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Private Thomas Drew died aged 29 The Somerset Light Infantry
Son of William Henry a tailor (originally from Guernsey) and Elizabeth (of Calstock) living in Miners Row, St Ive.
Thomas Lewis John Drew
Born at Miners cottage, St Ive in 1886, to William Henry and Elizabeth Ann.
He enlisted in Callington where he joined the Prince Albert’s (Somerset Light Infantry), 9th (Reserve) Battalion. Service number: 22326
9th Battalion was formed at Plymouth as a service battalion of the Fourth New Army (K4) as part of the 98th Brigade of the 33rd Division then moved to St. Austell, Cornwall.
He died in Poole, Dorset on 30/3/1916 and is buried there. No record of him being married.
The 1891 census shows William & Elizabeth with 7 children, including Thomas, ages ranging from 12 – 2years old (Samual, Robina, Mable, Ann, Thomas 5 yrs, Alice, Joseph) (Mabel died just 13 years old. Born 1883 died 1896)
His Dad remarried when Elizabeth died aged 36. Born 1858 died Feb. 17th 1894. Buried Mission church. Pensilva. Thomas was 8 years old when his mum died.
1901 census shows Step Mother Annie/Fanny aged 30. Born 1871 St. Ive died 1950 aged 79 buried Mission church, Pensilva (William was 53) Thomas aged 15 plus Alice, Harry & Edward living at home.
1911 census shows William & wife Annie now married 13 years with 4 children of their own (Harry, Edward, Stewart, Howard) and Thomas aged 24 a labourer living at home in St. Ive.
Dad William Henry born 1848 died 1934 aged 86 buried Mission church, Pensilva
Sources from Callington Heritage Museum. Find my Past and census records.
John Henry Dennis was born in Flushing on 20 Jun 1876 and joined the Royal Navy in April 1896 as a Stoker. He married Mary Selina Rogers, Aaron Roger’s sister, on 21 April 1903 in Kinsale in Ireland. By 1908 they were living in Valentine Row Callington with their baby daughter, Lavinia. In November 1915 John Henry Dennis joined HMS Wallington, a ship patrolling the icy waters around the east coast. His service certificate states:
DD* 8th February 1916(Accidentally drowned, but no evidence to show how deceased got into the water).Verdict of Inquest “Found drowned” *Discharged Dead
Aaron Rogers was born on 30 April 1880 in (Templebrady) Crosshaven, County Cork in Ireland, the fifth of eight children. His father, Plymouth born Aaron Rogers Snr, was in the Royal Navy and was based in Ireland. In January 1896 Aaron, a servant boy, followed his widowed father and joined the Royal Navy as a Seaman, enlisting at Devonport and joining HMS Vivid.
The 1911 census states that both were living at 2 Stoke Terrace in Kelly Bray, Aaron a Seaman and his father a Naval pensioner. During WW1 Aaron was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his part in the battle at Gallipoli and is mentioned in the London Gazette of 15 May 1916. His service certificate states that he was invalided out of the Royal Navy in 1920 and the reason given was ‘Disease of the brain’. Aaron died 10 Feb 1921 aged 40 at Northcote, Honiton and is buried in South Hill at St. Sampsons.