alanmackie Posted 29 May , 2011 Share Posted 29 May , 2011 Hello I am reading A Foreign Field by Ben Macintyre. I have read the other posts about this book and if I have missed the answer to my question i apologise. While reading the book I thought I would look up the records about Robert and they appear to have his name mixed with his brother Thomas. Did Thomas survive the war? On the CWGC record we have Name: DIGBY ROBERT Initials: R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: Hampshire Regiment Unit Text: 1st. Bn. Date of Death: 30/05/1916 Service Number: 9368 Aditional Infomation: Sonn of Robert and Ellen Digby Beechcroft Beaumont Road Totton Hants Born at Northwich Cheshire (The 1901 and 1891 Censuses state that he was born in India) Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Memorial Reference: 4 Cemetery: LE CATALET CHURCHYARD SDGW states Name: Thomas Digby Birth Place: Rorkee Bengal India Residence: Totton Hants Death Date: 30 May 1916 Death Location: France and Flanders Enlistment Location: Winchester Rank: Private Regiment: Hampshire Regiment Battalion: 1st. Battalion Number: 9368 Type of Casualty: Killed in Action Theatre of War: Western European Theatre His MIC DIGBY Thomas Hamps R Pte 9368 Victory, British, 14 Star and 1914 Star Clasp (there looks like another clasp Cl/2/?765 cancelled) Remarks: Pres Dead. On the reverse is his mothers address and a reference to the Clasp dated 8/1/20 Can someone explain the discrepances with the name and all the same service number please. Dental Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ander11 Posted 30 May , 2011 Share Posted 30 May , 2011 Hi dental I have just checked the Forces genealogy site, It has Thomas digby died 30/5/1916.But sadly this site doesn't have army numbers I think the CWGC have got it wrong , but not 100% sure I hope this helps regards Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmackie Posted 30 May , 2011 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2011 Hello Ian Thankyou for your reply in the book it was Robert who died on that date, its a bit of a puzzle. Dental Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 30 May , 2011 Share Posted 30 May , 2011 The gravestone in Le Catelet churchyard states that 9368 R. Digby was aged 31. Thomas Digby, born in 1888 (according to 1911 census) so would have been 28 in 1916. Robert L. Digby, son of Henry and Mary Digby, of Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, was born in 1885, so would have been 31 in 1916. Does this help at all? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmackie Posted 31 May , 2011 Author Share Posted 31 May , 2011 Hello Martin Thankyou for your reply Thomas was three years younger than Robert, hving had a look further into the book Thomas did survive the war. Their parents were Robert and Ellen Digby, their father was a Colonel in the Indian Army. Dental Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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