Harold Sedgwick was my grandfather in law. But it was not the name he used when he arrived in Australia in 1903. He was Claude Harold Annesley. Son of Hon Arthur Annesley and Ellen Jennings, or so he said.
He enlisted in AIF in World War 1 and indicated that he had served 3 years in Boer War. The only problem was there was no-one called Claude Annesley in the Boer War, there was of course Hon Arthur Annesley. He married, had children, left them, went to New Zealand bigamously married twice, and was a pathological liar.
He died in 1961, probably safe in the knowledge that his past died with him. But his ashes would turn to stone if he knew what his granddaughter eventually researched and found the truth. To have to reveal to a family that they were not who they thought they were was difficult.
What made him steal an identity and board a ship for Australia? He stole over 2000 pounds in Natal in 1902. He was 19 and a 2nd Lieut in the Prince of Wales Regiment then in the Army Service Corp. Any information was only sourced through a Military researcher, as he was court Martial and stripped of his commission and medals. As was the custom his records were destroyed. His case was referred to the King, who authorised the forfeiture. Those transcripts were in the National Archives. Like all the different ancestors, his story has been told in a factual narrative. His can be found at
www.annesleysedgwick.blogspot.com.au
There were so many brave men who fought in the wars in South Africa, including my 2nd cousin in the Zulu Wars, but perhaps there is a lesson in this, Kris Herron
