My great uncle Michael Tierney

[MB 123]

Hi all,

I have been researching my great uncle pte Michael Tierney of A coy 4th middlesex reg no L/14500 who was killed on the 4th november 1914 which was much later in the campaign than I thought. I would really love to find out how and where he was killed but I dont know if that is possible after all

these years, I have just found his grave, he is in St Symphorien cemetery. I noticed that only one other soldier in the cemetery in his reg was killed on the same day. I read that the 4th middlesex were south west of a place called Baquerot in the region of Fauquissart on the day before his death, it said there was a lull in the fighting at the time.

I would like some advice or information on how possible to go forward; thanks in advance.

Regards

Mike

[jay dubaya]

Welcome to the forum Mike

Are you aware that your great uncle Michael died as a PoW - the word's 'died after capture' are written on his MIC. I believe that he may be one of 4 Middlesex casualties that were initially buried at Maisieres by the Germans before being re-interred at St. Symphorien. I have the battalion war diary which I will have a look through later

Jon

[jay dubaya]

I also have what is left of Michaels' service papers - the Luftwaffe did a good job on these ones but there's plenty of content left to build up a reasonable picture of Michaels military career.

Jon

[spof]

Being a PoW makes sense as Fauquissart is in the Fromelles/Neuve Chapelle area and a long way from St Symphorien.

[MB 123]

Thank you both so much for this information on Pte Tierney. I had no idea he had been a prisoner of war, I found a letter from his sister hoping he had been taken prisoner and

not killed but not knowing his whereabouts. Thanks again for all your help regards Mike

[Tom Lang]

I also have what is left of Michaels' service papers - the Luftwaffe did a good job on these ones but there's plenty of content left to build up a reasonable picture of Michaels military career.

Jon

Hello Jay,

Please forgive me for intervening in this thread.

I tried to send you a PM, but apparently your box is full.

In your post regarding Michael Tierney, you mention the Luftwaffe doing a good job on Michael Tierney's records as a POW.

I have been researching an officer who wrote to my grandmother on the death of my grandfather in April 1917.

The Officer was wounded and captured 6 months later and died of his wounds as a POW.

I have bought and paid for a copy of his service record from Kew. This has a copy of the medical record (in German with an English translation) showing the cause of death.

I would like to know where, or if, I can search for any other records. As your entry shows, there is a chance that the Germans still have records somewhere.

Can you point me in the right direction.

Kindest Regards,

Tom Lang.

[jay dubaya]

Tom, (inbox cleared ish, cheers)

I think you may have misunderstood my post, I refer to the service papers held at the NA/ancestry and what is left of them after the bombing of the Arndale Street warehouse where they were in storage during the Blitz and not any specific PoW records. You could contact the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as they hold some records relating to PoWs especially those that died durin captivity, however these may not hold any further information to what you already have.

Jon

[Tom Lang]

Tom, (inbox cleared ish, cheers)

I think you may have misunderstood my post, I refer to the service papers held at the NA/ancestry and what is left of them after the bombing of the Arndale Street warehouse where they were in storage during the Blitz and not any specific PoW records. You could contact the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as they hold some records relating to PoWs especially those that died durin captivity, however these may not hold any further information to what you already have.

Jon

Ooops, sorry!

I tried the ICRC but they are in the process of digitising their records and asked me to wait.

Thanks for your reply.

[Guest History Angels]

Thank you both so much for this information on Pte Tierney. I had no idea he had been a prisoner of war, I found a letter from his sister hoping he had been taken prisoner and

not killed but not knowing his whereabouts. Thanks again for all your help regards Mike

Hi Mike,

I've been trying to contact you with regard to your Great Uncle, Private Michael Tierney A Company 4th Middlesex Regiment no L/14500 .

I'm researching him too and have more information. Please pm me.

Best wishes

History Angels

[Hedley Malloch]

Welcome to the forum Mike

Are you aware that your great uncle Michael died as a PoW - the word's 'died after capture' are written on his MIC. I believe that he may be one of 4 Middlesex casualties that were initially buried at Maisieres by the Germans before being re-interred at St. Symphorien. I have the battalion war diary which I will have a look through later

Jon

Can I bump up this soldier again?

Tierny is currently being discussed in this thread: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=236789

The 4th Middlesex fought at Mons in August 1914. Is it not possible that Tierney, together with L/14684 G.H. Clark and L/9509 Spence, T.J., from the same unit, were left behind in that battle, and were later caught by the Germans in Mons and shot? The idea that all three 'died of wounds' on the same day and were buried many miles away from where their unit was engaged does not seem likely.

Unless those wounds were administered by a German firing squad.

There is nothing in the St. Symphorien grave registration and burial details to support the reburial idea. MIC and ICRC records are not always a good guide to what really happened to soldiers trapped behind the lines.

Any views?