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Name: REHM, Augustus George MC, PM, G.MSHL, PZ, GCSIB (Major)
Nee: Auguste Friederike Luise Rehm
Birth Date: 1865 Heligoland
Death Date: 12.4.1921 Nairobi, cerebral haemorrhage
First Date: 1899
Last Date: 1921
Profession: An officer with a commanding presence, being over 6 feet tall, he served with the Uganda Rifles in 1899. On retiring from Army joined EAP Survey Dept. & for many years was Office Superintendent and Storekeeper in Nairobi
Area: Entebbe, Nairobi
Married: In Manchester 1885 Mary Powell; 2 Elizabeth b. 1860, d. 2.3.1930 Nairobi
Children: August George (14 May 1890 Hartshead, Lancs.-25 Aug 1914 on active service in France); Herbert William (1.11.1899 Chorlton, Manchester-24.4.1968 Nairobi); Mabel (24.3.1898); Miss E.
Book Reference: Gillett, SE, HBEA, Barnes, EAHB 1905, North, Drumkey, CWGC, Advertiser, EAHB 1906, Gazette, Harmony, Barnes, EAHB 1907, Masonic, Leader14, Red Book 1912, Red 19
War Service: 2nd Batt. Manchester Regt; Uganda Rifles/ 4 KAR
General Information:
https://ourwar1915.wordpress.com/2017/08/26/9873-sergeant-august-george-rehm-2nd-battalion-the-manchester-regiment Re his son: 9873 Sergeant August George Rehm – 2nd Battalion, The Manchester Regiment Born at Hartshead in Lancashire on 14 May 1890, August was the son of 1070 Corporal August Rehm, of The Manchester Regiment, and Elizabeth Rehm, and was baptised at St John the Evangelist Parish Church in Hurst on 6 July.
August’s father, baptised Auguste Friederike Luise Rehm, had been born on Heligoland in 1865 and had been employed as a waiter at the Imperial Hotel in Belfast before moving to Higher Broughton. He attested for the 4th Militia Battalion of The Manchester Regiment, aged nineteen years and ten months, at the Regimental Depot in Ashton-under-Lyne on 2 May 1885. On 19 June August re-engaged as a regular soldier and was posted to the 1st Battalion on 3 October. He was drafted to the 2nd Battalion on 2 January 1886 and at the time of the birth of his son was serving at the Regimental Depot.
Having served at home and in India, August senior, who had held the rank of Colour-Sergeant for eight years, was posted on attachment to the Uganda Rifles on 9 November 1899. He returned to the Manchesters at the end of his posting and was stationed on Guernsey with the 2nd Battalion when he was discharged, on the completion of 21 years’ service, on 18 June 1906, aged 41 years and six months. Colour-Sergeant Rehm’s conduct during his military service was described as “exemplary” and he stated that he intended to seek employment in Nairobi as a clerk. He was evidently qualified, as he was described as a: “Very good clerk & accountant & good German scholar. Perfectly sober & thoroughly trustworthy. Manages East African natives with ability. Talks Swahili.”
August junior was aged fifteen years and six months when he attested on a Long Service Engagement for twelve years with The Manchester Regiment at the Regimental Depot in Ashton-under-Lyne on 5 March 1904. At the time of his enlistment, August was four feet, 11 5/8 inches tall and had attended the Albion School. Posted to the 2nd Battalion on Boy service, August was awarded his 3rd Class Certificate in Education on 25 May 1904, and passed his 2nd Class Certificate on 9 March 1905. Boy Rehm was awarded a Good Conduct Badge on 5 March 1906 and on 5 September, on reaching the aged of eighteen, became a Private. Appointed Lance-Corporal the following year, he lost his stripe on 31 December 1908 as a result of misconduct, but was re-appointed on 21 August 1909. Rehm was promoted to Corporal on 8 June 1910 and was awarded his Physical Training Certificate at Aldershot on 30 April 1911, and the following year attended a course in Transport Duties while stationed at Curragh Camp.
On 4 March 1913, Rehm was appointed a Staff Sergeant-Instructor and on 9 October was posted to the Regimental Depot, where he reverted to Lance-Sergeant. On 14 April 1914, he received promotion to the rank of Sergeant and on 15 May returned to the 2nd Battalion at the Curragh. He sailed for France on board the S.S. Buteshire from Dublin on 14 August and disembarked at Le Havre two days later. Sergeant Rehm was killed on 26 August while the 2nd Manchesters were in support of the 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment, holding positions on the right of the road between Montay and Reumont. Confirmation that he was amongst the dead was received by the Infantry Record Office at Preston on 5 September.
Preserved in his surviving service papers is an enquiry that The Record Office received on 10 September from Ireland regarding his fate:
“Miss Mollie Doyle
Monaghan’s View
Brownstown
Curragh Camp
Kildare
Sep: 8th 1914.
Sir,
Will you kindly give me some information regarding Sergt. A. G. Rehm, 2nd Manchester Regt. I have heard he is killed, but have seen no account.”
On 3 May 1915, the War Office instructed the Infantry Record Office at Preston that any personal effects of Sergeant Rehm should be forwarded to his father, Captain A. Rehm, who was at that time serving with the Director of the Surveyors’ Office of the Survey Department in Nairobi.
Following the institution of the 1914 Star, under Army Order 350 of 1917, Sergeant Rehm’s father, who by this time was a Paymaster with the East African Pay Corps in Nairobi, made an application for his late son’s medal on 28 March 1918. The clasp for August’s 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were received by his sister, Mabel, on 10 August 1922.
Sergeant August George Rehm has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial.