Jump to content
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Records


In the pink

Recommended Posts

Hello and thanks for this site it is great.

I am wondering if it would be possible to learn how a particular soldier died and where? My Great Uncle was killed in March 1916 serial NoS5677 10th Rifle Brigade (The Princes Consorts own) He is buried in Etaples. I would be interested in filling in the gaps about him if posible

Thanks

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi David ,

Welcome to the great war Forum, David what's your great uncle name. That would help the forum

regards

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello David

Have you tried the LLT ( the long long Trail) top left of your screen. This is full of information to help you find details on your Great Uncle.

10th (Service) Battalion

Formed at Winchester in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 59th Brigade in 20th (Light) Division. Moved to Blackdown, going on in February 1915 to Witley and then in April to Hamilton Camp (Stonehenge).

21 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.

5 February 1918 : disbanded at La Clytte.

try these to find out more about your Great uncle

http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/grandad.htm

http://www.1914-1918.net/20div.htm

http://www.1914-1918.net/rb.htm

regards

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello and thanks for this site it is great.

I am wondering if it would be possible to learn how a particular soldier died and where? My Great Uncle was killed in March 1916 serial NoS5677 10th Rifle Brigade (The Princes Consorts own) He is buried in Etaples. I would be interested in filling in the gaps about him if posible

Thanks

David

Name:GREENWOOD, JAMES ALBERT

Nationality:United Kingdom

Rank:Rifleman

Regiment/Service:Rifle Brigade

Unit Text:10th Bn

.Age:21

Date of Death:16/03/1916

Service No:S/5677

Additional information:Son of Joseph and Emily Greenwood, of 20, Cowm View, Shawforth, Rochdale, Lancs.Casualty Type:Commonwealth War DeadGrave/Memorial Reference:VI. D. 3A.Cemetery:ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello David

and thanks to Sharon for finding his name, here is James albert greenwood details from CWGC.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=501621

regards

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello and thanks for this site it is great.

I am wondering if it would be possible to learn how a particular soldier died and where? My Great Uncle was killed in March 1916 serial NoS5677 10th Rifle Brigade (The Princes Consorts own) He is buried in Etaples. I would be interested in filling in the gaps about him if posible

Thanks

David

Hello David

I think you should be prepared for some disappointment with your research. Other Ranks have little specific information recorded when injured or killed. An Officer will often be mentioned in records. The War Diary for his unit is probably the best chance for an answer. Diaries are, however, written with varying degrees of detail, this is influenced by the style of writing and also events occurring when the Diary pages are written up.

My own research found that on occasions dead and injured were mentioned per day and at other times per month. There was no mention of individual names when the Diaries covered a period of Battle, just numbers.

Another research option is to find books covering the action and hope that the researcher has the answers.

All the best in your quest

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

David

Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) shows he died of wounds. Born and resident Shawforth Lancs,enlisted Bacup Lancs.

There were several Hospitals at Etaples,only one seems to have a surviving Admissions Register at the National Archives,28 General Hospital has a file in MH106.These remaining medical registers are merely a sample collection. The same thing applies to the records for the next phase between battlefield and hospital,the Casualty Clearing Stations,where No 3 is about the only one with anything like a continous record,and even that has gaps.I recently found a casualty in CCS3 Admission Register,but it's a lottery finding what you need.

Most of the Hospitals,CCSs and Field Ambulances have War Diaries in the WO95 series but they don't concentrate on the patients specifically,more the story of where the unit is,it's staff and the general business,which may show numbers of casualties in and out daily,but nothing more than that.

Sotonmate

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all very much for all the help, heck it is a minefield pardon the pun isnt it? I am completely baffled by the info but I will try and fathom it all out, I realise its a possible dead end but I would like to see if anything is available for my searches.

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dave

The answer to your question may lie in the archives of the local paper for the area he lived prior to the war. Often local papers published short pieces along the lines of -

Private John Smith, Son of Mr Arthur & Mrs ,Mable Smith of 6 Empire Cottages, recently died in hospital at Etaples, France, following a gun shot wound to his chest which he sustained at the battle of Bash Street on 30 March this year. Private Smiths commanding officer wrote that he was a popular member of the company & will be missed by his fellow men.

These short pieces can be extreemly graphic in describing injuries compared to modern publication standards.

Andy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks I have emailed the Rochdale observer so hope to go and try and find anything in the archives there.

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dave. I am hoping to visit the local studies library at Touchstones Rochdale tomorrow, they have both the Rochdale newspapers, Times and Observer on microfilm, I can have a look for you if you wish and possibly save you a journey. I will contact my friend who has a database of over 2500 Rochdale casualties to see if he has any further details on your relative. Ralph.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

David,

Your great uncle was wounded on 2/3/16 at St. Eloi when the battalion was assisting Vth Corps. They commenced heavy rifle and machine gun fire in support of these operations early in the morning. The Germans responded in kind with heavy machine gun and artillery fire on the 10th Rifle Brigade's positions. The situation had returned to normal after 4.45am on the morning of the 2nd.

Andy

post-1871-0-20225700-1306276726.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

war diary

post-1871-0-51275200-1306277432.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

David,

Great to talk to you yesterday, enjoyed our chat. Thank you very much for the scans of Jimmy's letters from the front and the pictures of Jimmy in uniform and with the family, fantastic to see and read. I will do a bit of digging with regard the other men that joined with Jimmy in the RB's, the news clippngs added quite a bit.

Regarding the family friend Pooley, I would suggest that you start a thread on here about him as there are some very knowledgeable and helpful people on here that have an interest in the Canadian forces.

Andy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...