Charles John Acres

[suemetz]

Hiya, im new to this forum , im not too sure of the proceedure, If i tell the story perhaps somebody could point me in the right direct. My Great Uncle is buried in our local cemetary, his headstone reads his name followed by the letters L.C.D.C. I have been all around the houses trying to find out what these letters meant. I could find no WW1 service records in his name , so i posted on a forum on ancestry, He died in the edmonton military hospital in 1919 so i sent for a death certificate. It gives me a regiment and service number for him , it says Labour Corp attached to 6th Dragoons service number 240211 can anybody tell me if the lcdc could refer to labour corp dragoon something or other.He died following an operation of heart failure and was aged 30

any information is very welcome

best wishes

Suemetz

[grantowi]

On the LLT, bit about Labour Corp - http://www.1914-1918.net/labour.htm

Also, can't see a MIC card, which suggests tha he didn't serve overseas

Not listed on CWGC, he might be one for the IFCP

Grant

[CGM]

Hello Suemetz,

Welcome to the forum !

I have seen your entry on the Ancestry forum. You say that he has a very smart headstone and you're sure the family would not have been able to afford it.

Is it possible to put a photo of the gravestone on here? Someone must have paid for it and that might be worth investigating.

Is he buried in a cemetery local to where he lived? This would suggest he was returned to his family for burial rather than being buried close to the hospital where he died and the family will have chosen the wording (probably).

( Was he a postman in Romford? if so, have you see his entry in the London Gazette? )

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28391/pages/4663/page.pdf

CGM

[CGM]

L.C.D.C.

Labour Corps Discharge Center ?

This is just a thought and I'm not sure how it would work in practice.

Discharge Centres were established for men due to be discharged on medical grounds. (A Clearing Office was established for men suffering from sickness or wounds, who were expected to return to service).

He may have been transferred from the London District Discharge Centre to Edmonton Military Hospital when his health deteriorated.....

There is more about the Discharge Centres and the Clearing Office in Starling and Lees book No Labour, No Battle.

[IPT]

Odd that there's no mention on CWGC or SDGW.

I assume it's definitely not LDLC (London Division Labour Corps)?

I haven't been able to find a similar service number to gain some clues.

[IPT]

Regarding the probate entry;

Name: Charles John Acres Death: 12 Oct 1919 - Hertfordshire, England Other: 23 Jul 1925 - London, England

I think that's the longest gap i've seen. Is that significant?

[suemetz]

thank you everyone for replying, as i said im very new to this, old sweats, i also thought the gap between death and probate seemed strange, will look into that point. Also could well be lcdc, as the last letter is very worn

cgm, yes he is buried in the local cemetary, just up the road from me , There is nobody in with him although there is a memorial to my grandfater on the headstone. i do have a picture , but unless you are right on top of the grave you cant read the engraving, I thought with a regiment and service number it would be easier to locate his service record but to no avail. Thanks again for your help, no doubt i will spend a lot of time on here as i am now researching my grandfater and another great uncle but thats another story.

[Steven Broomfield]

Long shot, but could the second C be a G?

Although there was a 6th Dragoons, there was also a 6th Dragoon Guards, so is it possible he was in the 6th DG (Carabiniers) rather than 6th D (Inniskillings), and the grave has LC for Labour Corps and DG for Dragoon Guards?

As I say, it's a long shot but I can't think of anything better!

[KevinBattle]

Presumably you also know he was appointed a postman in Hoddesdon in July 1911?

I see he was appointed a postman in July 1911 in Hoddesdon

Name: Charles Acres. Age in 1911: 23. Birth Year: abt 1888. Relation to Head: Boarder

Birth Place: Gravely, Hertfordshire.

Street Address: Sandringham Lodge, Sandringham Rd,Laindon, Essex

Marital Status: Single. Occupation: Postman

Hope the LCDC isn't some Post Office nomenclature such as London Central District communications!!

EDIT: This is getting suspiciously like two men, one born Ware and working around Hoddesdon, the other Edmonton and Romford.......

There is a Service Record for a Charles Acre Royal Engineers with a 36 Park Ridings, Hornsey address, father Charles James and mother Sarah......

[suemetz]

my Charles john Acres was born in ware in 1888 , yes he was a postman based in hoddesdon , we are hertfordshire based and you can follow him through to burford place hoddesdon in the census. He died in the edmonton military hospital following an operation .

[suemetz]

my one is the ware born 1888, postman in hoddesdon in 1911