CURTIS JOHN MACHIN 1900–1983

Photograph courtesy of family

Born 22nd January 1900 at the family farm, The Elms in Bassingfield, Nottinghamshire, baptised St. Peter’s Church Tollerton.

Married in 1926 to Mary Holbrook, two children, John born 1929 and Susan born 1939.

Died September 1983 in Leicestershire.

1901 Census

Age 1 living at Bassingfield with father John Parkin Machin 31, a farmer, mother Rebecca nee Fisher 27, sister Ella 2, a nurse, Sarah Bingham 14, a nurse/domestic and a farm servant Lydia Gent 17 and William Askew 16.

1911 Census

Age 11 living at Bassingfield with parents, brothers Richard 9 and Frank 7, and another sister Kathleen 5, also a domestic servant Ruth Buckley 18 and a farm servant Daniel Johnson 23.

Military Service

Rank: Corporal

Service number: 59336

Military Unit: 5th Reserves (3/5th) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

22.1.18: Enlisted

Height 5ft 10ins, weight 144lbs, hair brown, eyes brown, complexion fresh, teeth good

16.3.18: Medical exam, age given as 18 years 54 days.

28.6.18: Posted to 5th Reserves Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment at Sutton on Sea

4.12.18: At Sutton on Sea. Disciplinary note re laughing on parade

6.12.18: Extract from Part II orders noting he was in 484th Agricultural Company, Derby

25.1.19: Returned to 5th Reserves, South Staffs from 484 Agr. Company

12.3.19: Posted to 3rd Bn. South Staffordshire, Hightown, Liverpool

14.7.19: Posted temporary corporal for army of occupation to complete establishment

27.10.19: Demobilized

Medals Awarded

Unable to find medal record. His service details indicate that he did not serve abroad during the war period.

He was temporarily attached to the 484th Agricultural Company, along with Frank Rozee from Radcliffe on Trent, (their names appear together on the same document in service records).  We cannot find any evidence to establish whether he then went on to join the British Army on the Rhine.

Following the armistice, the British Army entered German territory on 3rd December 1918 and the British Army of the Rhine was established as the occupying force in March 1919.

1921 Census

Address: Cattal Grange, York

Employment: helping father on farm

Household: father John, farmer, mother Rebecca, brothers Richard and Frank, all working on farm

1939 Register

Address: Westwood, Ollerton Road, East Retford, Notts.

Occupation: farmer

Household: living with wife Mary and two other people (records officially closed)