Help with CWGC Please

[Pighills]

Morning All

Just trying to locate the last few of 'my men' before I go across photographing in a couple of weeks.

To that end, could someone please find Pte William Fletcher No 55258 of the Royal Fusiliers. I have no known date of death (he does however appear on our town memorial), but I do l know he was awarded the MM in 1918 (details of which I already have), which was reported in our local paper in Feb 1918 and that he was gassed in April 1918.

I have tried searching with no luck and also tried Geoff's search engine - again, with no luck, so .............................. any and all help gratefully received

Many thanks!!

[Guest KevinEndon]

He is def not on the CWGC site. It is possible that he died outwith the CWGC remit and therefore not on the CWGC site, he may be a possible Non-Comm, I guess the next step is to find his date of death.

Have a great trip when you go over, wrap up warm

Kevin

[Pighills]

Cheers Kev, I will!!

Just looking at the information I do have, it specifically says he died of wounds, with a date of 1918 (no day or month though!!) - I guess I shall have to go back to the library and get another look at the newspaper report.

[Jim Strawbridge]

His Medal Index Card exists. He is not in Soldiers Died In The Great War.

[Neil Clark]

Terry,

I can't find him either. If indeed he died in 1918 from his wounds then he's def a non-com.

This thread needs moving over to NON-COMS for the boys to get stuck into!

[SteveE]

His Medal Index Card exists. He is not in Soldiers Died In The Great War.

As far as I can see only a MIC for his MM exists under the service number 55258.

Assuming his 'campaign medal' MIC has been lost (can't see it on NA or Ancestry), he should be (but not definitely) on the Royal Fusiliers medal roll WO329/768 which covers that number range.

I have noted that there are a number of men on that roll who have an earlier 3 or 4-digit Royal Fusiliers number before renumbering in the 5xxxx range. Any chance he could be under a different number?

Regards

Steve

[Pighills]

I thought I would pos the card I have for him, just in case someone can see something I can't. The dates refer to newspaper articles, which are the ones I'm going back to refer to next week.

[ian turner]

Looking at the 1901 census there are two William Fletchers with Harrogate connections - one 25 the other 26. Thus in 1918 if he was one of these, he would have been around 43 (looks possible from his photo).

Then from April 1918 until the unveiling of the memorial would see his date of death, possibly at home (UK). Free BMD have quite a few William Fletchers died during the period 1918-1925, for instance, but I coud not readily see a Harrogate area death of the right age in that period.

Of course, if he was languishing in hospital it may have been in another registration district!

Well, it was a thought to try and find his death certificate....

Ian

[Pighills]

Much appreciated Ian, THANKS!!