William Edward DATLEN William Arthur DATLEN Ernest Sidney DATLEN Beatrice Victoria A DATLEN Ellen Marjorie PONT Bertha Winifred DATLEN Florence Elsie DATLEN Adelaide Rosine GURNEY Mini tree diagram

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Reginald Edward DATLEN

1900 - 16th Dec 1963

Tram Conductor

Life History

1900

Born in Dover, Kent, UK.

1901

Resident in 52 Longfield Road, Dover, Kent, England.1

1911

Occupation School

1911

Resident in 23 Tower Hamlets, Kent, England

1915

Occupation Tram Conductor

1915

Physical description Height: 5 ft 2 in; Weight: 100lbs; Chest: 32.5 in; Brown hair andbrown eyes

1915

Resident in 8 Maison Dieu Place, Dover, Kent, England

1930

Married Ellen Marjorie PONT in Chartham, Kent, England

16th Dec 1963

Died in Canterbury, Kent, England

Other facts

 

Buried in Chartham, Kent, UK.

Notes

  • Reginald Edward Datlen - Private 3906 - East Kent Regiment

    Born: 1900
    Father: William Edward Datlen
    Mother: Adeline (Adelaid) Rosine Gurney

    On the second day of October 1915, Reginald Edward Datlen signed up tojoin The Buffs. He was under age at 15 years old, but like many otheryoung boys his age, keen to fight for his country, he lied about hisage declaring that he was 19 years old.

    His enlistment papers show that he was born in Dover, Kent, hisaddress was 8 Maison Dieu Place, Dover and that he was a Tramconductor. His physical development was described as fair, 5 feet and2 inches in height, weighed 100lbs with a chest measurement of 32.5inches with a range of expansion of 2.5 inches. He had 6/6 vision andit was noted that he had a vaccination mark on his left arm which wasmade in infancy.

    Reginald was posted to B Company, 3/4 Battalion, East Kent Regiment on12th October 1915 stationed at Crowborough Camp. No further mention ismade in his documents until 30th May 1916. His mother Adelaide wastrying to claim her son from the Army on account that he lied abouthis age. She writes this poignant letter:-

    Sir,

    In answer to yours, I still wish to claim my son out. His father isdead and my other 2 sons are away [This will be William Arthur Datlenand Ernest Sidney Datlen]. One is a British Prisoner of war [ProbablyErnest Sidney Datlen].  I have been very ill for 10 months withchronic ulsers on my legs and my eldest daughter [Beatrice VictoriaDatlen, Queenie?] has been under the Dr 6 months with Anemia and tomake things worse we have lately been the victims of an air raid.  Iam not able to work as I have had to do for years. 9 Years next July Ihave been left to bring up 6 children so you may be sure I have had avery hard struggle and I am afraid I am done for.

    Trusting you will do your best for me.

    I remain respectfully.
    Adelaide Datlen.

    This letter was met with a response from Major Messel :-

    Mrs Datlen,

    In reply to your letter attached will you please attach birthcertificate of your son and forward the two direct to the officer incharge, Records. T.F. Holly Grove, Staines Road, Hounslow.

    ? Messel, Major
    Commanding 3/4 Bn The Buffs
    Crowborough
    1st June 1916

    Adelaide sent the birth certificate as requested and on 8th July 1916Reginald was discharged. His discharge record gives furtherdescriptive remarks that he had a fresh complexion with brown eyes andbrown hair. He was discharged as a consequence of "having made amis-statement of age on enlistment" under paragraph 392.VI.a of theKings Regulations. His military and general character was described asvery good. Reginald served a total of 281 days with The Buffs.

    Three years later on 20th August 1919 Reginald enlisted into the RoyalAir Force. RA.F. Number - 334318

    Reginald went on to marry Helen Marjorie Pont in 1930, they had a sonLeslie Alan Datlen in 1931. He died in 1963 and is buried in Chartham,Canterbury, Kent.

Sources

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