Why was he with this regiment? Any information would be appreciated. Need assistance on Who/Where/What/How for this man who is on the Australian Commemorative Roll which is for those "Australians" who died in other Allied Services. If proved not to be "Australian" their names will not be removed from the Commemorative Roll however their details will be updated accordingly. I have researched the Air Force members but there are many more Land and Sea deaths in a myriad of different forces. There is not a lot of information on these people that can be accessed easily and I ask your assistance to fill in at least some of the gaps. Hopefully some relatives may see this thread and add more. I will make a different thread for each along the way as they may tend to get lost if clumped together. In Memory of Major JAMES STOKER 58210, 46th (The Liverpool Welsh), Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C. who died age 29 on 28 October 1942 Son of Henry and Mary Stoker, of Australia. Remembered with honour EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY Seems likely to be an El Alamein casualty.
Henry Stoker (91) was born in 1850 and died in 1927. He married Mary Poe. She was born in 1871. (R‑3) Children - Stoker Edward Stoker, b. 1897, m. Margaret Noone. James Poe Stoker, b. 1912, d. 1942. It looks like he enlisted when he was about 20 years old - THE LONDON GAZETTE, 3 FEBRUARY, 1933 The undermentioned Gentlemen Cadets from the Royal Military College, to be 2nd Lts. 2nd Feb. 1933: ROYAL TANK CORPS. Eric Holroyd GIBBON. James Poe STOKER. William Arthur Bruce TREVOR. Deryck Frank BoYD-Moss. Lancelot Dalrymple SANDES. Herbert Oliver NELSON. Arthur Vivian Hovenden SPONG. Promoted to Captain (with a few of his contemporaries from 1933) in 1941 - SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 4 FEBRUARY, 1941 R.T.R. The undermentioned Lts. to be Capts. 2nd Feb. 1941: E. H. Gibbon (58209). J. P. Stoker (58210). W. A. B. Trevor (58211). A. V. H. Spong (58215). The main Australian connection so far is his brother acting as the executor of his will in the NSW (& Victorian) courts:
Getting a few hits, but nothing to point out why James ended up in the RTR From what I can work out, his entire lineage were all doctors and they appear to have originated in Dublin (oh, and he might be a nephew of Bram Stoker). His brother served in the AIF (Hospital Transport Corps (May 1915 - September 1918)) during WW1 - Edward Alexander James Stoker 14546 (I think his father also served in the RAMC during WW1 - but he must have shaved ten years off his age to do so ....)
Looks like his brother lived in Queensland. The Argus, 4 Dec 1942, p.2 DEATHS On Active Service STOKER.- Major James P., Royal Tank Corps, killed in action, Middle East. Oc- tober 28. younger son of the late Lt.-Col. and the late Mrs. Stoker, of Duntroon, only brother of Edward, and brother-in-law of Mrs. Edward Stoker (Spring Hill, Amby, Queensland), and uncle of Harry. regards, Martin
Looks like his brother lived in Queensland. The Argus, 4 Dec 1942, p.2 DEATHS On Active Service STOKER.- Major James P., Royal Tank Corps, killed in action, Middle East. Oc- tober 28. younger son of the late Lt.-Col. and the late Mrs. Stoker, of Duntroon, only brother of Edward, and brother-in-law of Mrs. Edward Stoker (Spring Hill, Amby, Queensland), and uncle of Harry. regards, Martin Thanks Martin - Great info. Cheers Geoff
Looks like his brother lived in Queensland. The Argus, 4 Dec 1942, p.2 DEATHS On Active Service STOKER.- Major James P., Royal Tank Corps, killed in action, Middle East. Oc- tober 28. younger son of the late Lt.-Col. and the late Mrs. Stoker, of Duntroon, only brother of Edward, and brother-in-law of Mrs. Edward Stoker (Spring Hill, Amby, Queensland), and uncle of Harry. regards, Martin Well found Martin - the Duntroon link is useful. By the looks of it, Henry was the RMC Duntroon doctor until his death in 1926. He was also involved in the local RSL (or at least it’s predecessor, the Returned Soldiers & Sailors Institute). Maybe James was encouraged to attend the British RMC to get a commission in the Tanks….. Queanbeyan-Canberra Advocate - Thursday 2 December 1926 LIEUT-COLONEL STOKER, V.D. The death occurred yesterday, at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, of Dr. Henry Stoker, at the age of 68 years. It will be remembered that Dr Stoker's wife was killed some 15 months ago, when with her husband and a nurse she was out driving in a buggy. Deceased leaves two sons, Messrs. E. and J. Stoker. Lieut.-Colonel Stoker's connection with the R.M. College as Medical Officer extended over a period of eight years. His health began to fail him about a year ago, and in May last he was obliged to have a leg amputated. A military funeral will be accorded deceased, and leave the R.M.C. for St. John the Baptist Church, Canberra, at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow: Being a member of the. Craft, the Masonic burial service will .be read at the graveside. Queanbeyan-Canberra Advocate - Thursday 16 December 1926 The death of Lieut-Colonel Stoker as College doctor was deeply regretted. :The position will be filled by Colonel A. J. Butler. Queanbeyan Age and Queanbeyan Observer - Tuesday 17 May 1921 R.S. & S.I. League Duntroon Sub-branch: A general meeting of Duntroon Sub-branch was held on 9th May when 43 members were present. Major Stoker, occupied the chair,
Looks like his brother lived in Queensland. Only brother of Edward, and brother-in-law of Mrs. Edward Stoker (Spring Hill, Amby, Queensland), and uncle of Harry. regards, Martin Struth - I just worked out where Amby is (I originally thought it was a contraction of Amberley). It is a small town 500km west of Brisbane. Looks like Edward wanted to get away from it all and ended up on the farm station "Spring Hill" - which is still operating
Now didn't we have another RMC chap who was also a tank type with a Duntroon CO who went onto command tanks with the BEF? The Duntroon RTC is an interesting link Regards simon
Now didn't we have another RMC chap who was also a tank type with a Duntroon CO who went onto command tanks with the BEF? The Duntroon RTC is an interesting link Regards simon This one Simon? http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/21658-australian-captain-british-7th-rtr-rac-killed-21-5-1940-a.html#post224816 Cheers Geoff
James Poe Stoker was the first cousin of Henry H.G.Dacre Stoker [AE2 Submarine] Thank you for the info John. Any idea why James Poe Stoker joined the RTR? Great to get a little further info to add rather than just a name on the Commemorative Roll. Thanks for taking the time to post this info. Cheers Geoff
A few links on Dacre Stoker. Commanding Officer: HG 'Dacre' Stoker DSO | AE2 - The Silent Anzac From: hwa_goh Forensic Genealogy Book Contest
Hi Geoff. I have no more info on James P Stoker. My only thought on why he went to England, is that with his Brother and Father was in the first World war, he felt left out and ask to go to Ireland to see family, and its only a short trip from Dublin to Liverpool. then into the T.A. then a steping stone to R.T.C. I will be in Dublin in July at a family gathering so I will ask family then. John
Hi Geoff. I have no more info on James P Stoker. My only thought on why he went to England, is that with his Brother and Father was in the first World war, he felt left out and ask to go to Ireland to see family, and its only a short trip from Dublin to Liverpool. then into the T.A. then a steping stone to R.T.C. I will be in Dublin in July at a family gathering so I will ask family then. John Thanks John, Appreciate it! Cheers Geoff
