Bill Dagg

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Biography

William James DAGG was born on 24 Jul 1902 in Chiswick, London Middlesex, at 102 Duke Road. I was told by my mother Irene Pearce that he ran away to sea at 15 when his father died because he "couldn't stand being in a house full of women" He was serving aboard the "Emma" on the 9 March 1918 as a cook when she entered the French port of Callais. ************************************** His medal card shows authority to wear the British War Medal ribbon and the Mercantile Marine Medal ribbon was authorised on 20 March 1920. On the 5 October 1921, the authority to wear the British War Medal (and clasp) and the Mercantil Marine Medal were added. (I have the medals in my possession). The next pieces of the puzzle are photographs taken in the early 1920s. The writing just above the inscription "Billie" is "Central Koln - the German name for the town of Cologne. It is most likely that he was serving in the army of the Allied Occupation of the Rhineland. The next interesting document is a certificate of Qualification of Fireman Examiner or Deputy (Coal Mines Act 1911) This certifies that William James Dagg residing at 11 Abergwawr ? Place, Aberaman near Mertha Tydfil has been duly examined (etc) and it is dated 26th April 1926. The United Kingdom General Strike of 1926 lasted 9 days, from 3 May to 12 May 1926, and it is likely that he was either "one of the middle class scabs" or, more likely, a member of the military forces who kept things running during the strike and afterwards. I have been unable to find out which if either version is true. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_General_Strike_1926) In any case, this is undoubtedly how he met and married Rachel HINTON in 1925 in Merthyr Tydfil District. The family must have then moved back to the London area because his second son, William T DAGG, was born in 1927 in Kensington. The next document is a military identity card dated 9 December 1941 Number M 475235. His rank was 2nd Lt in the 8a Middlesex Battallion of the Home Guard. He was living at 13 Thornfield Road Shepherds Bush. By 1945, an Extract of Army Order 32/1945 Territorial Army and Airforce Association of the County of Middlesex, reference L.28:(H.R) 7th Ba/E Coy granted him the honary rank of Captain upon disbandment of the Home Guard. The notification dated 4th November 1946, was addressed to 13 Thornfield Road W2. The same address he gave when he registered his mother's death in 1932 I have quite a deal of documentation about William James in my possesion, but each piece seems to pose more questions than it answers! In late 1945 he is documented in Alexandria in Egypt, where he has a military pass permitting him to enter the docks with camera equipment. His occupation is listed as a film construction manager, but the typed text says "William James Dagg - naval photographer". This fact, although startling enough on its own, should be viewed in light of the extremely unstable political situation in Egypt at the time - 2 years before the start of the Suez Crisis and the same time as the up-risings in Cairo. He was obviously on a film set because I have a picture of him dressed up as a centurian - presumably he was doubling up as an extra! I have done some research and the 1945 J Arthur Rank British film production Ceasar and Cleopatra seems to be a strong candidate for the film being shot. Living in Shepherds Bush as he did, he was close to the film studios of the day, so maybe that's how he got the job? Then another photograph from the same time period, together with the phrase "naval photographer" puts a possible different interpretation on his time in Egypt. He is shown dining with several Egyptian military types - there do not appear to be any other europeans present. My parents met around 1954 but both were already married so when I was born my mother Irene Pearce Wood (Dagg) put the name of her 1st husband Edward Wood on my birth certificate as father. However I grew up knowing William James was my birth father and in 2018 a DNA test proved a direct link to his mother Martha Snoad and to his Uncle Sydney Dagg

Biography pictures William James Dagg. Born 24 Jul 1902. Chiswick, Middlesex, England. ^[1][2][3][4]

Died 6th Nov 1968. Billericay, Essex, England. ^[5] Could not interpret date in Death Date (6th Nov 1968).

Marriage Jun 1925. Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire. ^[6]

Residence Relation to Head of House: Son. 02 Apr 1911. Kingston on Thames, Surrey, England. ^[7] 1939 Hammersmith, London, England. ^[8][9] 1958 Wickford, Essex, England. ^[10] 1947 Hammersmith, England. ^[11] 1946 Hammersmith, England. ^[12] 1935 Hammersmith, England. ^[13] 1955 Wembley South, England. ^[14] 1934 Hammersmith, England. ^[15][16] 1948 Hammersmith, England. ^[17] 1929 St Marylebone, England. ^[18] 1936 Hammersmith, England. ^[19] 1945 Hammersmith, England. ^[20] 1932 Hammersmith, Middlesex, England. ^[21][22] 29 Cornwall Rd., Rachel Dagg also registered. 1930 Paddington, England. ^[23] 1937 Hammersmith, England. ^[24] 52 Goldbourne Rd. Vivian Harris also registered at the same address. 1927 Kensington, England. ^[25]

Military Service: 1914-1925^[26]

Marriage Husband William Bristow Dagg. Wife Martha Elizabeth Snoad. Child: William James Dagg. Marriage 17 Mar 1894. St John the Evangelist, Westminster, ST GEORGE HANOVER SQUARE. ^[27]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S-541768578
2. ↑ Source: #S-541768577
3. ↑ Source: #S-541768573 Class: RG14; Piece: 3498; Schedule Number: 94
4. ↑ Source: #S-541768570
5. ↑ Source: #S-541768570
6. ↑ Source: #S-541767688
7. ↑ Source: #S-541768573 Class: RG14; Piece: 3498; Schedule Number: 94
8. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
9. ↑ Source: #S-541768580
10. ↑ Source: #S-541768584
11. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
12. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
13. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
14. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
15. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
16. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
17. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
18. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
19. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
20. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
21. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
22. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
23. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
24. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
25. ↑ Source: #S-541777684
26. ↑ Source: #S-541768578
27. ↑ Source: #S-541768573 Class: RG14; Piece: 3498; Schedule Number: 94

• Source: S-541767512 Repository: #R-1046341584 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=75634954&pid=3
• Repository: R-1046341584 Ancestry.com
• Source: S-541767688 Repository: #R-1046341584 England & Wales, Marriage Index, 1916-2005 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc
• Source: S-541768570 Repository: #R-1046341584 England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
• Source: S-541768573 Repository: #R-1046341584 1911 England Census Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• Source: S-541768577 Repository: #R-1046341584 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 FreeBMD Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
• Source: S-541768578 Repository: #R-1046341584 Web: UK, Campaign Medals Awarded to WWI Merchant Seamen, 1914-1925 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• Source: S-541768580 Repository: #R-1046341584 UK, City and County Directories, 1766 - 1946 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• Source: S-541768584 Repository: #R-1046341584 British Phone Books, 1880-1984 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
• Source: S-541777684 Repository: #R-1046341584 London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.