British Army WW1 Service Records, Robert John Sackett.

[1] Short service, attestation, Robert John Sackett, of 19 Parkhurst Road, Manor Park, age 38y 1m, carman, married, no previous military service, [signed J R Sackett], at Ilford, Essex, 15 Jun 1915, appointed to Northampton Regt.

[2] Ht 5' 7", girth 38", expansion 3", marks: RS and cross on R f-arm JS on R wrist; nok Maria Sackett, Parkhurst Rd, Manor Park, wife. Extract from certificate: Maria Mayne (spinster, Parish Church, Little Ilford, Essex, 11 July 1904. Children: [..]fred (Maria's child) (born before marriage), 30 Aug 1902, Ilford; [..]omas, 15 Jul 1904, Ilford; [..]ne Ellen, 13 Feb 1907, East Ham; [..]dith Elizabeth, 11 Oct 1909, East Ham; Rosetta, 26 Dec 1911, East Ham; Robert John, 4 Oct 1914, Forest Gate; May Georgina, 30 Jun 1917, East Ham. Statement of services: Joined at Ilford 15.6.15; Northamptonshire Regiment, attested Pte 15.6.15; depot posted 20/6/15; Regt/Depot 3, posted 23.6.15; forfeits 8 days pay by RW for absence 2.8.15 to 9.8.15; forfeits 10 days pay by RW for absence 12.9.15 to 21.9.15; Regt/Depot 1st, posted Ex Fce France 25.11.15; Regt/Depot 3, forfeits 10 days pay by RW for absence 14.11.15 to 23.11.15; Depot, posted, Pte, 16.9.16; EC Depot, posted, Pte, 12.10.16; Brd, posted, Pte, 4.1.17; Middx Regt 29th (IW) Bn, transferred, Pte, 22.2.17, authy A [.] G Chatham Garrison 22.2.17; [.] Service Corps H [.] transferred, Pte, 3.3.17, authy CRLD 2/25031, 23/12/16; 1914/15 Star. Service: Home 15.6.15 to 24.11.15 = 163 days; B Ex Fce 25.11.15 to 16.9.16 = 296 days; Home 17.9.16 to 14.8.17.

[3] [..].8.17 to 9.9.18, 1y 26d; 10.9.18 to 24.9.18, 15d; 25.9.18 to 16.3.19; 17.3.19 to 24.4.19. Home 17.9.16 to 14.8.17. C/35/17 Ex Force, France 15 Aug 1917. British War Medal, Victory Medal.

[4] admitted 16.9.16 no 2115. Date 28.9.16; to Officer i/c Records, Inf, Warley Station; Officer Commanding, North'n R, Northampton Station; Paymaster, Inf Station. Regimental no 20063 Pte R Sackett, 1st Northampton Rt, has been granted furlough from 30.9.16 to 10.10.16, address while on leave 115 Walton Rd, Manor Pk, London. Not fit for duty. [signed] Adjt & Registrar, Duchess of Connaught Canadian Red Cross Hospital, Taplow, Bucks.

[5] Protection Certificate. Sick and wounded. Dispersal Hospital, Casualty Clearing Station, Eastleigh, 27 Mar 19. Sackett, Robert John, Regtl no 1325693, rank Driver, record office Woolwich, unit 280 Coy, Regt or Corps RASC (HT), Signed for advance of £2. Address 115 Walton Road, Manor Park, London E12. Born 1877.

[6] Memorandum. Infantry Record Office, Warley, 15 Jul 1915. To Officer i/c Records, no 9 District. July 2, 1915. Herewith marriage & birth certificates of no 20063 Pte R J Sackett. After the necessary extracts have been taken, will you please forward same to Regtl Paymaster Warley & request him to return the marriage & birth certificates to me. G Shaw, Lieut. Answer: B cert of Robert Alfred returned as woman's name is shown as Maria Mayne formerly Hornby whereas marriage cert shows her as a spinster. 4.7.15.

[7] The YMCA with HM Troops. From no 20063 Robert John Sackett, 3rd Batt Northampton Reg't, H Coy, 13 Walton Road, Manor Park, Essex, 14 July 1915. Stamped Infantry Record Office 20 Jul 1915. Sir, In reply to your letter of the 10th inst, it appears that you don't understand who the parties are referred to in the childs birth certificate. The name Robert Mayne, given, is the child's grandfather (on the mother's side) & the name Maria Hornby is the child's grandmother who gave her maiden name. The reason for all that is that the child was born before marriage & it is customary for the mother of a child born under these circumstances to register the child in her parents names. The mother of the child is called or named after her own mother, a fact which may mislead one in identifying the child's real mother. Robert John Sackett is the child's father & Maria Sackett is the child's mother. Yours, Robert John Sackett.

[8] [..] Record Office, [..]ley. R J Sackett, 19 Parkhurst Road, Manor Park. Warley, 4th July 1915. referring to attached birth [..]tificate of your son Robert Alfred [..] is not understood why, on this certificate [..] are described as Maria Mayne, [..]erly Hornby, whereas on your Marriage certificate you are shown as a Spinster, Robert John Sackettill you please explain? (sg) F B Watkins, Major, i/c Records, No 9 District. Answer. Sir, In reply to yoour letter referring to my son Alfred which was born before Marriage registered in my maiden name Mayne also mother's name Hornby and Robert John Sackett is the [..] of Alfred. Yours, (sg) Mrs Sackett.

[9] Infantry Record Off[..] No 9 District, Warl[..] July 10th 1915. Mrs R J Sackett, 19 Parkhurst Road, Manor Park, Essex. The explanation you give in minute 2, is not clear. You state that the father of the child is, Robert John Sackett, but, on the Birth certificate the father is shown as Robert Mayne. Unless you can produce evidence to show that Robert Mayne, and Robert John Sackett, are one and the same man, the separation allowance cannot be issued for the child in question. Further, if the boy, is your child, how is it possible that on your Marriage Certificate you are described as Maria Mayne a "Spinster", whereas the birth certificate shows you as Maria Mayne formerly Hornby. Will you please reply to these questions as quickly as possible. Major, for Officer i/c Records, No 9 District, Warley.

[10] Officer Commanding, 3rd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regt, Warley. July 20th 15. Sir, In reference to the attached letter and Birth Certificate, relative to No 20063, Pte R J Sackett. Judging from Sackett's signature on his attestation I am of an opinion that the letter was not written by him, will you therefore please interview him and ascertain whether my contention is correct. In any case the writers explanation as to the method of registering an illegitimate child is incorrect, as the column on certificate for the name of the childs father should be left blank, and therefore whoever registered the child in question made a false declaration. I cannot, without further and more satisfactory information authorize the issue of separation allowance for this child. [..] please return the certificate [..] your reply, [..]

[11 is a deleted draft of the 20 July letter in slightly different wording].

[12 & 13] Conduct Sheet. Sackett, R J, B Coy, 29[?]th [..] Battn, Middlesex Rgt. Various offences of absent without leave and absent off pass at: Peckham 25.2.17, Park Royal 6.3.17, 8.4.17, 14.5.17, & 23.7.17, Rouen, 20.2.19, rank Dr, When ordered to turn out on transport duty did not do so, punishment 14 days CB.

[14] Medical history. Sackett, Robert John, b. Stratford, Essex. Examined [15 Jun 1915] at Ilford. Declared age 38y 24 days. Carman. Ht 5 ft 7 in. Wt 163 lbs. Slight defects: lower jaw a bit deflected. Joined on enlistment Northamptonshire Regt, regtl no 20063, transferred to Middx Regt, regtl no 83137, RASC, regtl no T/325693.

[15] Examined by No 1 Travelling Medical Board and placed in category CII, 12.12.16. Station or troopship: Ampthill, embarkation 21.11.16, disembarkation 28.12.16.

[16 & 17] Hospital admissions. Admitted 16.9.16, discharged 30.9.16, abscess. Days in hospital 15, [..] of Rt Axilla infected, subsequently breaking [..] abscess formation. Pers evacuated. Cause undetermined. Recovery. No disability. Was on active service.

[18] Answer to letter of 20 July 1915. From O/Commanding 3 Northamptonshire R[..], to O i/c Records, No 9 District, Warley. Gillingham, Kent, 22 July 1915. Re Minute 1 Pte R J Sackett has been interviewed and states [..] a friend of his wrote the letter [..] him. The whole thing was carefully ex[..] to him and he admitted that the Registration of the child is wrong. Column 4 on attached certificate—Declaration should have been—R J Sac[..] & in column 5 "formerly Hornby" should [..] been omitted. The only explanation he can offer is the ignorance of the person making the declaration.