mags_greenwood@yahoo.co.uk Posted 3 March , 2009 Share Posted 3 March , 2009 Hi Does anyone know where I would be able to find any information on stretcher bearers killed in the war? I am trying to find out about my husband's great uncle, George Appleton, who died in the war. We have a photo of him pre- war and he is at home in the 1911 census, but beyond that we don't know what happened to him. I remember my husband's grandmother (George's sister) telling me that he died in the war. He was a conscientious objector and he became a stretcher bearer. Also, the family didn't talk about him. He never married. Unfortunately, I don't know which regiment. I have been on CWGC site and none of the names mentioned there fit either his age or address. I have also been on Ancestry.co.uk without any luck. Surely, he couldn't just disappear off the face of the earth. I have even tried the book "Shot at Dawn" which lists all those shot. Am I missing something obvious here? Any advice would be gratefully received. Kind regards Mags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 3 March , 2009 Share Posted 3 March , 2009 Mags I have brought a thread on this subject to the top in the OTHER section of this Soldiers and Armies part of the Forum,just a couple of minutes ago for your easy reference. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 3 March , 2009 Share Posted 3 March , 2009 Mags There are three APPLETONs (among the total of 50 ) in the Medal Index Cards who served in the RAMC. I mention this but can't think that it is relevant,but assume nothing, I almost always say ! George 134505 ; George H 1697 ; and George E 3370. I doubt whether he would have wanted medals anyway,but even so no RAMC G Appletons are on CWGC. If he was in the Non Combatants Corps I guess that he wouldn't have been in the MICs,and was there a mechanism not to acknowledge them on CWGC if they died ? I think not. Ask yourself the question,how strong is this anecdotal evidence ? You could try to trace on Ancestry through to his death,or seek info here about how to get a soldier's death certificate, or what a "CO" would get if not a soldier's cert. I hope you get an answer to this. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelPack Posted 3 March , 2009 Share Posted 3 March , 2009 Mags Soton's advice is very sound. Even if your man was an objector, the same does not prevent him from ending up in the infantry after a process of humiliation, degradation and intimidation. Remember, he did not have to serve in the RAMC to be a stretcher bearer. Each infantry battalion had their own contingent of them. The fact that he died in the war should be the anchor. There are only eleven George and G. Appletons on the CWGGC, so eliminate those that can be definitely excluded and come back with the remaining possibles. Regards Mel Ps Where was he living in the 1911 census - the SDGW may provide a qick answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7:29am Posted 3 March , 2009 Share Posted 3 March , 2009 No Surname Rank Service Number Date Of Death Age Regiment/Service Nationality Grave/Memorial Ref. Cemetery/Memorial Name 1 APPLETON, G Private 21224 07/07/1916 Unknown East Lancashire Regiment United Kingdom III. M. 7. GORDON DUMP CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE 2 APPLETON, GEORGE Corporal 1972 14/09/1914 20 Manchester Regiment United Kingdom LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL 3 APPLETON, G Private 5036 11/09/1916 24 Northumberland Fusiliers United Kingdom A. 14. BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION 4 APPLETON, GEORGE Serjeant 21/1576 20/03/1918 31 Northumberland Fusiliers United Kingdom Bay 2 and 3. ARRAS MEMORIAL 5 APPLETON, GEORGE Lance Serjeant B/2403 24/08/1915 21 Rifle Brigade United Kingdom Panel 46 - 48 and 50. YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL 6 APPLETON, G Private 5925 11/03/1915 33 Royal Berkshire Regiment United Kingdom I. C. 8. GUARDS CEMETERY, WINDY CORNER, CUINCHY 7 APPLETON, G Gunner 39220 07/08/1916 Unknown Royal Field Artillery United Kingdom I. A. 36. GORDON DUMP CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE 8 APPLETON, G Lance Corporal 19592 30/06/1916 Unknown Welsh Regiment United Kingdom VI. T. 3. BASRA WAR CEMETERY 9 APPLETON, GEORGE H. Private G/42832 01/10/1917 Unknown Middlesex Regiment United Kingdom Panel 113 to 115. TYNE COT MEMORIAL 10 APPLETON, GEORGE HENRY Private 15061 10/12/1916 Unknown Royal Munster Fusiliers United Kingdom Pier and Face 16 C. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL 11 APPLETON, GEORGE WILLIAM Second Officer 14/12/1918 28 Mercantile Marine Reserve United Kingdom 30. PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL 12 APPLETON, GEORGE WILLIAM Private 37151 21/07/1918 19 East Yorkshire Regiment United Kingdom Panel 27 and 28. POZIERES MEMORIAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags_greenwood@yahoo.co.uk Posted 26 March , 2009 Author Share Posted 26 March , 2009 Hi Many thanks for all your replies and the trouble you have taken. I have looked at the following: 1. Ancestry.co.uk - I could find no civilian marriage or death for him. I did find his birth and also in the 1901 census. He did not have a middle name on either record. 2. CWGC - (Jim, thanks so much for the list) The hot favourite is the first one listed in the East Lancashire Regiment. I am not having much luck tracing this but will keep on looking. 3. If he had been an infantryman, the logical regiment would be the South Lancashire Regiment (Warrington). I have a copy of "Ich Dien" and I cannot find him there. 4. I have traced him on the 1911 census, where he was still living at home with his father in Warrington. There is nothing after that. Thanks again for your help. I will keep looking. Kind regards Mags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 26 March , 2009 Share Posted 26 March , 2009 Just a point to stop you barking up the wrong tree. There is no reason to assume that he was in a local regiment. Unless men joined at the beginning of the war, they could end up in any regiment. He could have been a stretcher bearer in an infantry regiment. If he was a CO, the tribunal which heard his appeal may have been reported in the local press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mts Posted 26 March , 2009 Share Posted 26 March , 2009 Hi these are all the George Appleton in Overseas death register Army APPLETON GEORGE Sgt. Nrth.Fus. 21/1576 1918 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.31 Page:42 Army APPLETON GEORGE Pte. Berks. 5925 1915 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.53 Page:16 Army APPLETON GEORGE Pte. Berks. 5455 1916 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.53 Page:180 Army APPLETON GEORGE Gnr. R.F.A. 39220 1916 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:A.1 Page:281 Army APPLETON GEORGE A/sgt. K.R.R.B. E/2403 1915 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.80 Page:146 Army APPLETON GEORGE Pte. R.W.F. 2/15061 1916 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.77 Page:445 Army APPLETON GEORGE Pte. E.Lanc. 21224 1916 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.15 Page:4 Army APPLETON GEORGE L/cpl. Welsh 19592 1916 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.25 Page:195 Army APPLETON GEORGE M. Pte. Mdx. G/42832 1917 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.70 Page:26 Naval Ratings APPLETON GEORGE W 2nd Offr. Fleet Messenger Susetta 1918 WarNavyAll_A-K.pdf p.8 Vol:RN. Page:79 Army APPLETON GEORGE W. Pte. E.Y.R. 37151 1918 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.33 Page:468 Army APPLETON GEORGE W. Pte. Nrth.Fus. 5036 1916 ww1Deaths_A.pdf p.75 Vol:I.32 Page:224 Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 26 March , 2009 Share Posted 26 March , 2009 Just a further observation: Would a Conscientious Objector have accepted any promotion? I would have thought that having accepted to serve, they would have wanted to remain as a private. To do otherwise is tacitly accepting the military way of life, is it not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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