I've heard of numerous situations where brothers, having died in the same war/conflict, found their final resting-places in the same cemetery. This was brought home to me recently during my most recent trip to the Manila American Cemetery And Memorial, in the Philippines, where there are a total of 20 sets-of-brothers interred in this one cemetery. Equally, I've never read of a situation where members of the same family - having fought in the same conflict - are ALL interred in the same grave. However, whilst recently looking through my files, I found such a grave at CWGC Stanley, Hong Kong. Corporal Gilbert Easthope BUDDEN died on Sunday, October 11th, 1942 whilst serving with the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. Almost exactly one year-on and his father, Henry Easthope BUDDEN, died on Saturday, October 9th, 1943 whilst serving with the Hong Kong Dockyard Defence Corps. Both share the same grave in CWGC Stanley War Cemetery. As today is October 10th, and they died on October 9th and 11th, I'm dedicating this post to them and to all those families who suffered similar losses during times of conflict. LEST WE FORGET Tony Buckley www.asiawargraves.com
I note this database on Ancestry shows his death as 1945 not 1943 ?? wonder why that would be UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969 Name: Henry Esthope Budden Death Date: 9 Oct 1945 Death Place: Shamshuipo Camp, Hong Kong, China Event Type: Death Piece Description: RG 33: Foreign Registers and Returns, 1627-1960 A family tree shows: Henry Easthope Budden 1881–1943 BIRTH JANUARY 1881 • Portsea Island, Hampshire, United Kingdom DEATH 9 OCT 1943 • Shamshuipo Camp, Hong Kong, China TD
Is that due to a mis-print of some kind? Can we determine when the camp was liberated in 1945...what month? Photos of Site of former Sham Shui Po Camp and POW Camp [1926-????] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong Tony Buckley www.asiawargraves.com
Both died as Prisoners of War in Hong Kong. Budden, Gilbert E, No.1 Company HKVDC, Diptheria and heart failure Budden, Henry E, HKDDC, Beri-beri, maleria and cardiac failure Info: Hong Kong War Diary Tim
Tony, You provided me with photographs for the graves of John and Herbert Thornley, both of whom died as POW's in Rangoon Jail. John was a Sergeant with the Chindits in 1943 and his brother Herbert was fighting in the Arakan with the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers. Although they perished within a few weeks of each other, it is unlikely that they made much contact inside the jail, as they were held in different prison blocks. Sadly, another brother, Walter, died whilst serving with the RAFVR earlier in the war. Read more here: Sergeant John Thornley
Interesting. From CWGC it looks as though they were in separate graves at Happy Valley Cemetery before being moved and interred in same grave at Stanley. Tim
Japanese handed over Hong Kong to the Royal Navy on 30 Aug 1945. Franklin Gimson the Colonial Seretary declared himself the acting Governor. Formal surrender of Japanese in Hong Kong took place 16 Sept 1945. Tim
And it looks like Maggie Budden (wife/mother) served as a nurse during that same period. Hong Kong War Diary Tony Buckley www.asiawargraves.com
Thanks Tim - that's the kind of lead I was looking for. If the Royal Navy took over the camp in August 1945, would they have kept Budden in same camp or moved him elsewhere for better treatment? Just trying to determine the 1943 v 1945 date-of-death scenario. Tony Buckley www.asiawargraves.com
Hong Kong Dockyard Defence Corps 1939-1941 by Tony Banham. http://hkjo.lib.hku.hk/archive/files/07279efe25fe25e2e6e7ac8d7b70446b.pdf Basically Corps was made up of civilian workers trained in weapons to defend the Dockyard. Henry Budden is mentioned as being a Chargeman of Engine Fitters with a son in the HKVDC. Henry's date of death given as 9 Oct 43. My guess is Ancestry has made a transcription error. Tim Edit: Obviously not a transcription error. (Post 2)
Thanks for the reminder Steve. Pity the CWGC don't have a 'filter' such that we could search for family connections in their database. There must be lots of brothers-sisters-cousins (even parents) who are all in that one database but, as of yet, we don't have the means of linking them together. Tony Buckley www.asiawargraves.com
I notice that same database has an error on Gilberts date of death - its 1 month out not 2 years though UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969 Name: Cpl Gilbert Easthope Budden Death Date: 6 Nov 1942 Death Place: Hong Kong, China Event Type: Death Piece Description: RG 33: Foreign Registers and Returns, 1627-1960 Tony - looks like there was only 2 military Budden deaths in/around Hong Kong TD Looking at the family tree the rest of the Buddens of his generation all appear to have lived & died in the Portsmouth/Hampshire area