Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Flanders | Screen Wall. W. 441. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.136 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 16D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Husband of Mrs. R. G. Theilmann, of 67, Courtfield Gardens, Kensington, London.Education & Career :
Mr J H Thielmann was the head of the firm Thielmann and Son, corn and seed merchants founded by his father the late Mr J H Thielmann, a Dane who after fighting the Germans in Schleswig-Holstein settled in Hull.
Major Thielmann was 41 years of age and a fine linguist. Two years ago he was President of the Hull Corn Trade Association"
The Times of 9th June 1909 listed him amongst a number of officers and NCO's qualified as interpreters - he was qualified in German
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment |
1/4th Battalion August 1914 : in Londesborough Barracks, Hull. Part of York and Durham Brigade, Northumbrian Division. 17 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne. 12 May 1915 : formation became 150th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. 15 July 1918 : reduced to cadre and transferred to Lines of Communication. 16 August 1918 :transferred to 116th Brigade, 39th Division. 7 November 1918 : demobilised in France. |
| Action : The Battles of Ypres 1915 (Second Ypres) |
22 April - 25 May 1915. On the 22nd April 1915 the Germans used poison gas at Ypres. This was the first 'official' use of gas and took the Allies by surprise. After initial success capitalising on the confusion and horror of this weapon, a heroic stand, initially by the Canadians and then supported by British and Indian Battalions, held the German advance. However it became clear that the Germans had achieved a tactical advantage and eventually the British were forced to retire to more a more defendable perimeter closer to Ypres. These positions were on the last ridges before Ypres and their loss would have resulted in the loss of the town and possibly open the Channel coast to German occupation with disastrous consequences for the re-supply of the BEF.
Detail :
CARL ERIC THEILMANN MAJOR, 1/4 EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT Carl THEILMANN was born on 23rd October 1873 at Dulwich. He enlisted in the 1st Volunteer Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment in 1900 and in 1902 he was Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant. He was promoted to Captain in 1907. With the changes initiated by Haldane, he transferred in 1908 to the newly formed Territorial Force and on the outbreak of war in 1914 he was promoted to Major. Possibly his origins accounted for his proficiency in German and he was a qualified interpreter. He was an excellent shot, having shot for his County. In civilian pre war life he was a Corn Broker and was a past President of the Hull Corn Trade Association. He was killed in the defence of St Julien following the chlorine gas attack by the Germans in April 1915. With the 1/4 Yorkshire Regiment, the 4th East Yorks were the first in support of the Canadians East and South of St Julien. See Leonard L’ANSON for an account of the battle. He was married for 10 years and left a widow and two young children. The 1921 Masonic Roll of Honour listed him in error as THELLMANN.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Kingston No. 1010 E.C. | Yorkshire (North & East Ridings) |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
5th February 1908 | 3rd June 1908 | 16th September 1908 |
He was a Steward in his lodge in 1910 and Junior Deacon in 1911.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley