Good morning everyone, I recently joined in search of some greener research pastures. Been hitting a wall lately with one chap and I find myself in need of help. I picked up a beautiful named patrol jacket recently and have been working to write his bio. For thos interested here is a link to my website where similar articles can be found on previous projects. History, Rare Militaria, and Collecting Tips Maurice Aubone Pyke was Born on September 19th 1897, and died on the 29th of January 1982. What's a little odd is on one website I found him listed he is said to have been born in Argentina. Maurice joined the RFA in 1914 as a 2nd Lt. (18145) He was wounded both on 07/12/1917 & 15/05/1918. Citation for MIlitary Cross- Gazette Issue 30901. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while in charge of a forward section. Under heavy shell and machine-gun fire he fought his guns for hours, till the enemy was within 250 yards. He behaved splendidly. He attended the Long Survey Course at the School of Artillery, Larkhill by 1930 and was listed 'On the Strength of the Depot' the same year. He became adjutant of the Field Brigade 95th (Hampshire Yeomanry) 1936 and the last record there is as a temporary Lt. Col in 1944, which is also how he appears in the April 1945 Army List. Although records are limited, a note in the pocket of his Royal Artillery blues dated 1937 claimed it was worn when he was fighting with the Indian “mule gunners”. Now it's very unlikely he wore this jacket on campaign but the question remains was he there ? A small number of well trained British officers were sent to command groups of these mule gunners throughout the 1936-39 Waziristan Campaign, it is likely and fitting that Pyke would have been sent to assist these groups. So I have exhausted, ancestry, forces war records, the medal rolls for NWF on NA.uk and generic search engines. What I am trying to find is, possibly unit or more specific theater for WW1 ?, did he serve in Waziristan?, and did he serve overseas in WW2 ? Thanks in advance for any help, WW2 British is a somewhat new and maddening field for me. Not to mention the difficulties that seem to appear in researching artillery officers. Cheers, McLean!
This may or may not help you. J2nd . (Hampshire) .A.A._ Bde.—The undermentioned offrs. are transferred from the 95th (Hampshire) Fd. Bde., retaining their rank and seniority, ist Nov. 1937:— Hon. Col. Hon. Maj.-Gen. the Lord Mottistone, P.C., C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., T.D. Lt.-Col. & Bt. Col. N. M. Elliott, D.S.O., T.D. Maj. J. B. P. Willis-Fleming, T.D. Maj. K. E. Streat. Maj. E. L. Formby. . Capt. J. E. N. Vincent. Capt. E. F. Moxey. Capt. V. J. C. Marshall. Lt. E. B. Williams, M.M. 2nd Lt. J. H. Gordon. 2nd Lt. M. F. J. Emanuel. 2nd Lt. H. Norton. 2nd Lt. D. T. Kemp. 2nd Lt. J. L. Tregoning. 2nd Lt. R. J. Cockwell. Capt. M. A. Pyke, M.C., R.A., from Adjt., 95th (Hampshire) Fd. Bde., to be Adjt. ist Nov. 1937.
Wonder if this is a relative - not many Pykes around I would guess Recommendation for Award for Pyke, Bernard Thurlow Rank: Bombardier Service... | The National Archives Reference: WO 373/56/105 Description: Name Pyke, Bernard Thurlow Rank: Bombardier Service No: 902805 Regiment: 61 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery Theatre of Combat or Operation: North West Europe 1944-45 Award: Military Medal Date of announcement in London Gazette: 24 January 1946 Folio: 161 Date: 1945-1946 TD
Thanks man, I think I have this info although not all of it. Sadly it would seem the one I need is missing which is where he went.
It could be, I haven't yet been able to find out where he was born but oddly one source listed Argentina
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 Name: Maurice Aubone Pyke Death Date: 29 Jan 1982 Death Place: Salisbury Wilts Probate Date: 26 Apr 1982 Probate Registry: London Maybe need to obtain his obituary? London, England, Death Notices from The Times, 1982-1988 Name: M A LtC OBE Pyke Death Date: 29 Jan 1982 Published Date: 2 Feb 1982 1911 England Census Name: Maurice Albone Pyke [Maurice Aubone Pyke] Age in 1911: 13 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1898 Relation to Head: Pupil Gender: Female Birth Place: Resident Civil Parish: Bramshott Search Photos: Search for 'Bramshott' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection County/Island: Hampshire Country: England Street Address: Highfield School, Liphook, Hants Occupation: School Registration District: Petersfield Registration District Number: 106 Sub-registration District: Petersfield ED, institution, or vessel: 11 Piece: 6180 Trust Ancestry staff to decipher his sex wrongly - there is little hope !!m - hiowever it does show his country of birth and where he is a resident as Argentina as suspected TD Birth 19/09/1897 (19 Sep 1897) Argentina Residence 1933 Woolwich Kent England Marriage 03/1941 (Mar 1941) Dorchester Dorset England Death 03/1982 (Mar 1982) Salisbury Wiltshire England Record information. Father Aubone Aldrich Pyke (1852-1924) Mother Ellen Dickson (1857-1941) Spouse Grace Rosemary Bald (1912-1985)
Thanks for this, I saw that entry and bookmarked it. Odd they mixed that up haha I really am interested what his family was doing in argentina, perhaps I'll research his father a little as well. I am wondering if his obituary will have mention to his service, in the past some I have found are really helpful. I'll have to try and find that, have you ever requested one before or do they have a database ? Mclean
The records on Ancestry should allow access to the obituary but as I dont have the access I cant open those details up - I only pay Ancestry the minimum as I think as you can see above they use their subscribers to do all their correction work especially when those records are non american - am I allowed to say that - if not then thanks and goodbye TD
There is a family link to serving in the Indian Army, found by searching on his father's name: Person Page There was a huge amount of British investment in Argentina pre-WW1, mainly in the railways and raising beef. I understand that people followed the investments, usually in managerial roles. These assets were largely sold, again from memory in WW2. See: British investment in Argentina - Wikipedia and Britain and the Making of Argentina
An indexed collection of records from Argentina documenting the presence of thousands of British and other English-speaking residents there British Settlers in Argentina and Uruguay—studies in 19th and 20th century emigration Deaths recorded at St. Andrew’s Scots Presbyterian Church, Buenos Aires, Volume 6, 1914-1915 21/10/1915 Pyke, Henry 78 Britain bronchial pneumonia Provincia de Entre Rios Baptisms celebrated and registered at Concordia, 1883 to 1899 23/6/1892 19/7/1892 Pyke, Nellie Aubone Aubone A. Ellen Concordia Estanciero Robert Allen TD Emigration of Scots, English and Welsh-speaking people to Argentina in the nineteenth century As early as 1806, the English were arriving in Buenos Aires in small numbers, principally as businessmen and traders. They were welcomed for the stability they brought to commercial life in the newly emerging nation. As the century went on, many more English families with capital came in increasing numbers. They bought land to develop the potential of the Argentine pampas for the large-scale growing of crops. They founded banks, developed the export trade in crops and animal products and imported the luxuries that the growing Argentine middle classes sought. Many of the Irish came to the country as sheep-farmers, others to serve as agricultural labourers, leaving behind the poverty of rural Ireland. They populated large districts of the Province of Buenos Aires, leaving their mark on the character of Argentina. The Scots arrived in contingents from 1825, on vessels such as the Symmetry, that sailed from Scottish ports. They founded great ranches, established Presbyterian churches, raised large families, and through hard work became wealthy. The Welsh founded an idealistic Welsh-speaking community in Patagonia in 1865, hoping by its remoteness to preserve their language and customs. The founding members arrived on board the Mimosa to a bleak welcome on an inhospitable shore. The settlement was slow to become established through uncertainty and lack of knowledge of the climate of the place where they had chosen to live. But through persistence a successful community was established in little Wales beyond the seas.
If this is the same Pyke he was Baptised in UK but abode given as South America, Father a sheep farmer
I am Major Pyke's granddaughter. His parents moved to Argentina when they got married. QUOTE="WarDungeon, post: 909730, member: 82672"]Good morning everyone, I recently joined in search of some greener research pastures. Been hitting a wall lately with one chap and I find myself in need of help. I picked up a beautiful named patrol jacket recently and have been working to write his bio. For thos interested here is a link to my website where similar articles can be found on previous projects. History, Rare Militaria, and Collecting Tips Maurice Aubone Pyke was Born on September 19th 1897, and died on the 29th of January 1982. What's a little odd is on one website I found him listed he is said to have been born in Argentina. Maurice joined the RFA in 1914 as a 2nd Lt. (18145) He was wounded both on 07/12/1917 & 15/05/1918. Citation for MIlitary Cross- Gazette Issue 30901. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while in charge of a forward section. Under heavy shell and machine-gun fire he fought his guns for hours, till the enemy was within 250 yards. He behaved splendidly. He attended the Long Survey Course at the School of Artillery, Larkhill by 1930 and was listed 'On the Strength of the Depot' the same year. He became adjutant of the Field Brigade 95th (Hampshire Yeomanry) 1936 and the last record there is as a temporary Lt. Col in 1944, which is also how he appears in the April 1945 Army List. Although records are limited, a note in the pocket of his Royal Artillery blues dated 1937 claimed it was worn when he was fighting with the Indian “mule gunners”. Now it's very unlikely he wore this jacket on campaign but the question remains was he there ? A small number of well trained British officers were sent to command groups of these mule gunners throughout the 1936-39 Waziristan Campaign, it is likely and fitting that Pyke would have been sent to assist these groups. So I have exhausted, ancestry, forces war records, the medal rolls for NWF on NA.uk and generic search engines. What I am trying to find is, possibly unit or more specific theater for WW1 ?, did he serve in Waziristan?, and did he serve overseas in WW2 ? Thanks in advance for any help, WW2 British is a somewhat new and maddening field for me. Not to mention the difficulties that seem to appear in researching artillery officers. Cheers, McLean! View attachment 286398 View attachment 286399 View attachment 286400 [/QUOTE]
Welcome aboard pykea, We often have new members arrive here via an online search. WarDungeon has not logged on for over a year, so we have no update on his quest. His website is "live", so that offers a point of contact: https://www.thewardungeon.com/ or his "live" Facebook: The War Dungeon Are you aware of this December 2021 local history document that refers to him and his wife buying a house in 1949, in Hampshire? See: https://landfordhistory.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/a-history-of-landford-part-7-brooklands.pdf It states: There is a 1950 reference to her in The London Gazette: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39066/supplement/5680/data.pdf and her initial commission in 1941: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35224/supplement/4207/data.pdf An Army List 1938 shows his career as: From: (394) - Army lists > Half-yearly Army lists 1923 - Feb 1950 (From 1947, annual, despite the name) > 1938 > Second half - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland I note the officer above him had service: Could this be an error by and why WarDungeon thought he had served in Waziristan? Personally I am skeptical he would have been called forward to Waziristan. It was the Indian Army's battleground, where most units did "time" there. Good luck!
