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.
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