Boils and then septicaemia

[Roger H]

The records of a man from 311th Brigade RFA (originally 3/2 WR Brigade) show that he was admitted to 2 CCS on the 30th January 1917 with boils on his back. On the 11th February 1917 he died of Septicaemia in 29 CCS. From what I can see from the records, there was no injury sustained in the intervening period. CWGC give the cause of death as "Commonwealth War Dead" and SDGW just says "died". My conclusions therefore are that the septicaemia was as a result of the boils and this led to his death. However, if I am correct, why was he transferred from one CCS to another? His service records can be found here:

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1219&iid=MIUK1914H_132001-00909&fn=Thomas+George&ln=Dent&st=r&ssrc=&pid=546375

(but note that there are some papers relating to another Thomas Dent - from Norfolk - at the end)

There is also a map reference 57d A.21.d, but I think this is the location of the cemetery (Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery Extension).

Roger

[Robert Dunlop]

Roger, unfortunately I can't access the material on Ancestry. And I don't understand the finer details of how CCSs worked. Medically, there are two possibilities. One is that the boils and septicaemia (blood poisoning, where bacteria get into the blood stream) were related. He may have had treatment for the boils on the first occassion, probably having them lanced or opened up to drain the pus away. It wouldn't be surprising if the boils had seemed to heal but then recurred after he was discharged. Some of the bacteria that cause boils can cause septicaemia but the process is not as rapid or as dramatic initially as blood poisoning from other causes. Hence the time delay. It may be that the septicaemia caused complications that required him to be treated elsewhere.

The septicaemia may have been unrelated, which I think is less likely FWIIW.

Robert

[Roger H]

Robert

Thanks for your expertise. What you say certainly makes sense.

Roger

[Sue Light]

Roger

Those two CCSs were a long way apart. I think it likely that he was admitted to 2 CCS with boils, treated (or patted on the head) and returned to his unit. His unit then moved within a day or two to the Doullens area, was he taken ill, possibly with a generalised infection from the boils and was re-admitted, this time to 29 CCS. I don't think there would have been that sort of transfer from one to another at such a great distance otherwise.

Sue

[Roger H]

Sue.

Whereabouts were the CCS's? On the 30/1/17, 311th Brigade were at Acheux -en-Artois (having recently arrived in France). This village is 16km South East of Doullens. Matters are confused somewaht because my man was (at a date unknown) attached to the Trench Mortar section of the 62nd Division (Although 311th Brigade was still at that time being part of 62nd Division despite just having become an Army Brigade). By the 11/2/17 the 62nd Division (including 311th Brigade) were in the Ancre valley somewhere in the Beaucourt area. Do those locations make any sense in terms of the locations of the CCS's?

Apologies for the additional questions.

Roger

Edit: Of course, the man could have already been with the 62nd Division Trench Mortar on the Ancre whilst 311th Brigade were still at Acheux-en-Arois

[Sue Light]

Roger

No.2 CCS was at Bailleul from the beginning of the war (August 1914) until September 1917. So it does seem that your man was somehow discharged from 2 CCS and sent on down to his unit on discharge. But what he was doing in the Bailleul area is a mystery - or I guess just possibly a typo?

Sue

[Roger H]

Sue

One of the many WW1 mysteries! As you say, who knows where Bailleul comes into the equation? Thank you so much for your time.

Roger

[battiscombe]

strangely I just came across a case the other day of a regular gunner in 1916 - at CCS for boils 24/1/1916, returned to his unit 12/2/1916, and dead of septicemia 2/3/1916 at another CCS.