72. 1919

Looking at F.A.I.’s service record obtained from the National Archives, it appears he was discharged from the Royal Naval Division on 26^th May 1919. Against the date is WG 154972 A.G. 9b what ever that means? So what was he up to after that? I had no idea until I visited the National Archives at Kew with my Australian cousin for a very brief root around last month
(and I mean very brief, you have never seen two people copy images so fast with one of the curators saying ‘we are closing now’ ‘just one more please’ were our cries.)

I had been scrolling through Merchant sea records under the family surname looking at ID photos to see if there were any family resemblances. Suddenly I saw a chap that was definitely my family it was F.A.I’s eldest brother Edward. Surely it couldn’t be him as he had been in Australia since at least 1911? It was him! Edward Charles born London 1880. The records showed he had sailed on the Nestor as a steward on 17^th May 1919.

The only explanation I can think of was he served over here in WW1 and was on his way back home to Australia. More research is needed on this one.

I carried on scrolling across and came across F.A.I. born 1886 (2 years out) in London.

It showed he had sailed twice on the same ship 131329 on the 11^th September and 18^th November 1919.

This is an excellent site for maritime shipping through it I found that he was back sailing on the Hildebrand, the ship he sailed on in 1911, I wonder if he went to Paraguay on these occasions too

The other event of 1919 was that his dear brother Arthur’s war medal was sent home to the address in Vincent Road in Croydon. His French Auntie Matilda was still living there until 1923 so she would have had receipt of them but where it ended up is anyones guess