, this means that the soldier we were looking at is not the right one.

I'll see if I can find anything out and let you know.

Kind regards

Ian

Oh Dear! and there was me think we'd finally cracked it!

thanks for keeping me posted.

Best wishes,

Susie