Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Sergeant Faulkner passed through Peterborough East Station on 23 August 1916.  He was serving with the Northamptonshire Yeomanry and was stationed at Trusthorpe Hall Camp, Mablethorpe, Lincs.  He wrote in the visitors’ book:

“When war is on and dangers nigh
God and the soldiers people cry
when war is oe’r and things are righted
God is forgotten and the soldiers slighted”

Sergeant Faulkner’s service record has not survived, so we cannot positively identify him, but we think he may be Nathan Faulkner (or Falkner – as the spelling varies) who was born on 16 April 1894, in Great Bowden, Leicestershire to parents William Wall Faulkner, a postman, and Florence (nee Underwood).  In 1901 Nathan (6) was living with his parents and two older sisters, Florrie (10) and Ivy (9) at Logan Street, Great Bowden, Market Harborough.  The family were living at 101 Logan Street in 1911 and Nathan was a shop assistant at a corn merchants.

From Nathan’s medal card we know that he enlisted in 1914 and served in France from 6 November 1914.  He was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals and the 1914 Star and Clasp.  He also saw service in Italy, as an article in the Northampton Mercury of 10 January 1919 reports that “Sergt Nathan Falkner, of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry, son of Mr and Mrs W W Falkner, of Logan Street, Market Harborough, has gained the Italian Croix de Guerre for distinguished services on the Italian front.”  This was also reported in the London Gazette on 17 May 1919.

It is probable that Nathan was with the 1/1st Battalion Northamptonshire Yeomanry, which landed in France on 4 November 1914.  In May 1916 they became the VI Corps Cavalry Regiment and sailed for Italy on 10 November 1917 becoming the XIV Corps Cavalry Regiment.  On 18 April 1918 they became British GHQ in Italy before becoming XIV Corps Cavalry Regiment again in October 1918. http://www.1914-1918.net/northantsyeo.htm

Nathan married Ethel M Page in Market Harborough in the winter of 1923 and they had a daughter, Joan, born in 1925.  In 1939, the family were living at 144 Rothwell Road, Kettering.  Nathan was a corn merchant’s manager.  Nathan died in Kettering in November 1985, aged 91.

Is Sergeant Faulkner’s story familiar?  Was he a member of your family?  Please get in touch if you can tell us more.