S/37699 Rifleman Albert CODLING 9th Rifle Brigade

[verdun]

RE: S/37699 Rifleman Albert Victor CODLING, 9th. Bn. Rifle Brigade

1. CWGC records his date of death as April 4th 1918, whereas SDGW refers to April 19th 1918. Which is likely to be correct? Any ideas, anyone?

2. Also, his SDGW entry adds ... "FORMERLY 13/50196, T.R." Could anyone explain this for me, please?

3. Finally, any background or other info on this man would be very welcome. Can't find him in the 1901 Census, or his brother, William George Codling, who KIA on April 15th 1918, with the 7th London Regt. Again, any info on him welcome, too.

Many thanks if you can help with any of the above. Peter

[NigelS]

Peter,

The GRO Index to war deaths 1914-1921 Army (Other Ranks) gives:

Codling Albert V. Rfn. S/37699 K.R.R.B. 1918 Vol I.80 page 154

Codlings, William G. Pte. 352604 London 1918 Vol I.84 Page 158

This should allow an official copy of Albert's death certificate to be obtained; it's unlikely to give much other useful information but it should, I would have thought (unless someone knows otherwise), give the 'official' date of his death.

It looks as if he may have been listed as 'Bertie' in the 1901 Census:

Address: 40, Corporation St West Ham

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 1571; Folio: 80; Page: 44.

William Codling 32 Dock Labourer

Ellen Codling 26

W George Codling 6

Sidney Codling 4

Bertie Codling 2

Nellie Codling 1 Month

Charlie Codling 22

Alfred Finch 20

William G is there, his mother's christian name, Ellen, is correct (as given on the CWGC record for Albert) & the location (West Ham) looks sound (if you know further family details these might establish this to be the correct record)

I had to do a double take on the CWGC cemetery locations for Albert & William as both brothers, although they died serving with different regiments, are buried in the same cemetery, Adelaide Cemetery, Villers-Bettoneaux.

Hope this is useful information for you

NigelS

Edit: I believe that 'FORMERLY 13/50196, T.R.' indicates that before he was posted to the KRRB, he would have been with the 'Training Reserve'; Further details on these units can be found on the 'Long, Long Trail' Here

[verdun]

Nigel, Many thanks indeed for your help and I will have to check out the GRO records. Also, thanks for unearthing the family in the 1901 Census. I can see why I couldn't find the brothers, but I couldn't get the mother either on Ancestry - must be due to "user error"! Thanks also for the Traning Reserve edit - again, very useful to know.

The brothers were killed just days apart, but how close will depend on whether CWGC or SDGW has the correct date. Other people I've spoken to think the former is more likely to be right. Meanwhile, I think they are actually buried in separate cemeteries, but two very similar in name. Thanks again for your assistance. Peter

[KevinBattle]

CWGC Adelaide Cemetery details show that it received burials from many smaller ones in the vicinity.

...... the Cemetery is situated west of the village on the north side of the main road from Amiens to St. Quentin.

After the Armistice a large number of graves were brought into the cemetery from small graveyards and isolated positions on the north, west and south of Villers-Bretonneux and they were, without exception, those of men who died in the months from March to September 1918. They included:- .... CHALK LANE CEMETERY, VILLERS-BRETONNEUX, 100 metres from Adelaide Cemetery, used in April and May, 1918, and contained the graves of 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 10 from Australia. ......... WHITE CHATEAU CEMETERY, CACHY, between L'Abbe Wood and the railway, 500 metres West of Adelaide Cemetery. It was used from April to August, 1918, and it contained the graves of 23 soldiers from Australia, 9 from the United Kingdom and 2 from Canada. Plot I was filled, Plot II was made almost entirely with graves from United Kingdom units, and Plot III almost entirely with Australian

Villers Bretonneux Cemetery details

Villers-Bretonneux is a village 16 kilometres east of Amiens on the straight main road to St Quentin. The Cemetery is about 2 kilometres north of the village on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

So, different cemeteries, but still very close even in death......

Edit to add:

On 4th April, the 9th Bttn suffered 24 dead, including S/37705 Rifleman Charles Thomas Christmas from Kingston on Thames. Both SDGW and CWGC agree he died on 4th April, Killed in Action, but SDGW gives "Died" for Albert. With close Service Numbers, it could be that they were friends, killed together, but Alberts body was identified, whereas Charles is on the Pozieres Memorial.

Horace Hadfield B/201702 and William George Smith, O/448, are buried in Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, which received burials from, amongst others, .... and the GERMAN CEMETERY "by the Church", in which the Germans buried two men of the Rifle Brigade in April 1918. CSM Tom Whitham (DCM) is in Villers-Brettoneux, but the rest have no known graves, and are also on the Pozieres Memorial. My guess is on the 4th April, with Albert perhaps being wounded early with the CSM and both dying either in an Aid Station or near the front line, the rest of the lads being killed or dying in the German lines.

[verdun]

A VERY interesting edit! Many thanks, indeed. This certainly suggests that April 4th was a more likely date of death and also provides poignant background information.