TOPIC:

Born at Richmond, Surrey, on 4th October 1879, his birth registration has his full name as being Reginald Aubrey Robert Hylton Eskell, but the death certificate omits Hylton.

....The death occurred suddenly on Easter Sunday of Mr. Reginald Aubrey Eskell, eldest son of the late Mr. L. B. Eskell, who practised as a dentist at 13, Circus, Bath. Deceased had not been in good health for some time, but his death was not expected. He was educated at the old Hermitage School, Lansdown, and at Trinity College, Stratford-on-Avon. He went to South Africa, and during the South African War served in the Rhodesian Mounted Rifles. Many years ago he proceeded from South Africa to America, and resided at Martinsville, Virginia, U.S.A., where he passed away. He leaves a widow but no family. Mr. Eskell has more than once re-visited the homeland, his last trip across the Atlantic being since the Great War in which he could not take part owing to physical unfitness. He was about 49 years of age.
Bath Chronicle, Saturday 6th April 1929

The death certificate - images.findagrave.com/photos/2015/236/62526216_1440531322.jpg

He's interred at Oakwood Cemetery, Martinsville.

Hello Berenice
Not much about Reg on the medal rolls.
He served in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles.
Service number 2510
Looks like he was awarded a Transvaal clasp. No other detail on the roll dated 31st December 1902. Maritzburg. There is another document regarding his desertion in 1901 aged 22. However, Ancestry require more pennies for opening that file.

As found in Find My Past.......

First name(s) Reginald Aubrey Robert
Last name Eskell
Service number 2510
Rank Private
Regiment Johannesburg Mounted Rifles
Rolls WO100/253
Year 1899-1902
Biography -
Country Great Britain
Record set Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902
Category Military Service & Conflict
Subcategory Boer Wars
Collections from Great Britain, UK None

Mike

O ho! Desertion didn't get mentioned in the obituary. He must have kept quiet about that when he went to America.

I was intrigued with Mr Eskell and have been doing a little more digging and found out the following: -

It looks like he didn’t stay too long in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles.
I think I have found him in the RMLI
His desertion states he was a Private in the Royal Marine Light Infantry HMS Excellent.
His desertion date is circa March 1901. I have him on the 1901 census dated the 31st of March 1901 with reference to HMS Hero.

He certainly liked to travel and his 1st trip to the USA was circa 1909/10
He made regular trips to England and returned to the US to live. He married in the UK in 1920 and travelled with his wife Daisy Sarah (nee Culverhouse) across the pond on a couple of occasions. His profession was a sign writer and then a salesman. 1917-18 he was living in Kansas, 1918 has him in Chicago. I also found some paperwork pertaining to US residents serving in the BEF 1917-18 and a WW1 draft registration card. No detail on him ever serving in WW1.
His death certificate is very hard to read but I could make out he died suddenly without medical attendance. Pulmonary is mentioned and I can make out Tuberculosis, the writing is very poor to transcribe. But does fit in with his medical condition for further military service.


Medal Roll

Desertion Paper

1901 Census

Reginald & Daisy Eskell

Well done, Dave. He couldn't have been silly enough to join the JMR using the same name after deserting from the RMLI, so the JMR must have come first, right?