Henry Alexander Schank

Hi, I joined due to the interest in Henry Alexander Schank who was posted here as buried in Teignmouth Cemetery. This is not the correct Henry Alexander Schank. The one in Teignmouth Cemetery was in the Lancashire Fusiliers and not in the Highland infantry. I recently researched the one in Teignmouth Cemetery because I work with the Friends of Teignmouth Cemetery clearing and researching as we go. If you are interested then this is published on the Teignmouth Old Cemetery history Facebook group. I hope this helps.

Hi TeignGeoff

Many thanks for the update.

I have updated the Devon Connection page and he is no longer listed under the Devon Connection.

Andy

TeignGeoff,

As someone who is not on Facebook could you possibly explain your findings on the forum?

The Henry Alexander Schank who served in the Anglo-Zulu War, was originally commissioned in December 1871 in the 91st (Argyllshire) Highlanders.  During the course of his service with the 91st he was appointed as the Instructor of Musketry.

In April 1880 Henry Alexander Schank was promoted to the rank of Captain, and appointed as an Adjutant in the Auxiliary Forces.  In July 1880 he exchanged to 71st Regiment, which would later become the Highland Light Infantry.

He retired from the Army with a gratuity in October 1885.  

The following month, November 1885, a business partnership is established in Liverpool, Lancashire, between Edward Nicholson and a Henry Alexander Schank.  The business traded as ship brokers but it was short lived and ceased trading by mutual consent in April 1886.  I take it that this is ‘your’ Henry Alexander Schank.  The same Alexander Henry Schank, Gentleman, who was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry Militia, in 3rd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers in June 1887.

His promotion was somewhat rapid as in October 1889 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant, and following month promoted to Captain.

In April 1891, he was appointed to the position of Instructor of Musketry for his battalion.  What a coincidence that both men would hold the same position in their respective units.

JY

Hi JY

The Henry Alexander Schank who served in the Anglo-Zulu War died in 1886.

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Homeward Mail from India, China and the East 19 July 1886

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Illustrated London News 31 July 1886

The one buried in Teignmouth Cemetery died in 1919.

Andy

Cheers Andy.

I had fathomed that they could not be one and the same, as there was an age difference.

But the coincidence that they were both Instructors of Musketry struck me as intriguing.

JY

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Brompton Cemetery

This is what I found for the Henry Alexander Schank buried in the Teignmouth Old Cemetery. Unfortunately, the pictures have not copied across so it is missing the newspaper articles.

Henry Alexander Schank and wife Ada Cheveley Schank nee Deshon and 2nd wife Margaretta Maitland Schank nee Coleman

Henry Alexander Schank was born in the 3rd quarter of 1856 and baptized on the 10th of September 1856, Anglican, at East Teignmouth. His Father's name was John Mackellar Skeene Grieve, and his Mother's name, Mary.

Margaretta Maitland Coleman was born in the 4th quarter of 1856. Her Mother's maiden name was Rossiter.

Ada Cheveley Deshon was born in the 2nd quarter of 1858 and registered in Westbury, Wiltshire, and baptized on the 20th of May 1858 at West Ashton, Wiltshire. Her Father's first names were Henry Charles, and her Mother’s first names were Mary Isabella.

In 1861, the Coleman family were living at East Brook, Winterbourne, West Teignmouth:
Harriett Coleman Head Widow Female 39 1822 Fund Holder Kenton, Devon, England
Maitland R Coleman Son Unmarried Male 19 1842 Scholar Devon, England
Elizabeth I Coleman Daughter Unmarried Female 17 1844 Scholar Devon, England
Anne Coleman Daughter - Female 14 1847 Scholar Devon, England
William M N Coleman Son - Male 11 1850 Scholar Sydney, Cheshire, England
John R Coleman Son - Male 9 1852 Scholar
Florence A Coleman Daughter - Female 6 1855 Scholar Devon, England
Margaretta Coleman Daughter - Female 4 1857 Scholar Devon, England
Isabella Coleman Mother In Law Widow Female 69 1792 Fund Holder Yorkshire, England
Eliza Parker Servant Unmarried Female 37 1824 Cook Domestic Servant
Eliza Gilland Servant Unmarried Female 25 1836 Housemaid Domestic Servant Exminster, Devon,
England Elizabeth Foot Servant Unmarried Female 22 1839 Housemaid Domestic Servant Devon, England.

In the same year, the Deshon family were living at East Coulston, Westbury, Wiltshire:
Henry C Deshon Head Married Male 43 1818 Rector Of... Chester, Cheshire, England
Mary J Deshon Wife Married Female 41 1820 - Dublin, Ireland Rosa Deshon Daughter - Female 9 1852 - Bath, Somerset Emily Deshon Daughter - Female 7 1854 – Surrey
Francis Deshon Daughter - Female 5 1856 - Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, England
Harry Deshon Son - Male 3 1858 - Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, Ada Deshon Daughter - Female 2 1859 - Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, England
Charlotte Deshon Sister In Law Widow Female 46 1815 Officer Widow Bradninch, Devon, England
Frederic Deshon Nephew Unmarried Male 16 1845 Scholar India
Elizabeth Watts Servant Unmarried Female 42 1819 - Stoke, Dorset, England
Sarah Milles Servant Unmarried Female 36 1825 Servant Road, Somerset, England
Noe Slate Servant Unmarried Female 22 1839 Servant Devizes, Wiltshire, England.
In the same year, the Schank family were living at Strand, East Teignmouth:
John M S G Schank Head Married Male 52 1809 Solicitor & Notary Bishopsteignton, Devon, England
Mary Schank Wife Married Female 38 1823 Solicitors Wife Devon, England
Henry Alexander Schank Son Unmarried Male 4 1857 Solicitors Son Devon, England
Margaret Eleza Helen Schank Daughter Unmarried Female 3 1858 Solicitors Daughter Devon, England
Louisa Schank Daughter Unmarried Female 0 1861 Solicitors Daughter Devon, England
Ann Parish Mother-In-Law Widow Female 72 1789 Inmate Devon, England
Eliza Sickle Servant Unmarried Female 13 1848 Domestic Servant Shaldon, Devon.

In 1871, the Coleman family had moved to Clarendon Terrace, West Teignmouth:
Harriett Coleman Head - Female 49 1822 - Devon, England John R Coleman Son - Male 19 1852 - Australia
Florence A Coleman Daughter - Female 16 1855 – Devon
Margaretha M Coleman Daughter - Female 14 1857 - Devon Isabella Coleman Mother-InLaw - Female 80 1791 - Yorkshire Eliza Heath Servant - Female 49 1822 – Devon
Mary Jane Ryfield Servant - Female 23 1848 - Wiltshire, England.

In the same year, the Schank family had moved to Northumberland Place, East Teignmouth:
John M S G Schank Head - Male 63 1808 – Devon
Henry A Schank Son - Male 14 1857 – Devon
Margaret E E Schank Daughter - Female 13 1858 - Devon Louisa Mary Schank Daughter - Female 10 1861 – Devon
Ellen Agnes Schank Daughter - Female 7 1864 – Devon
Ann Parish Mother-In-Law - Female 82 1789 - Devon, England.

In 1881, the Deshon family were living at The Vicarage, Teignmouth East:
Henry C Deshon Head Widower Male 63 1818 Vicar Of East Teignmouth Cheshire, England
Ada Cheveley Deshon Daughter Single Female 22 1859 - Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, England
Elizabeth Watts Servant Single Female 63 1818 Nurse Domestic Servant Stoke Wake, Dorset, England
Mary Ann Jewell Servant Single Female 21 1860 Housemaid Domestic Servant Alvington, Dorset, England
Mary Jane Clarke Servant Single Female 21 1860 Cook Domestic Servant St Austell, Cornwall, England.
In the same year, the Coleman family were living at Eastbrook, Teignmouth West:
Harriet Coleman Head Widow Female 58 1823 Annuitant Kenton, Devon, England
Margaretta M Coleman Daughter Single Female 23 1858 - Teignmouth, Devon, England
Jane Chilcott Servant Single Female 22 1859 Ladys Maid Huntsham, Devon, England
Eliza Harris Servant Single Female 23 1858 House Maid Teignmouth, Devon, England
Jane Jenkins Servant Single Female 23 1858 Cook Wendron, Cornwall, England.

On the 11th of January 1886, Henry Alexander Schank married Ada Cheveley Deshon at East Teignmouth.

In 1891, the Coleman family were living at Glenthorpe, Hermosa Road, West Teignmouth:
John R Coleman Head Single Male 39 1852 Retired Lieutenant Army Australia
Marguerita M Coleman Sister Single Female 34 1857 Living On Own Means Teignmouth, Devon, England
Bessie Daymond Servant Single Female 25 1866 Cook Devon, England.

In the same year, the newly married Schank’s were living at Lower Brimley Villas, East Brook, West Teignmouth:
Henry A Schank Head Married Male 34 1857 Captain Board Battn Lancashire Fusiliers Teignmouth, Devon, England
Ada C Schank Wife Married Female 32 1859 - West Ashton, Wiltshire, England
Margaret E H Schank Sister Single Female 32 1859 Living On Her Own Means Teignmouth, Devon, England.

1899-1902 – Henry Alexander Schank, the 5th regiment of the The Lancashire Fusiliers was a Captain during the Ango-Boer wars.

In 1901, Margaretta Coleman was living at Brookside, Eastbrook Road, East Teignmouth:
Margaretta Coleman Head Single Female 44 1857 Living On Own Means Teignmouth, Devon, England
Florence Holman Servant Single Female 28 1873 Cook (Domestic) Teignmouth, Devon, England.

In the same year, Henry Alexander Schank was a visitor at Teign View, Highweek:
John Wright Head Widower Male 69 1832 Steam Sawmill Proprietor And Wood Case Manufacturer Lancashire, England Henry S Wright Son Single Male 42 1859 Private Secretary Newton Abbot, Devon, England
Eleanor Jessie Wright Daughter Single Female 36 1865 Living On Own Means Newton Abbot, Devon, England
Henry A Schank Visitor Married Male 44 1857 Ship Builder And Capt 5Th Lane Fusiliers Teignmouth, Devon, England
Maud T Stroner Visitor Single Female 23 1878 Living On Own Means Bath, Somerset, England
Nellie Rowe Servant Single Female 19 1882 Housemaid (Domestic) Plymouth, Devon, England
Alice Goodman Servant Single Female 33 1868 Lady's Maid (Domestic) Newton Abbot, Devon, England
Maud Fry Servant Single Female 22 1879 Cook (Domestic) Stanton, Wiltshire, England.











Western Times 16 April 1906



Ada Cheveley Schank died on the 12th of February 1907, registered at Reading, Berkshire. Henry was the Primary Beneficiary of Ada’s will.




Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 16 February 1907











Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 15 February 1907



In 1911, Henry was living at 4, Grove Crescent, Teignmouth:
Henry Alexander Schank Head Widower Male 54 1857 Lieut Colonel Commanding 3Rd Lancashire Fusilius Devonshire East Teignmouth
Rose Schater - Single Female 42 1869 General Servant Domestic Devonshire West Teignmouth.

In the 2nd quarter of 1911, Henry married Margaretta Maitland Coleman at Kensington, London.

Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 23 May 1914


1914-1918

First Name:
Henry Alexander
Initials:
H
Surname:
Schank
Nationality:
British
Rank:
Captain
Award Details:
King's Birthday Honour List
Gazette Info:
6993
Gazette Date:
03/06/1919
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Lancashire Fusiliers (3)
Service:
BA
Campaign Medals:
Victory Medal
Henry Alexander Schank was entitled to the Victory medal, also called the Inter Allied Victory Medal. This medal was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.



British War Medal
Henry Alexander Schank was entitled to the British War Medal for service in World War One. This British Empire campaign medal was issued for services between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.




Gallantry Awards:
Obe







First Name:
H A
Surname:
Schank
Nationality:
British
Information:
Officer of Militia or Volunteer Artillery who has passed School of Instruction; or Subaltern or Captain (other than of Militia or Volunteer Artillery) who has passed School of Instruction for rank of Captain; or, in the case of Infantry, has been attached to Regular Forces and obtained a satisfactory report for rank of Captain; or Field Officer (other than of Militia or Volunteer Artillery) who has passed School of Instruction for rank of Field Officer; or, in the case of Infantry, has been attached to Regular Forces and obtained a satisfactory report for rank of Field Officer.
Further Information:
(H),
Rank:
Major
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Lancashire Fusiliers
Battalion:
5th Battalion
Seniority Date:
17/06/1905


This is the movements of the Lancashire Fusiliers but I do not believe that Henry would have been active but more likely to be assigned a desk job:-
1914
• Mobilisation - 04/08/1914
• Move To Egypt - 10/09/1914
1915
• Defence Of The Suez Canal - 03/02/1915
• The Battles Of Helles - Second Battle Of Krithia - 06/05/1915
• Second Battle Of Krithia - 06/05/1915
• Second Battle Of Krithia - 06/05/1915
• Disbandment - 09/05/1915
• Third Battle Of Krithia - 04/06/1915
• Krithia Vineyard - 06/08/1915
• Move To Egypt - 27/12/1915

1916

• Battle Of Romani - 04/08/1916

1917

• Move To France - 22/02/1917

• Operations On The Flanders Coast - 24/09/1917

1918

• First Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of Bapaume - 24/03/1918

• First Battles Of The Somme - First Battle Of Arras - 28/03/1918

• First Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of The Ancre - 05/04/1918

• Second Battles Of The Somme - Battle Of Albert - 21/08/1918

• Second Battles Of The Somme - Second Battle Of Bapaume - 31/08/1918

• Battles Of The Hindenburg Line - Battle Of The Canal Du Nord - 27/09/1918

• Battles Of The Hindenburg Line - Pursuit To The Selle - 09/10/1918

• The Final Advance In Picardy - Battle Of The Selle - 17/10/1918
Location: Marou. Allied victory. Following the Allied breakthrough of the Hindenburg Line, German forces retreated across the natural defence line of the River Selle to hastily-prepared, but well-defended positions.
On Thursday 17th October, Fourth Army attacked along a ten-mile front to the south of Le Cateau; despite a creeping barrage and under cover of a heavy mist, the British advance met determined enemy resistance. Alerted to a forthcoming attack by the increase in British activity, the Germans had reinforced their positions where a river crossing was most likely.
To the right, the attack met the least resistance and advanced to take Le Cateau by the end of the day. Over the following two days the main attack force of First and Third Armies, assisted by the arrival of the French troops originally promised for 17th October, forced the enemy back towards the Sambre-Oise Canal.
A night attack by Third and First Armies took high ground to the east of the River Selle and having allowed time for the supporting heavy artillery to catch up, all three British Armies were able to continue their advance, taking nearly 20,000 prisoners of war in one week. When Third Army began its attack on 20th October, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division moved out from the bridgehead they had established at Briastre to attack the objectives assigned to IV Corps.
The advance was to be carried out in three phases, 126th Infantry Brigade leading the first phase to capture the railway cutting from Solesmes, then 127th Infantry Brigade moving through to advance on to Marou and finally 125th Infantry Brigade pushing beyond Marou. The advance encountered stiff resistance along the whole route, that meeting the 5th Manchester Regiment on the right being particularly severe.
Marou was captured by mid-afternoon and a and after a counter-attack broken-up by the artillery, the advance continued to the outskirts of Romeries, a gain of around 2 miles. A further assault on 23rd October pushed the advance to the outskirts of the Foret de Mormal (Forest of Mormal) where they were relieved by the New Zealand Division.
Withdrawn into IV Corps Reserve, the Division halted around Beauvois until 3rd November when the advance was resumed. On 10th November the Division captured Hautmont and Fort Hautmont and at 11.00 am on 11th November, when the Armistice came into effect, 42nd Division was halted around Hautmont, with its most advanced troops on the Maubeuge to Avesnes road.


Henry Alexander Schank died in the 4th quarter of 1919 aged 63.

Margaretta Maitland Schank died in the 3rd quarter of 1949 aged 92.



Western Times 21 October 1919

TeignGeoff,

Many thanks for that.

Best wishes,

JY