Family History, Wetjen Chart 0200 Harry Basil Wetjen, Helen Joan Schofield, Agnes Hewitt and William (Bill) Baxter

1901 29-31 Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Surrey. Henry WETJEN aged 36 a General Draper born Croydon, Surrey. Harriet B WETJEN aged 29 Milliner born America (British Subject), then Harry B WETJEN aged 6 born Walthamstow, Essex, followed by Dorothy MARRIOTT Cousin aged 19 a Draper's Assistant born Walthamstow, Essex, They has two servants a Millicent E RICKARDE aged 19 a Draper's Assistant born Winterbourne, Gloucestershire and a Gertrude STEPHENSON aged 23 a Domestic Servant born Bury? Leicestershire. 1911 St Saviour's College Ardingly Haywards Heath, Sussex/ (too many students to list them all) 1923 50074 Cambridge T???, Hyde Park (address at marriage) Father Henry WETJEN - Draper 1939 530 Davidson Road, Croydon, Surrey. Frank YOUNG born 3rd February 1897 Clocking Collector Salesman, A.R.P Stretcher Driver, Margarette YOUNG born 15th September 1910 Unpaid Domestic, Harry N WETJEN born 29th October 1894 Gardener Stretcher Party - South Norwood. He is down as married and I have found his first marriage and also his wife on the 1939 Census in Croydon but not living with him. 1941 UK WWII Civil Defence Gallantry Awards 1940-1949 WETJEN Harry Basil - 47 years Stretcher Party Leader 530 Davidson Road Croydon Stretcher Party Service - Croydon 1 and 2 third years Civil Occupation: Horticultural Specialist Bravery in Rescue work, South Norwood, on night of 16th April 1941 Recommended by Croydon Town Clerk. No. 5 (London) Regional Commissioner recommends: Cpmmendation dated 25.6.41. Documents (1) Report by Stretcher Party Commandant CASE CONSIDERED BY COMMITTEE: 194 . RECOMMENDATION: TREASURY RECOMMENDATION: GAZETTED: 194. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Report by Stretcher Pary Commandant. On the night of Wednesday, April 16th, we were sent to Macclesfield Road, South Norwood. It was nasty overhead, the enemy were dropping bombs all around us, and there were such a number of flares falling that it was like day. As we approached the scene of the incident, we noticed a house very badly damaged, the upper storey and roof were merely held up by a few weak timbers, which were liable with the weight of the roof to collapse at any moment. After reporting to the Warden in Charge, our Squad of four proceeded to this building; Mr. Wetjen climbed through an open window followed by Mr. Boulden, whilst Mr Curtis and I, hearing there were casualties within, went for stretchers. Inside there was a deadly leakage of coal-gas, and the first casualty to be removed by my two plucky pals was a woman who was unfortunately dead. There two men immediately returned to rescue a man who was trapped by immovable beams and debris. After some time in this bad atmosphere, Mr. Boulden had to come out into the fresh air as he was overcome by gas. All this time, regardless of his dangerous position, Mr. Wetjen remained lying beside and encouraging the casualty. He was greatly hindered in his work by falling debris; in the meantime the Rescue Squad arrived and Mr Boulden's place was taken by one of the party. Mr Wetjen had already succeeded in getting his casualty on to a stretcher and whilst he and the Rescue man were passing him through the window the Rescue man collapsed inside, and was supported by Mr Wetjen until help came. After clearing up the incident and reporting to the Incident Officer, we returned through the "Blitz" which was still very heavy to our Depot. Looking back on this Incident I feel I must say that I have never seen finer rescue work carried out with such care and bravery as was performed by Mr. Wetjen that night. (Sd.) C Entiwistle Commandant A.F. Coomber Squard Leader. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1939 172 Hyde Park Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Philip H DeGRUCHY born 29th April 1909 Pre-Payment Gas Meter Collector, Special Constable. Jessie E DeGRUCHY born 4th July 1909 Unpaid Domestic Duties, then one record officially closed followed by Agnes HEWITT (later BAXTER) and the (WETTEN -sic) born 13th March 1912 Ships Hair Dresser Laconia, Discharged Sept 3rd 1939 R.1635 1911 104 Norton Street, Liverpool, Lancashire. John BAXTER aged 31 an Engine Fitter Shipping born Liverpool, Lancashire, Jane BAXTER aged 29 down as having been married 11 years and having had 4 children all of whom survive at the date of this Census, she was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, Children Agnes aged 10 School born Liverpool, Lancashire, Jessie aged 6 School born Liverpool, Lancashire William aged 4 born Liverpool, Lancashire and Daniel aged 1 born Liverpool, Lancashire There is a death of a William BAXTER on the CGWC Web Site on 3rd November 1940 he was 33 and a Steward on H.M.S LAURENTIC Naval Auxliary Personnel (Merchant Navy) He was commemorated at Liverpool Naval Memorial, Lanacashire memorial Reference Panel 15 Column 2. Assuming that Agnes's first husband died before she married Harry Basil WETJEN this seems the most likely William BAXTER. She married him in Liverpool and that was where his memorial is and on the 1939 Agnes was Ships Hairdresser in Portsmouth, so I would think that she must have known him in 1939 and they were at that time both possibly on the same ship. Note An Anthony WETJEN, son of Harry and Agnes contacted me on 9th May 2020 asking about the connection back to the WALLER family. On 10th May 2020 I was able to connect him to my family and tell him that we were indeed fourth cousins. The above chart was added on that day. Anthony also wrote the following on 10th May 2020 confirming I think that I have the right William BAXTER found on the CGWC site above. My mother Agnes, A.K.A Diane was employed by Cunard White Star Line back in the thirties and she travelled all over the Globe on cruise ships as well as serving her time on R.M.S Queen Mary. That life all ended with WW2. Mum met a young Petty Officer when she was with Cunard and they decided to get married after war broke out as he was to be conscripted to sail with the Arctic Convoys. The Guy's name was William ( Bill ) Baxter, they had only been married maybe for a month or so when mum got the telegram. The ship had gone down with the loss of all Hands! Later on in the War Mum volunteered for the Civil Defence in South Croydon. At that Station there was an older Guy named Harry Basil Wetjen. In 1943 Mum and H.B.W. got married and I was born in 1946. Dad had served in The Great War and had been wounded a couple of times but joined the Civil Defence in W.W.2. Details of the HMS LAURENTIC (F51) Name HMS Laurentic (F 51) Type: Armed Merchant Cruiser Tonnage 18,724 tons (one of the largest ships sunk). Completed 1927 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast Owner The Admiralty Homeport Liverpool Date of attack 3 Nov 1940 Nationality: British Fate Sunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer) Position 54° 09'N, 13° 44'W - Grid AM 4796 Complement 417 (49 dead and 368 survivors). Convoy Route Liverpool (18 Oct) - Patrol area Cargo History Completed in November 1927 as steam passenger ship Laurentic for White Star Ltd (Oceanic Steam Navigation Co), Liverpool. On 3 Oct 1932, she and the British steam merchant Lurigethan were damaged in a collision in the Belle Isle Strait. 1934 transferred to Cunard White Star Ltd, Liverpool. On 18 Aug 1935, the Laurentic was rammed in fog by the Napier Star in the Irish Sea. Six crew members were killed. In December 1935 laid up at Birkenhead, but used in September 1936 for one voyage as troop transport to Palestine. In April 1938 again laid up at Southampton and later transferred to Falmouth. On 26 Aug 1939, requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to the armed merchant cruiser HMS Laurentic (F 51) until 15 October. Notes on event At 21.40 hours on 3 Nov 1940, U-99 torpedoed the unescorted Casanare west of Bloody Foreland. Her distress messages brought the armed merchant cruisers HMS Laurentic (F 51) (Capt E.P. Vivian (Retired), RN) and HMS Patroclus (Capt G.C. Wynter (Retired), RN) to the scene and the U-boat began a dramatic battle at 22.50 hours when the first torpedo struck the engine room of HMS Laurentic (F 51) from a distance of 1500 metres. At 23.28 hours, a second torpedo hit the vessel, but did not explode. A third torpedo was fired at 23.37 hours from a distance of 250 metres into the hole opened by the first torpedo, at this time the lookouts spotted the U-boat on the surface and Kretschmer had a hard time in evading the gunfire. In the meantime, HMS Patroclus began picking up survivors instead of participating in the fight against the U-boat and her lookouts did not see U-99 only 300 metres away. A first torpedo struck the ship at 00.02 hours, a second at 00.22 hours and a third at 00.44 hours. 14 minutes later, the U-boat opened fire with the deck gun and hit with two of the four fired rounds, before Kretschmer had again to evade the gunfire and hit her with a fourth torpedo at 01.18 hours. After that, U-99 searched for the Casanare to give the crew time for reloading the torpedo tubes, but only found two lifeboats at her position and questioned the survivors, the vessel had foundered in the meantime. At 02.39 hours, a Sunderland flying boat suddenly appeared over the U-boat, which had to dive, but no bombs were dropped. At 04.04 hours, the U-boat surfaced after reloading the torpedoes, went back to the auxiliary cruisers at high speed and fired at 04.53 hours a coup de grâce from a distance of 250 metres at HMS Laurentic (F 51). The torpedo struck the stern and ignited the depth charges stored there, causing the ship to sink by the stern within minutes. Two officers and 47 ratings were lost. Around this time a destroyer was spotted and Kretschmer had to sink HMS Patroclus in a short time. A fifth torpedo at 05.16 hours had no significant effect, but the sixth torpedo at 05.25 hours broke the ship in two, the stern capsized and the bow sank slowly. The commander, six officers and 49 ratings were lost. After that, U-99 was attacked by HMS Hesperus (H 57) (LtCdr D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN), but the destroyer soon left the U-boat to pick up the commander, 51 officers and 316 ratings from HMS Laurentic (F 51). 33 officers and 330 ratings from HMS Patroclus were picked up by HMS Beagle (H 30) (LtCdr R.H. Wright, RN) and landed at Greenock. One of the member of crew shown as William Baxter NAP (R1090087). British Born 17 Jun 1907 Liverpool Died 3 Nov 1940 (33) 1911 12 Harcourt Avenue, Manor Park, East Ham, Essex. John Henry SCHOFIELD aged 36 a Salesman Cotton Merchant born Manchester, Lancashire, Helen SCHOFIELD aged 34 down as having been married 9 years and having had 3 children all of whom survive at the date of this Census, she was born in Manchester, Lancashire, Children Nellie (this is Helen Joan) aged 8 born Manor Park, Essex, John aged 5 born Manor Park, Essex and Eric aged 4 born Manor Park, Essex 1923 4 Beckford Road, Woodside, Croydon, Surrey (address at marriage) Father John SCHOFIELD - Warehouseman 1939 96A George Street, Croydon, Surrey. John GILLIES born 12th May 1909 Radio Salesman, next person crossed through but was down as Phyllis GILLIS (later SIMPKIN and the GOULD) born 6th December 1911 Unpaid Domestic Duties, followed by Joan WETJEN born 27th May 1904 Club Hostess They had a daughter and a son (no details about this family other than it was Anthony who contacted me about this family and is therefore a living person so do not put on details, however the research has shown that he is a fourth cousin of myself John Charles TERRY and my sister Jean Kathleen WHEATON née TERRY through the WALLER line 1939 Taunton School Staplegrove Rd, Taunton, Somerset (Too many pupils to list) The had a daughter and a son They had three children born between 1955 and 1959

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This is a Chart for Harry Basil Wetjen, Helen Joan Schofield, Agnes Hewitt and William (Bill) Baxter