Capt Ernest D Messervy, 21st London Regt

Captain Ernest Dyce Messervy of the 21st (County of London) Battalion (First Surrey Rifles) The London Regiment, was killed in action on the 20th July 1917. At the time of his death he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps. On the 4th April 1918, Flight & The Aircraft Engineer published the following obituary:

CAPTAIN ERNEST DYCE MESSERVY, London Regt, attached RFC, who was missing on July 20th 1917, and is now believed to have been killed that day, was the youngest son of the late Ernest and [Margaret?] Dyce Messervy, Telawakelle, Ceylon, and nephew of Mrs Thorne, Highfield Park, Heckfield. His age was 23.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds the additional information that he was serving with 56th Squadron at the time of his death. He is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.

A 28-year-old Major Gerald Messervy MC of the RFA also died during the First World War (8th October 1918). The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds that he was the "Son of Ernest Francis and Margaret Dyce Messervy" and this being the case it looks likely that he was Captain Ernest Dyce's older brother.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1656 Sgt George Dullam Blackman, 21st London Regt

1656 Sergeant George Dullam Blackman of the 21st (County of London) Battalion (1st Surrey Rifles), The London Regiment, was killed in action on the 23rd May 1916. George was born in Beverley, Yorkshire, was living in Wallington and enlisted at Camberwell on the 4th August 1914. He was a time-expired volunteer with the 1st Surrey Rifles and was aged 31 years and one month. His surviving attestation paper (one page, above) in the WO 363 series at the National Archives notes that he was married and working as a clerk at the London Stock Exchange.

George arrived in France as a corporal on the 16th March 1915 and - unless he returned to England at any point before his death the following year - must have been promoted to sergeant whilst he was overseas.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that George was 32 when he died and that he was the husband of Beatrice Maud Blackman of 43 Courtfield Gardens, South Kensington, London. He had married Maud (nee Beckett) in the Wandsworth district of London in late 1909 or early 1910 and although I haven't found documentary evidence that the couple had children during their short marriage, it would seem likely that they did.

George Blackman has no known grave and is commemorated on bay 10 of the Arras Memorial in France.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

204840 Pte Albert Edward Punt, 2nd Devonshire Regiment

204840 Pte Albert Edward Punt of the 2nd Devonshire Regiment, was killed in action on this day, 14th July 1918. He was 21 years old and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) records the additional information that he was the son of Mr and Mrs. Walter Punt of 71 Windmill Rd, West Croydon, Surrey. It also notes that he was born at Thornton Heath.

Soldiers Died in The Great War notes notes that Albert Punt enlisted in London and his medal index card (MIC) records two numbers: the Devonshire regiment noted above and also a number for the 21st London Regiment - 653632.

Working from my database on army service numbers, I see that 653632 would have been issued to a man joining the 21st Londons between October and December 1916. Albert would have been about 19 then and so it seems reasonable to assume that he was called up on or close to his 19th birthday. There is a birth registered for an Albert Edward Punt in Croydon in the June 1897 quarter for Croydon, and given that CWGC states that he was born at Thornton Heath, this must be the same person. I also looked for Albert on the 1901 census but have been unable to find him.

Albert must have set foot in France with the 21st London Regiment because, as I say, this number appears on his MIC. He obviously then transferred to the Devonshire Regiment.

Albert is buried in the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension; grave reference V.E.10.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (Medal index card, BMD registers)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War