Looking for a former RWF circa 1940

I'm trying to find out information on my great grandfather who is believed to have been at Dunkirk. That's literally the sum of our knowledge (well that and he was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, he was Welsh and his name was Clifford W H Bennett and born in 1916 ish). I contacted the RWF museum who will do paid searches but they suggested asking people here first before I do a paid search and find out my great grandfather lied or someone got the regiment wrong etc.
So if anyone can help at least ascertain if he was or wasn't in your regiment that would be a great help.

Welcome.

Was his name "Clifford Winstone Bennett"?

Hi.

a quick search of Free BMD gives me a

Clifford W.H Bennett Born Dec Qtr 1914. Birth Registered Myrther T. Mothers Name Jones.

i am going out shortly so will have a more detailed look later.


ivor

I believe it was Clifford Winston Herbert Bennett. Winstone may have been the spelling. That's the one from BMD though. Mother was Annie jones. Father Richard Bennett. He was born in Merthyr Tydfil/Vale (sp?)

According to the Tyler Enlistment Database:

4192264 Clifford Winstone Bennett. Attested into the Royal Welch 01/01/1935
Departed the regiment 03/03/1938
Re-enlisted into the East Surrey Regiment 03/5/1939

So he started off RWF, left the army. Was called back up as a reservist in 1939, into the East Surreys. They did fight at Dunkirk. I should be able to get you his DOB next week. You can then apply for his service record from the MOD.

Wow thats impressive. what on earth is the Tyler enlistment database? I only ask as I have an ancestry account but it's awful sometimes even when you give it masses of information.

Thankyou again and if you can get his d.o.b that would be great (just out of interest why will it take a week? I'm only wondering how you're going about this as i have other people I want to research and can then possibly utilise the same methods for them)

Thanks

Gregg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ap1

According to the Tyler Enlistment Database:

4192264 Clifford Winstone Bennett. Attested into the Royal Welch 01/01/1935
Departed the regiment 03/03/1938
Re-enlisted into the East Surrey Regiment 03/5/1939

So he started off RWF, left the army. Was called back up as a reservist in 1939, into the East Surreys. They did fight at Dunkirk. I should be able to get you his DOB next week. You can then apply for his service record from the MOD.

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Hi.
a further search of '' Family Search'' confirms a Clifford W.H. Bennett born Dec Q 1914 with Mothers name Jones
Registration Details.
Myrthyr Tydfil.
Volume 11a
Page 1584.
Line 125.

Looking for a possible Marriage. this is difficult as not all the names are shown. But there is a Clifford Bennett married in the West Glamorgan area in the June Q of 1936. the wife's name is Caenwen Davies.


ivor

Hi again.
Just out of interest i have a Clifford W Bennett died in dec Q 1958 age 44 in N Surrey area. i wondered if there could be a connection as he joined the East Surrey Rgt.


ivor

No he married a Mary Beggleton but the death I think is correct. He never had good health and a friend marked him A1 (?) to get into the regiment in the first place.

You should try searching for Irish records (thats Mary Beggletons ancestry). I found a single 1911 census. Loads of info, all of which leads nowhere else. Anyway that's by the by. If I can help anyone I have access to all of the UK census via ancestry and can download copies of census details to repay the help you're giving me if you're atall interested in anything

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bennett

Wow thats impressive. what on earth is the Tyler enlistment database? I only ask as I have an ancestry account but it's awful sometimes even when you give it masses of information.

Thankyou again and if you can get his d.o.b that would be great (just out of interest why will it take a week? I'm only wondering how you're going about this as i have other people I want to research and can then possibly utilise the same methods for them)

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It's a privately held database on RWF Enlistments from the 1920's to early 1940's. It does not include the DOB's. That info is held in the RWF archive and had to be physically viewed.(I assist in the archive).

Hi.

O.K. got that (free BMD)Sept Q 1937 Married. Mary E Beggleton. North Western Surrey area.

ivor

Funny it didn't say when he left the other regiment now I come to think of it. I wonder if that is accessible before I pay the mod £30 for service records.

Yeah that's the right marriage!

Hi again.
another possible long shot.
Looking on 'Forces War Records' i find an entry for a 1440820 a Lance Sgt in 1942, but no unit. But the name is Clifford W Bonnett.however knowing the possibilities of Transcription errors and the similarity between hand written 'o' and 'e' this could be a possibility. But the No does not fit the E Surrey sequence. any ideas ???

My advice Gregg. Pay the £30 and get his service record from the MOD. It will tell you exactly where he fought, his medal entitlement and other stuff. It's the definitive record and unlike many, you now have the details to allow you to obtain it.

Ok my great aunt (his daughter) is going to apply to the MOD. We're pretty sure the first record is him as she says he was stationed after Dunkirk in Richmond park and he was in the East Surrey Regiment. Easier if I just copy and paste actually "When he was in the East Surrey Regiment he was stationed in Richmond Park, they had a very large camp which as the story goes was completely hidden from any enemy air attack as it was so well hidden amongst the trees. The East Surrey Regiment barracks was in Kings Road, Kingston upon Thames"

Lets assume the other one might not be him as I have found a marriage in 1941

NAME:	Clifford W Bonnett
SPOUSE:	Mitchell
MARRIAGE:	Sep 1941 - Pontypridd, Glamorgan

Thanks again for your help!