Military Chat

my mother nee ellen willetts lost two of her brothers.thomas willetts at ypres in 1914 and Samuel willetts at Gallipoli.they were only boys

Hello Eric, what is it you're trying to find out about them?

Have you found their records on CWGC? http://www.cwgc.org/

Are you sure that Thomas died in 1914?

WILLETTS, THOMAS LEONARD
Rank:Lance Corporal
Service No: 8467
Date of Death:12/03/1915
Regiment/Service: Worcestershire Regiment3rd Bn.
Panel Reference:Panel 34.
Memorial:YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Additional Information:
Son of the late James and Louisa Willetts; husband of the late Dolly Willetts.

If this is Samuel, then the above Thomas is incorrect. No other Thomas Willetts are listed as having died in Ypres

WILLETTS, SAMUEL
Rank: Private
Service No 23086
Date of Death:06/08/1915
Age:19
Regiment/Service Worcestershire Regiment 4th Bn.
Panel Reference: Panel 104 to 113.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

Additional Information:
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Willetts, of 8, Victoria Terrace, Westley St., Birmingham.

????

1901 England Census about Samuel Willetts
Name: Samuel Willetts
Age: 5
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1896
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Father: Thomas Willetts
Mother: Agnes Willetts
Birth Place: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish: Birmingham
Ecclesiastical parish: Bishop Ryder
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Willetts 36
Agnes Willetts 36
>>>Thomas H Willetts 10
Albert Willetts 7
>>>Samuel Willetts 5
Agnes Willetts 4
Harold Willetts 1

Strange that he isn't on the GWGC site - this is from Ancestry

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about Thomas Henry Willetts
Name: Thomas Henry Willetts
Birth Place: Birmingham
Death Date: 7 Nov 1914
Death Place: France and Flanders
Enlistment Place: Birmingham
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Battalion: 2nd Battalion
Regimental Number: 1389
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 about Thomas H Willetts

Name: Thomas H Willetts
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Private
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Regimental Number: 1389
Previous Units: 2nd Bn. R. War. R. 1389 Pte.

Awarded the Victory and British War medals


UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 about Samuel Willetts

Name: Samuel Willetts
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Private
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Worcestershire Regiment
Regimental Number: 23086
Previous Units: 4th Worc R 23086-Pte

Also the British and Victory medals

At least Harold survived


British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 about Harold Willetts
Name: Harold Willetts
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1899
Age at Enlistment: 18
Residence Place: 8 10 Victoria Terr, Westley St Small Heath, Bham
Document Year: 1917
Regimental Number: 50759
Regiment Name: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Number of Images: 31
Form Title: Record of Service
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Harold Willetts Self (Head)
Agnes Willetts Mother - listed as NOK
Conscripted 3 Dec 1917 - discharged Sep 1919


UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 about Harold Willetts
Name: Harold Willetts
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Private
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Regimental Number: 50759
Previous Units: 10th Bn. R. War. R. 50759 Pte.

There is a bit of an argy-bargee about why his conduct is only described as Fair. The correspondence says that this is because on 22 Aug 1919 he was awarded 21 days detention and 28 days loss of pay at Southampton for conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.
The letter goes on to say that “This was evidently in connection with the demonstration made collectively by men due for return to France in that month”

Interesting!

Thomas Henry Willetts is on CWGC:

WILLETTS, T H
Rank:Private
Service No:1389
Date of Death:07/11/1914
Regiment/Service:Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: II. B. 17.
Cemetery:YPRES RESERVOIR CEMETERY

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/99931/WILLETTS,%20T%20H

Looking at the gravestone and headstone registers on the site it looks like there was some confusion as to whether he died 07/10/1914, 19/10/1914 or 07/11/1914. Majority consensus seems to be the latter.

Glad the CWGC entry has been found. In my defence, it was rather late at night ;-)

It certainly was late DET going by the time of your posts!

I may have found a marriage for Thomas Henry but will wait until Eric returns to confirm if we're on the right track.

thank you very much all for your help
the Warwickshire ones ae correct and Westley street is correct.. I knew my uncle Harold and I never knew he had fought . he never said.. he was a metal grader at Dudley and would bring us lead soldiers.never knew about the medals either . thanks to all of you

Nothing to add to the thread other than the fact that my Great Uncle, George Coe, 2 Btn Highland Light Infantry, was also killed on 7 November, 1914, during the first battle of Ypres :-(

2nd Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt was one of 4 bns in 21st brigade.
21st bde was one of 3 bde's in 7th Division.
http://www.1914-1918.net/7div.htm
{NB - the web page has a pic on right of a First Ypres memorial to 7th Div on Broodseinde Ridge]

There's a map at beginning of 2nd Ypres 6m later.
It does show Broodseinde on Front line held by 84th bde of 28 Div at that time. It's abt 1 m ENE of Zonnebeke, and where the turn-off to Passchendaele is.
http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/Maps/ypres1R.jpg

In case you don't have it I've sent you the following article- it has a photos of all three brothers.

Birmingham Gazette - Thursday 27 April 1916

Mrs Willetts, S. back 10, Westley street, Bordesley has lost two sons of three. Private Samuel Willetts, Worcesters, being killed on 6th August last; Private Thomas Willetts, Warwicks, between October and November.Private Albert Willetts is serving with the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/success_stories/thread/1346924

Glad we found out new things for you Eric