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Hi I have a relative who was killed in the WW1 in Palestine now I now it was a world work but I have never heard it mentioned does anyone knows anything that could help please

Some information on Wilipedia here:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinai_and_Palestine_Campaign

Kath. x

Have his service records survived? If you'd like to give a name I could look on Findmypast to see if they are on there.

Kath. x

Thank you Kath


His name is Reginald George Wells
Born 1888 in East Lesley Berkshire
Died 2nd November 1917 Palestine

For starters as it gives his service numbers

First name(s) Reginald George
Last name Wells
Service number 331287
Rank Sergt.
Regiment Hampshire Regiment
Battalion 1/8th (T.F.) Battalion.
Residence -
Birth place East Ilsley, Berks
Enlistment place Newbury, Berks
Death year 1917
Death day 2
Death month 11
Cause of death Killed in action
Death place Palestine
Theatre of war Egyptian Theatre
Supplementary Notes FORMERLY 15979, ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT.

Serjeant WELLS, R G

Service Number 331287

Died 02/11/1917

1st/8th Bn.
Hampshire Regiment

Buried at GAZA WAR CEMETERY

Location: Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Number of casualties: 2696

Cemetery/memorial reference: XXI. A. 16.

UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929

Name: Reginald George Wells
Gender: Male
Death Date: 2 Nov 1917
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment: Hampshire Regiment
Regimental Number: 331287

His effects were sent to his wid[ow] and sole leg[atee], Elizabeth L.


Not sure if this is the right marriage, there is an Elizabeth L.

Marriages Jun 1911
Balls Elizabeth L Bradfield 2c 791<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Butler Marguerite L Bradfield 2c 791
Holden Walter V Bradfield 2c 791
Wells Reginald G Bradfield 2c 791<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

One child born of the Wells-Ball marriage posted previously:

Baptism:

First name(s) Rex
Last name Wells
Baptism year 1912
Baptism date 17 Mar 1912
Place East Ilsley
Church St Mary
Child's other details [Born] 29-Jan-1912
Relationship son of
Father's first name Reginald George<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Father's last name Wells<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Father's occupation Butcher
Mother's first name Elizabeth Lucy<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Mother's last name Wells
County Berkshire
Country England

Births Mar 1912 Wells Rex Balls Wantage 2c 591

Elizabeth Lucy Balls and Reginald George Wells in census 1911. Was the Richard William Mark Wells that Lucy was boarding with, perhaps the older brother of Reginald George, or some other relation?

1911 Census For England & Wales

Beech Tree Hedge Farm East Ilsley Newbury, East Ilsley or Market Ilsey, Berkshire, England

Richard William Mark Wells Head Single Male 34 1877 Farmer's Son Working On Farm East Ilsley Newbury Berks
Alfred Lloyd Wells Brother Single Male 24 1887 Worker In House East Ilsley Newbury Berks
>>>>Elizabeth Lucy Balls Boarder Single Female 30 1881 School Teacher Bounds Green Farm Tottenham Middlesex


1911 Census For England & Wales

The Square East Ilsley Newbury, East Ilsley or Market Ilsey, Berkshire, England

Mark Wells Head Married Male 70 1841 Farmer And Butcher West Ilsley Berks
Elizabeth Ann Wells Wife Married Female 55 1856 - East Ilsley Berks
Herbert Wells Son Single Male 32 1879 Prudential Agent East Ilsley Berks
>>>>Reginald George Wells Son Single Male 23 1888 Butcher East Ilsley Berks
Leonard Prior Servant Single Male 36 1875 General Servant East Ilsley Berks

Reginald George was baptised as an adult, possibly in order to get married in church?

First name(s) Reginald George
Last name Wells
Baptism year 1911
Baptism date 26 Apr 1911
Place East Ilsley
Church St Mary
Child's other details [Born] 15Jul1887<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Relationship son of
Father's first name Mark<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Father's last name Wells
Father's occupation Farmer & Butcher
Mother's first name Annie Elizabeth<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Mother's last name Wells
County Berkshire
Country England

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920

Name: Reginald G Wells
Regiment or Corps: Hampshire Regiment
Regimental Number: 331287

Awarded the Victory & British medals. That implies he didn't serve in a theatre of war before 1916.

There don't seem to be any further records other than the Register of Soldier's Effects posted earlier. It could be that his full service record is amongst the 70% destroyed during WW2.

If you have access to Ancestry, even if its via your local library, you can possibly download the Hampshire's War Diaries and read what happened on the day of his death.

Reginald George Wells left a 'soldier's will'. This was basically a single page of his military pocketbook, in which he would have directed who he wanted to inherit his effects.

Unfortunately in England, you have to pay £10 for a copy of this, unlike Scotland and Ireland, where it is free. Since we already know Elizabeth L[ucy] was his sole legatee, it's not worth buying, unless you want something in his handwriting. It will likely be little more than her name and maybe address.

To find it, and order it, look under the 'soldiers wills tab' on the following web page:

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills

There is a tree on Ancestry that has a photo of him in uniform, in shorts, with one of those tropical looking pith helmets on the table next to him.

Thank you all for your replays His wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Balls and they had one son called Rex she never married again but in 1926 she had another son called Roy Donald and put her late husband's name on the birth certificate, I've been told by someone that was related to her that she liked the men

A child born to a married woman is always given he married surname as that is her legitimate name ............. and she probably thought nothing of giving her husband's name when asked by the Registrar, even if he had been dead for a number of years!