CWGC headstone/database differences

[BereniceUK]

The inscriptions on two CWGC headstones in Lancaster Cemetery contradict, or appear to, what's in the CWGC database. Can anyone tell me which is correct?

NEWBY, N

Rank: Private Service No: 241515 Date of Death: 24/05/1918 Regiment/Service: King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) The inscribed date looks more like 1919 than 1918 to me. Which is the correct year?

FOY, W

Rank: Lance Corporal Service No: 29369 Date of Death: 16/01/1918 Age: 52 Regiment/Service: Royal Defence Corps 350th Protection Coy.

Is the surname Foy or Fox?

[Phil Evans]

Berenice,

I would contact the CWGC and ask them to check their database with the original records.

Newby is not on SDGW, therefore there it is quite possible that the date is 1919 and I read it as such myself.

Your other man is on SDGW as FOY, therefore the error may lay in the gravestone transcription., but still worth checking.

Phil

[BereniceUK]

Cheers, Phil. I agree, the answers probably lie in faulty transcriptions from someone's handwriting. Thanks for looking them both up.

[Medaler]

Hi,

It might be worth checking out the date of their death certificates. Just run your various options through the search engine and see where you strike gold.

The deal makers will be:-

The registration districts - which will reflect where they died rather than where they are buried

The dates should be a few days (at most) after their dates of death.

This mob will let you search for free !!

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

Cheers,

Mike

[tootrock]

241515 Nicholas Newby, Royal Lancashire Regiment

Death registered June 1919 at Clitheroe.

Martin

[BereniceUK]

A-ha! Thank you. I've written to the CWGC with the info on these two headstones plus two from WWII in the same cemetery.

[IRC Kevin]

Pte Nicholas Newby was discharged SWB-wounds on 24/12/18. (wounded 1/10/18). He died 24/5/19 at Queen Mary's Military Hospital, Whalley from lobar pneumonia after an old wound to his back developed septic poisoning. CWWG most definitely have the wrong date on their database.

[BereniceUK]

Response from the CWGC -

"The correct date of death for Private Newby is 24/5/1919.

It would appear that the headstone for Lance Corporal Foy is incorrect, all our records state FOY not Fox. I will now send this through to our records department and they will either arrange for an amendment to the headstone or arrange for a new one to be manufactured in due course."