Private Eric Higham a.k.a. Edward Higham, 1st Manchesters, Changi

[manchester48]

Hello Cliff

What a mine of info I found on Face Book last night following your lead on the Halifax 100. There is a whole thread on there with pics/info about the Canadian Manchesters. It also mentions Walter O'Hara being the first to enlist with the Manchester regt in 1938. I found a pic of Walter on the site and compared it to the POW group 2 pic and that's definitely him (no 24 back row right side).

Can't wait to see Mum and get her take on the pic. I have a strong gut feeling about Eric being one of the men on the same pic.  I do hope she will be able to point him out. She did exactly that with a pic of Uncle Albert from a full battalion photo 6 years ago. Fingers crossed.  Will let you know.

Margaret

[manchester48]

Hello Cliff

What a mine of information you are. I found masses of info last night on Facebook following your lead on the Halifax 100. The site has lots of photos/info which included a pic of Walter O'Hara and the fact that he was the first Canadian to enlist in the Manchester Regt. He is definitely No 24 on the POW group 2 pic.
I have a gut feeling about another man on that pic who could be Uncle Eric but I'm just hoping Mum can manage to definitely ID him.  Seeing her soon so will let you know the outcome. All fingers crossed

[rafboy]

So pleased for you Margaret, lets hope you can get Eric identified.  I was not aware of the Facebook Halifax 100 pages so you have helped me there, I will look it up later.
Cliff

[rafboy]

There are posts on the forum regarding The Halifax 100 @ http://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=107.0

If you use the forum search box and search on Halifax 100 more pages come up.

Cliff

[manchester48]

Hello Cliff

Wonderful news.  Mum has positively identified Uncle Eric on the pic you sent me. I had a strong gut feeling myself when I looked at the pics last night because there was a definite family resemblance from old pics I have of the Higham's. She has positively identified the man on the 4th row down, 5th man sitting from the left - the surly looking man with the angry face as Uncle Eric Higham. She said he looked filled with hate and had lost weight- which he does and had?  Not surprised. She was shocked when I told her where he was and who had taken the pics but was thrilled to have seen him and talked about him for over an hour.  She was really animated today. Talked about him coming back home with Walter Ernest O'Hara and both lodging at my grandparent's home in Gorton.  That's where Walter met Aunty Emily. They married and he returned to Canada - Emily following a year later where they both lived - in ? Nova Scotia then New Brunswick - until their deaths. My Aunty jean (the youngest sibling) visited them a couple of times over the years.
I shall check the forum for the Halifax 100. Thanks for the tip. The Halifax 100 thread on Facebook is extremely informative and filled with photo's of Canadian Manchesters. I shall also check the link you gave me for the Arthur Lane book.
I can't thank you, and other chaps on this forum for all the help and information you have provided for me.  I never dreamed last week I would receive all this in such a short time. You are all wonderful for sharing your knowledge & information with me. Its been an emotional time for me as I had given up hoping ever finding anything out about him at all  :'(
Bless you all. 

[sphinx]

Margaret,

If you email a request to the following address, asking for an "Enlistment Book check", quoting the Army number and surname of your 2 relatives they will be able to provide you with more information about them from their entries in a large journal that was made when they enlisted.

[email protected]

regards

[manchester48]

Hi Sphinx. 

Thanks for that.  Will definitely e-mail them. Any personal information they may have recorded will be most welcome. 

I was in the museum a few years ago trying to find out about Uncle Albert in the 2nd Regt. Following advice from them his daughter requested and received his war service record. I went onto their website last week to check opening hours so I could ask about the 1st Regt only to find they are closed until June 2016 for refurbishment 

Will hope your tip is a short cut to finding out more.

I have to keep pinching myself to ensure I'm not dreaming all this.  Sounds sad but it means so much to learn about family members I never knew.

Margaret

[rafboy]

It's only the Museum that is closed Margaret.  The Archive is open.
Cliff

[manchester48]

I've e-mailed the archive Sphinx & Cliff.  Look forward to their reply.

Margaret

[manchester48]

Sphinx

A speedy reply from Tameside Archives as follows:

Thank you for your enquiry.

'Unfortunately the enlistment books for this period contain very little information on each individual.  I have scanned the pages for both Edward and Albert Higham so that you can see what information is there. I note that both have been discharged under Para 390 (XVI) of the King’s Regulations- this simply means ‘ceasing to fulfil Army physical requirements’

The scans confirmed their attestation and discharge dates anyhow which is worth knowing. Oh well, it was worth a try Sphinx. I already knew Uncle Albert had been discharge unfit as I think he 'lost the plot' at Kohima poor man. Goodness only know what state of mind Uncle Eric (Edward) arrived back in.

Regards

Margaret

[manchester48]

Hello Gentlemen

Just a note to thank you for all your assistance, advice, pictures and information you have given me in my endeavour to find my uncle. You have given me the chance to feel connected to a man I didn't know and to be proud of the soldier he was. Very best wishes to you all. And if you don't have a medal already then you deserve one.

Margaret

[themonsstar]

Hi Margaret

Here are some bits I will have a look around my files to see if I have anymore for you.

[manchester48]

Hello Roy

Many many thanks for the information you have given me from your files.  Very much appreciated. The information for Walter O'Hara has thrown up a connection with the possible name of his lady friend he had on enlistment. The info on Edward does seem to have highlighted a couple of anomalies though.

1. When Sphinx provided me with Edward's (birth name Eric as I know him) army number and enlistment address in Preston I was puzzled as to why he would be in Preston when I thought he lived in Manchester.

2. Also on your record for Edward it states the same Army No. and his religion as R.C. when all the Highams were CoE. (except for a couple of sisters who converted before marriage)

3. Again on your record for Edward is his Mother living at the Preston address when his mother lived at 15 Laurence St, Gorton!!!!! 

I'm thinking we have the wrong man here although my Uncle Eric (Edward) has been positively identified on a group picture Cliff (rafboy) sent me taken in Changi.

So we have my uncle identified but possibly the wrong details. I don't suppose you have an Eric Higham in your files just in case he was using his birth name? I believe he also called himself "Teddy".

Not sure where I go from here. Why did men change their names for goodness sake!!!  Makes our job a mite tougher when researching. 

Once again thank you for posting the doc's.

Cheers

Margaret

[sphinx]

Margaret,

There is another possibility.

3529518 E. HIGHAM.  I have a note that he was from Gorton, Manchester.

regards

[manchester48]

Oh Sphinx, you're a gem!!!  I thought something was odd when you gave me the last number.  Didn't know anything about Eric and wondered what he was doing in Preston but, hey, it could have been him.

This sounds as though we have the right one. Thank you so much.  The hunt goes on.

Onwards & Upwards as they say. 

Bless you