Jerrymjj Posted 23 December , 2009 Posted 23 December , 2009 My great uncle died of wounds sustained at High Wood on the Somme, in the 3rd London General Hospital Wandsworth. Does anyone know if individual's records still exist? I have his death certificate which records "1. G.S.W. Larynx, 16 days. 2. Septic pneumonia". I don't know what GSW means (gun shot wound?) and I assume it took 16 days for him to die. Not a nice death by any means. Any help would be gratefully received. Jerry
sotonmate Posted 23 December , 2009 Posted 23 December , 2009 Jerry Welcome to the Forum ! You will need to post as much of his details as you can,it might lead to a miracle or two,but we are in the dark as we don't know his Battalion etc. and that could lead to a Service record, which could show a fair bit of the story. Here a bit anyway: http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/somme/high_wood.html Correct with the GSW. Sotonmate
Ice Tiger Posted 23 December , 2009 Posted 23 December , 2009 Welcome Jerry You may like to take a look at THIS although I'm almost certain that no individual patient records remain for this hospital. I was at Wandsworth cemetary last month, is your Great Uncle buried there? Andy
Jerrymjj Posted 23 December , 2009 Author Posted 23 December , 2009 Many thanks for responses so far. My great uncle, Wallace Arthur Janes is buried in the public cemetery in Herne Bay, Kent which was his home town. His death certificate records that he was a sergeant in the 2/4th East Kent Regiment, 7099 (is that his service number?) His headstone however says, "Serjeant 19th Batallion County of London" and both sources give his date of death as 17th October 1916. He does not appear amongst the list of war dead (I believe) of the Buffs so I am rather perplexed about his Headstone identifying him as being in the London Regiment. My understanding is that he was wounded at High Wood, transported back to London where he died before being buried in his home town. My interest amongst other things is because my father who was named after him was never told by his parents that his uncle was buried in his home town and we only discovered it long after the death of his parents. I imagine the tragedy was too much for them. My hope is to try and track down the location and action in which he received his wound and I guess I will have to try and find trench diaries to do that. Any thoughts? Many thanks, Jerry
Chris_Baker Posted 23 December , 2009 Posted 23 December , 2009 His medal index card shows overseas service as Private 7099 of the 19th Londons.
sotonmate Posted 23 December , 2009 Posted 23 December , 2009 Jerry If you are taking the 16 days from GSW to death it would mean that your GU was involved in the first day of the Battle of Le Transloy on 1 October 1916,when his unit,as part of 141 Brigade of 47 Division (III Corps of the Fourth Army) ,assisted in the capture of Eaucourt L'Abbaye. SDGW shows that he was formerly 1473 4th East Kents before becoming 7099 Lance Sergeant in the 19th Londons. No record found on his details on Ancestry UK. War Diary at Kew for the 19 Londons is under WO95/2738 which runs from Mar 1915 to May 1919. Sotonmate
Ice Tiger Posted 23 December , 2009 Posted 23 December , 2009 .....buried in the public cemetery in Herne Bay, Kent which was his home town...... Jerry, in case you don't already know, this means his family paid for his body to be transported from Wandsworth to Hearne Bay for a family funeral. One of the men on my memorial, having died many miles away in the UK, had a family who couldn't afford this so local shop keepers raised the money for both the funeral and his body to come home. The source for this was the local news paper and as your Gt Uncle was wounded & sent home for treatment where he died there is a strong chance that his wounding and transport to a home hoispital may have been reported in the local Herne Bay newspaper. It's worth taking a look. Andy
SiegeGunner Posted 24 December , 2009 Posted 24 December , 2009 This blog gives fascinating insights into life and death at the 3rd London General Hospital - http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...;blogid=86&
Jerrymjj Posted 24 December , 2009 Author Posted 24 December , 2009 His medal index card shows overseas service as Private 7099 of the 19th Londons. Many thanks Chris. Jerry, in case you don't already know, this means his family paid for his body to be transported from Wandsworth to Hearne Bay for a family funeral. One of the men on my memorial, having died many miles away in the UK, had a family who couldn't afford this so local shop keepers raised the money for both the funeral and his body to come home. The source for this was the local news paper and as your Gt Uncle was wounded & sent home for treatment where he died there is a strong chance that his wounding and transport to a home hoispital may have been reported in the local Herne Bay newspaper. It's worth taking a look. Andy Many thanks Andy I'll certainly try and see what is out there.
Jerrymjj Posted 24 December , 2009 Author Posted 24 December , 2009 Jerry If you are taking the 16 days from GSW to death it would mean that your GU was involved in the first day of the Battle of Le Transloy on 1 October 1916,when his unit,as part of 141 Brigade of 47 Division (III Corps of the Fourth Army) ,assisted in the capture of Eaucourt L'Abbaye. SDGW shows that he was formerly 1473 4th East Kents before becoming 7099 Lance Sergeant in the 19th Londons. No record found on his details on Ancestry UK. War Diary at Kew for the 19 Londons is under WO95/2738 which runs from Mar 1915 to May 1919. Sotonmate Fantastic Soton, many thanks indeed. Would you know why he appears to have transferred from one regiment to another? Many thanks, Jerry
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