mmm45 Posted 15 September , 2008 Share Posted 15 September , 2008 Hi Can anyone locate this lad? Pte 3/3446 John Wright Yorkshire Light Infantry. Annotated on MIC is "Died" medals look to have been issued in 1920. A book published by a lad in Featherstone(Tony Lumb) has a John Wright who was wounded at hill 60 and discharged but can find no other details.A family relative has confirmed that he was 3rd KOYLI. A John Wright is buried in Featherstone Cemetry dying in Aug 1916. The John Wright with this number is not listed on SDGW or CWGC and theres no mention of discharge on MIC. I know MICs are full of mistakes and more research required but its a poss Non Com...... Any help appreciated Ady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 15 September , 2008 Share Posted 15 September , 2008 I expect you will find that he died after discharge & before issue/amendment* of naming on Medals,thus he wasnt commemorated on CWGC or SD;possibly he was discharged with a different number{a check of SWB roll/medal roll page might show further detail} *Re~Issued 1924 on MiC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 15 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 15 September , 2008 Thanks Harry Death cert states Discharged Private 3rd KOYLI cause of death "hemorrage of left lung, cause unknown" This possibly stops him getting CWGC status if he had been discharged and doesnt say war attributable? Family say he had been gassed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 15 September , 2008 Share Posted 15 September , 2008 Thanks Harry Death cert states Discharged Private 3rd KOYLI cause of death "hemorrage of left lung, cause unknown" This possibly stops him getting CWGC status if he had been discharged and doesnt say war attributable? Family say he had been gassed. Please excuse my interjection here but I wanted to say NOT to give up on this one yet! I have had cases where people told me it was pointless spending more money and they got approved. Just because his D.C doesn't record the reason for the death it doesn't mean it wasn't war related. The family knew the truth so perhaps you might be able to trace surviving family members who remember the story? I'd say this case needs more work. I'm happy to help out if I can. If you think I can help then email me with the stuff you have. I wish you the very best of luck with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 15 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 15 September , 2008 Hi Neil Have just sent a message to a family member of the lad in question hope to get more info then to follow it up.Thanks for the offer of help etc. He is going to be commemorated on a new memorial in Featherstone been unveiled in October. Ady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 16 September , 2008 Share Posted 16 September , 2008 Greetings Ady, Is this Featherstone a CIVIC memorial arranged and paid for by the local people/council? Surely a case also needs to be made for an OFFICIAL tribute as well? If you feel he qualifies for a civic tribute then he really should be commemorated OFFICIALLY by the country he gave his life for. Sorry to keep on like this, but a civic tribute isn't anywhere near as useful as an OFFICIAL tribute (where his name will be recorded by the CWGC and his grave maintained forever from public funds). If it helps then I'm happy to have a go myself with this one - I'm confident I will be able to make a case if he died of a "hemorrage of left lung". This is of course consequental of a severe gassing and would back up what the family says about his death... I'm on your side but If I'm wrong or confused then just tell me to shut up! I don't want ONE Non-Com to slip through our hands... Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 17 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 September , 2008 Hi Neil Yes thats the one.I have been in touch with a relative on another forum and have asked if she has anything to confirm gassing or other wounds that may have related to his death. I aggree that he if qualified should be on CWGC as well as local WM. Theres more research to be done before the next step can be taken. Will let you know what i can find. Ady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 17 September , 2008 Share Posted 17 September , 2008 Hi Ady, Go on sock it to them, I first saw this last night on Yokshire Indexers, so I shall watch with baited breath. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 18 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 18 September , 2008 Hi Ive now located his obituary in the Cas and Ponte Express. Unfortunately what it says is this..."He was wounded in the left arm and sholder at the battle of Hill 60 and discharged on physical grounds on Feb 24th 1916 He funeral was marked by military honours" Ady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 18 September , 2008 Share Posted 18 September , 2008 Hi there Ady, If buried with military honours dosn't that indicate he died of his wounds and then surely he should be included on the CWGC list, or am I bieng too simplistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 18 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 18 September , 2008 If buried with military honours dosn't that indicate he died of his wounds and then surely he should be included on the CWGC list Roger...If only!!! Not sure where to go on this now....The hospital notes only state he was in for an operation(laparotomy) and subsequently died the day after. Ady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 18 September , 2008 Share Posted 18 September , 2008 Hi Ady, At the moment we can only hope his service record as survived somewhat, when they come on line. I know from your knowledge that his regimental number indicated the 3rd Battalion, but wasn't that a home based battalion providing replacements to other battalions, if so it would be interesting to find which one he was with when injured. What we need is a KOYLI expert on the job. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 18 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 18 September , 2008 Hi Roger I think it will be 2 KOYLI at Hill 60.They took heavy casualties. Ady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 18 September , 2008 Share Posted 18 September , 2008 Hi Ady, I wonder if the war diaries for then would throw any light on the matter, I know sometimes soldiers are mentioned and what the injury was, but mostly just OR and numbers, so maybe not. Yes very intriging. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 18 September , 2008 Share Posted 18 September , 2008 I came across a man who was discharged and died after an operation. The death certificate makes no mention of any wounds, but a year later the family placed an "In Memorandum" notice in the newspaper saying he had died of wounds. The 2nd Koyli followed the 2nd Dukes in a bayonet charge on Hill 60 on April 17th 1915. Huddersfield men were killed and wounded in both battalions. It sounds like it was a bad day for both battalions. I think there was a lot of shrapnel. The next bad one was May 5th when there was a gas attack on the 2nd Dukes at a time when they only had cloth pads for protection. I not sure what happened to the 2nd Koyli on that day but they will probably have been somewhere close by. Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 18 September , 2008 Share Posted 18 September , 2008 Don't give up yet. You may still find some evidence to suggest he died as a cosequence of his war service. I wonder if he was ever awarded a disability war pension by the Ministry of Pensions when he was discharged? Have you searched through local newspapers/local library around the time of his death/burial? Their is nothing to be gained from finding a KOYLI expert, what you need is real evidence to prove your case on the balance of probability. My advice is to still let the MoD make their adjudication. Why risk making a mistake yourself? I can assure you they won't consider it to be wasting their time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 27 September , 2008 Share Posted 27 September , 2008 Hi there Neil, Just to let you know we have not given up on him yet, we are still gathering information, will let you know a bit more shortly as the person who originally posted this enquiry on another forum as just informed of some info I found this morning and I am waiting for a reply, then I will post it in full for the Pals. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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