The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 50 No.2 | Sept 2023

Member’s article

Sidney James HATCHER was a Private in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. He died during the Third Battle of Ypres, Belgium on 23rd August 1917, aged 32 years. His body was not recovered and he has no actual grave. His name is commemorated at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. He was posthumously awarded the Victory and British medals. The Register of Soldier's Effects 1901-1929 collection from the National Army Museum (in Ancestry) provides information and mentions his widow Rosinah. Albert Edward HATCHER volunteered for service in February 1916 and became a Private in the Grenadier Guards. He died on 2nd October 1918, aged 28 years and is buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen in France. Albert was severely wounded at the Battle of Cambrai, fought between 20th Nov and 8th Dec 1917, so his was a long and lingering death. He too was honoured and the Register of Soldier's Effects mentions widow Gladys and children. I also found an army record for brother Alfred Charles HATCHER who survived (as he died in 1965 – see earlier). Alfred was the eldest brother and a private in the Hampshire

Regiment. I found his service medals and award rolls records. So there were three war heroes, really. I wanted to know what happened to all of their loved ones. The ’39 twist The 1939 Register provided me with an unexpected twist in the tale. Living at 11 Newman Street, Shirley, Southampton were four Hatchers – Alfred C (b Aug 1881), Rosina A (b Oct 1887) and two younger members, Thora R M (b Dec 1914) and George T (b Feb 1919). Both Alfred and Rosina are listed as widowed but from my earlier research, I knew they were brother and sister-in-law. Thora was the daughter of Rosina and her deceased husband Sidney. Who was George T who was born in February 1919? And if Alfred was a widower, his wife Ada was presumably dead. Ada had previously given birth to his only known child - son John Alfred HATCHER in 1908. Using the GRO search indexes, I found that the mother of George Thomas HATCHER was Rosina Ann HATCHER (nee STONE ). But we know her husband Sidney was killed in August

The Hatcher families. For reference, here are the families appearing in this tale. HATCHER brother Wife and marriage HATCHER Children Alfred Charles (1881-1965) Ada GOODALL (m 1904) John Alfred (b Q3 1908) Sidney James (1885-1917) Rosina Ann STONE (m 1914) Thora Rose Mary (b Q4 1914) Albert Edward (1889-1918) Gladys* HUNTER (m 1914) Doreen Gladys (b Q3 1915) Roy Albert (b Q1 1918) * Gladys HATCHER later married Joseph PARTINGTON in Southampton in 1925. They emigrated and she passed away in Lombard, Illinois in 1977.

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