66578, Private, Herbert SWANN
Aged 19
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Born in Newmarket on 5th July 1899 (date according to German records). The International Red Cross have him recorded as a prisoner of war, but his records give no next of kin. They have his date
of birth but noted "no relatives" "parents dead", but no such birth seems to be registered, only a Herbert Frederick Swann in 1896. Most likely: Herbert SWANN, (Newmarket Q3-1896 3B:524) son of Harry and Elizabeth SWANN (née STAGG) (m.1885) of Icewell HIll, Newmarket. 1901 census...Herbert [2] was living in Icewell Hill, Newmarket with his widowed mother Elizabeth [35] a charwoman, his sister Gertrude [14], and brothers Gilbert [5] and Reginald [2]. All were Newmarket born. The records of the death of his father have not been found. 1911 census...Herbert [12] was in Albion Lane, Newmarket with his widowed mother (now recorded as born in Gazeley), his brother Reginald and a sister Margy [6] born Newmarket. No records found for his brother Gilbert or sister Gertrude. The record shows Elizabeth had born 10 children, 4 of them dying by 1911. His mother [46] may have died in Newmarket in 1913 There is no real certainty here as the records of marriages, births and deaths are either not found or contradictory. The records from the Red Cross would have been completed by what Herbert told them and this does not necessarily have to be true. His medals were not claimed, his records show he died intestate, and had no legatee. |
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Herbert enlisted in Newmarket. According to International Red Cross records he was captured at Estaires on 11th April 1918. His date of birth given as 5th July 1899,
his parents were dead. He died on 26th June 1918 from wounds to his stomach at a German Garrison Hospital. Due to exceptional losses in April the war diary of the battalion was promised later, but seems not to have been found. it appears that by the end of April there was only one officer left (in hospital) who may have had sufficient knowledge to complete the diary. The Battalion soon to be reduced to a cadre and amalgamated with the 1st/4th and transferred to Lines of Communication. |
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