Private Oliver Stewart Eland

Born between Oct - Dec 1868, in Stourbridge, Worcestershire Oliver was the son of the Reverend Richard Eland and his wife, Adelaide. In the census of 1871 when Oliver was aged two, his parents had ten other children, whose ages ranged from 18 years down to the youngest aged 4 months. The family had one servant called Sarah Launders. They were living at number 15 Kidderminster Street, in Stourbridge.

By 1881 the Eland family was living at Wesley House, 1 Church Street, Staffordshire and Oliver’s father was employed at the Wesleyan Minister at Bilston in the south-eastern corner of Wolverhampton.

By 1891, Oliver and his brother Frank were living with their mother at 57 Doddington Grove, Southwark. Both the young men were now working and records show Oliver contributing 10 shillings per week ( 50p in modern money ) to his mother. His older brother may have been earning less, as his share of the family rent was just 5 shillings and 6 pence (around 27p today).

The 1901 census showed Oliver and three of his siblings still living at the same address with their elderly mother. The Eland boys had obviously been educated to a good standard, as they both had responsible jobs. Oliver was employed as a stockbroker and his brother, Frank, was a Marine Insurance Clerk.

Circumstances must have changed during the intervening decade, for by 1911 Oliver had moved away from home and was boarding with a family called Davy at 2 Irving Grove, Stockwell. His occupation was then listed as a Gas Governer Maker/Seller. This appears to have involved some sort of valve system designed to control the flow or pressure of gas – possibly for lighting or heating equipment.

Oliver enlisted as an army private in April 1915. Following the introduction of conscription in 1916, the reserve units of regiments were designated as battalions of the Training Reserve. Oliver became one of around 208,500 men within the TR and was a member of the 10th battalion, 105th Training Reserve. He and his comrades were not allocated to a particular local unit when posted but were deployed where necessary. Rather than distinct regimental cap badges and shoulder titles, they wore a large General Service button and red disc on their uniform cap and shoulder badges with the letters TR, plus a sleeve patch bearing their brigade number.

It is unclear if Oliver was ever posted overseas. He was awarded the Silver War Badge, instituted in 1916 and awarded to all men who had served at home or overseas during the war and who had been honourably discharged under King’s Regulations . Records show that Oliver was discharged under Para.392.XVI – no longer fit for war service, on 22nd October 1916. Details of his condition are unknown but he died on 15 October 1917 and was buried at Morden Cemetery in Lower Morden Lane.