Can anyone find this lad?

[mmm45]

Hi

Im in the early days of researching this lad

Sgt Thomas Hirst 240284 (Kings Own) Yorkshire Light Infantry

From Liversedge West Yorkshire

He was wounded in neck and arm on 8th august 1915

His obituary (Jan 1918 Spen Guardian) states the following

"Whilst in the trenches he contracted Bronchitis and was in hospital in Etaples for wounds and bronchitis

Later he was transferred to a military hospital in Kent and in july last year(tallies with the att MIC) was discharged as unfit he had since been continuosly in the care of the doctor and died on saturday from chronic bronchitis and nephritis he was 38 yrs of age.

He had South Africa Service with the Scotts Rifles his record has 4 pages surviving in which his medical in 1899 states fit unfortunately nothing about his ww1 service is there

I cannot find anything on CWGC just asking for another set of eyes to check before applying for death cert and moving forward.

Thank you

Ady

[welshdoc]

As he was discharged as unfit, the CWGC would not commemorate him. The facts though seem like you would have a good case if the death cert. shows the cause was war related.

[mmm45]

Thank you for that ...Thats why hes not on their discharged unfit then died! (shouldve read Terrys sticky!!)

Yes it sounds promising as an Non Comm better get the death cert applied for.

Hes on the local church WM have just found that!

Ady

[Neil Clark]

Hi Ady,

On the face of what you say here I'd say you have found a "sure bet". Certainly worthy of further investigation. I have emailed you with some advice. It's quite an easy and straightforward process you need to take with a strong case like this one.

Do you know which hospital in Kent he was treated at (Chatham, Dover ect..)?

Finally, WELL DONE (they are out there to find)

[Neil Clark]

BRIGHTS DISEASE -

I should now like to quote T.J Mitchell and G.M Smith in their 1931 publication “Casualties and Medical Statistics of the Great War” (page 349) –

CAUSES OF DISABILITY AMONG BRITISH FIRST WORLD WAR PENSIONERS

Wounds and Amputations 324,722 (38%)

Tubercolosis (TB) 65,370 (7.6%)

Respiritory Diseases 55,383 (6.5%)

Organic Diseases of the heart 31,502 (3.7%)

Functional Diseases of the heart 44,855 (5.2%)

Neurasthenia 58,402 (6.8%)

Malaria 44,749 (5.2%)

Rheumatism 33,908 (4%)

Ear Diseases 23,722 (2.7%)

Phychosis 13,030 (1.5%)

Dysentery 8,025 (0.9%)

Nephritis 15,837 (1.8%)

Other accepted causes 135,933 (15.9%)

TOTAL ALL DISABILITIES: 855,488

Therefore the service authorities must have acepted that BRIGHTS DISEASE/NEPHRITIS could be caused or aggravated by war service.

I understand that Chris Harley has had cases approved for men who were suffering from this condition.

So it's still looking GOOD.

[mmm45]

Thanks Neil

Have sent you an email.

Ady

[chrisharley9]

Nephritis as a cause of death was quite common at the time - already had 2 or 3 cases with this as cause of death

Chris