AM1
Royal Air Force | 160664 |
All photos courtesy Judith Fearnall (née Hamilton)
Biography
Michael was born in 894 at Bullbridge and died in 1965 at Dublin.
Brothers Michael and George Hamilton were apprenticed at Marshall, Sons & Co. in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. By the time they joined the RAF during WW1, both were mechanical engineers at Marshalls. During WW1, Marshalls manufactured naval gun mountings, shells and shell fuses in their Britannia works, and over 8000 military vehicles from their Trent works, as well as aircraft, tanks, boilers, and chemical and engineering plant. The brothers' niece recalled that they were sent to Egypt with the RAF to train men in the use of specific munitions produced by Marshalls. She produced two framed photographs of naval guns manufactured by Marshalls during the brothers' employment there.
Michael's father was John P Hamiltion who was manager of the limeworks at Bullbridge.
John Pakenham Hamilton (1861-1946), pictured with his son, Henry Pakenham Hamilton (1903-1982), circa 1908
Michael's father, John, was the son of a noted Irish landowner, philanthropist and religious writer. He was raised in Scotland, was educated at Eton, then at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He then served as a student with the Butterley Company and received his colliery manager's certificate in 1885. He was subsequently employed for a short time by Messrs. Baird & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, for whom he took up an appointment in the coal mining industry in India. He later worked in the same industry in Africa. On his return to the UK, he returned to the Butterley Company and became manager of the limeworks at Bullbridge in 1893. He apparently remained in this position until the limeworks closed in 1933, whereupon he retired and relocated with his wife to Kent to be near one of their sons.
RAF Service Record
Birth 10/11/94, Bull Bridge, Crich; C of E. Enlisted 19/04/18 aged 23 years 5 mths; C of E; occupation Mechanical Engineer (Fitter).
Next of kin Mr JP Hamilton, Bull Bridge, Ambergate, Father. Height 5ft 9½, dark brown hair, brown eyes, fresh complexion.
Egypt from 21/05/18 to 20/03/19.
British War and Victory medals
Transfer to RAF Reserve 08/05/19
His brother George P Hamilton is also on the Roll of Honour. They enlisted together having consecutive service numbers and their records are almost mirror images of each other.
1901: Bull Bridge
Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John P | Hamilton | Head | 39 | Scotland | |
Sarah | Hamilton | Wife | 39 | Elton | |
Edward P | Hamilton | son | 8 | Derbyshire | |
Michael P | Hamilton | son | 6 | Crich | |
George P | Hamilton | son | 4 | Crich |
RG13 piece 3231 folio 15 page 22
1911: Bedford; School Harper Trust
Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Packenham | Hamilton | Boarder | 16 | Ambergate |
RG14PN8847 RG78PN466 RD174 SD4 ED10 SN32