Hi, I am researching the above Lieutenant who is named on the Hope, Flintshire WW2 War Memorial and I cannot find any connection to this area, :- Commonwealth War Graves Commission LIEUTENANT JOHN PATRICK SYMONS Service Number: EC/ 15981 Regiment & Unit/Ship - Royal Indian Army Service Corps Date of Death - Died 11 June 1942 Buried or commemorated at DELHI WAR CEMETERY 4. J. 11. India Country of Service - Indian DELHI WAR CEMETERY Country - India From Family Search, I have found that his father was Jersey Dan SIMONS and his mother was Irene Ma Hla Win or Irene Mahlamine, whose father was Mg Chit Lun. John Patrick was born on the 25th May 1925, Christening Date: 20 Sep 1925,Christening Place: Bengal, India. Siblings:- Phyllis Martha Simons - born 1918 Winifred Jane Simons - born 1922 Sarah Maud Simons - born 1926 all in Yamethin, Bengal, India John Patrick's parents marriage - from Family search:- "India Marriages, 1792-1948 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGJL-GH8 : 5 February 2020), Jersey Dan Simons, 1917. Name Jersey Dan Simons Sex Male Age 27 Birth Year (Estimated) 1890 Marital Status Single Father's Name Daniel Simons Father's Sex Male Spouse's Name Irene Ma Hla Win Spouse's Sex Female Spouse's Age 26 Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1891 Spouse's Marital Status Single Spouse's Father's Name Mg Chit Lun Spouse's Father's Sex Male Marriage Date 17 Sep 1917 Marriage Place Bengal, India Marriage Place (Original) Yamithin, Bengal, India Jersey Dan Simons's Parents and Siblings Daniel Simons So it seems that John Patrick was from an Army or Merchant family who had been in India for many years, for him to be fighting for India in the Indian Army. What I cannot understand is why he was on the War Memorial in a little village in North Wales. Also I would like to know the circumstances of his death. Would I be correct in thinking he was 17 years old at his death? Also a Lieutenant? On the CWGC Graves Registration Book, below, by his entry, there is a reference to Page 21, but not much detail on the page for him. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Mavis Williams.
Nothing to add so far but the entry you are referring to has the symbol for 'insert' then Age 21, it's not Page 21. Tim
States died of Heat Stroke states mothers name is Olive nee Mansell Private Papers of Lieutenant J P Symons Content description Seven photographs of Lieutenant John Patrick Symons, 78th General Purpose Transport Company, Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC), who died of heat stroke in Delhi aged 21 (11 June 1942), including photographs of him as a child, in uniform, with his sister, Beryl, and of his original grave marker (with his incorrect age). Together with: a ts letter (7pp, 27 August 1942) from his Commanding Officer, Major Leslie A Waters, to Symons' parents, expressing his dismay at the death of their son, and his strong feeling of responsibility for it, with details of the training programmes he had introduced to toughen up the men under his command, the conscientious way Symons had taken on his duties and responsibilities, the temperature being about 120 degrees in Delhi, and giving details of the circumstances of Symons' death from heat stroke, with Symons fainting in his arms and not regaining consciousness in hospital, as well as details of losing family of his own in the bombing of London; and brief biographical details of Symons written by his brother (2014). Also included is a photograph of his mother, Olive Symons (Née Mansell), three ts letters written to her (3pp plus two envelopes) from the Postal Censorship relating to her employment with the Postal Censorship in the Dock Offices, Liverpool (October 1916 – August 1918), including details of salary and duties, together with a War Department Certificate of Service in Civil Appointment (1p plus envelope, November 1918).
From Clives findings above;- John Patrick Symons was born on March 17, 1921, in Sri Lanka, Father William Shawe Symons (born Devon) Mother Olive Symons (nee Mansell) (born Shropshire) Married 1920 in Liverpool One brother (?) and One sister. (Beryl Marianne Symons) Kyle
Well done Clive. Not sure if this is the mother as there is a discrepancy in her son's death but the rest of the description seems to tie in. Private Papers of Mrs O M Symons Tim
WOW, so I was going entirely in the wrong direction, thanks so much. What I found all seemed to fit, and yet it didn't, his age didn't for a start. I couldn't find a connection to Hope, but your lady, at least worked in Liverpool, which is nearer to us. I was trying the India Family at the British Library, but didn't get very far. Tim, that will teach me for not enlarging the image, I put it down to old age!!! Thank you everyone again, you are all gems! Regards, Mavis
I realise that it is no longer relevant to your search, but I believe that Yamethin (Yamithin) is in Burma, not Bengal. This would fit with 'Irene Ma Hla Win' which is a Burmese name.
Thanks for that, I was mystified with her name, it didn't sound Indian to me, but what do I know!! It's better clarified though.
