9th Company RAMC

[KatharineMH]

I am wondering if anyone can help me with a query about my ancestor, Edward SMITHIES

He was in RAMC in Colchester and just found out(via death certificate) he was in 9th Company. Service no 59341

He died on 16 Sept 1915, of self inflicted wound-I never knew.

He was in Coldstream Guards, from 1899 to 1903 and then on 28th Aug 1914, he signed up for 10th Bn East Lancs No. 12298.

Can anyone shed any light on the kind of work he would have been doing In Colchester.?

How did he go from East Lancs to RAMC?

I am confused.

Katharine

[HarryBrook]

A service file exists, on Ancestry, for Edward Smithies 12298 10th Bn. East Lancs Regt., supposedly 25 pages, but often the number of pages stated is incorrect.

He was discharged from East Lancs Regt. on 15.5.1915 as no longer fit for war service. He then joined the R.A.M.C. at Blackpool on 3.6.1915. And so the file goes on - did not read it all. He was detained as an absentee from R.A.M.C.

Edit.

Had a further look at the supposed 25 pages. Only about the first 6 or so refer to Edward Smithies, then the name on the documents change to Williams, transferred from East Lancs. to Royal Engineers, and then they change again to Butterworth, so a bit of a muddle. But the first pages on Edward Smithies may be of interest; there is nothing on the circumstances of his death.

[stdape2011]

If you google britishnewspaperarchives and do a search there is a page military tragedy at Colchester will tell you more it is pay for but pretty cheap,

Also a picture of stone on findagrave.com

[KatharineMH]

Hello

Harry and stdape- a huge 'thank you'. The newspaper report, I had found; I am very pleased with the papers from Ancestry, I feel I have more of an understanding of Edward's movements. At the same time, very sad too!

Thanks again,

Katharine

[dachicourt]

Hello , je suis FRANCAIS , je viens de trouver une piece de monnaie , ancienne , (NAPOLEON TROIS ) avec dessus gravée , l'inscription suivante : R A M C , S. KAI 32343, apres recherches , il s'agit probablement , d'une plaque d'identité militaire , ayant appartenu au caporal SYDNEY KAI, arrivé sur le sol FRANCAIS EN 1915, affecté à l'ambulance 71.

Je souhaite , retrouver , un descendant de ce soldat BRITANIQUE , please, avez vous un site ou connaissez vous un descendant de cette personne , TAKE,

ANDRE DACHICOURT

FRANCE

DEPARTEMENT 77

[dachicourt]

Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'une aide sur le sol BRITANIQUE , pour retrouver un descendant du CAPORAL SYDNEY KAI , n° SERVICE 32343, de la R A M C , arrivé sur le sol FRANCAIS en 1915 , affecté à l'ambulance 71, j'ai trouvé une pîece de monnaie , avec les inscriptions/ R A M C S. KAI 32343/ sur les deux fa

[dachicourt]

les deux faces de la piece, apres recherches , j'ai pu identifier qu'elle avait surement appartenu au CAPORAL SYDNEY KAI , n° service 32343 , r a m c AMBULANCE 71 durant la premiere GUERRE 1914/1918.

[dachicourt]

Bonjour , je suis toujours en recherches d'information sur un descendant du ca

[dachicourt]

PARTIE 2 / caporal SYDNEY KAY ,affevté en 1915, R A M C , arrivé sur le sol FRANCAIS en 1915, numéro de service 32343, afin de donner cette plaque à un descendant de ce soldat BRITANIQUE , si cela l'interresse bien sur .

La copie de cette plaque , se trouve sur le topic du dessus ;

Désolé , je parle tres peu ANGLAIS .Si quelqu'un peu traduire ce topic!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CORDIALEMENT

andre dachicourt,

[Guest]

On 25/01/2014 at 15:05, KatharineMH said:

I am wondering if anyone can help me with a query about my ancestor, Edward SMITHIES

He was in RAMC in Colchester and just found out(via death certificate) he was in 9th Company. Service no 59341

He died on 16 Sept 1915, of self inflicted wound-I never knew.

He was in Coldstream Guards, from 1899 to 1903 and then on 28th Aug 1914, he signed up for 10th Bn East Lancs No. 12298.

Can anyone shed any light on the kind of work he would have been doing In Colchester.?

How did he go from East Lancs to RAMC?

I am confused.

Katharine

 

 

I too have only found out today regarding the self inflicted wound. I cannot answer your question but have found the below. He was my second cousin but I only know of him from my research for my family tree - I am from the Smithies line

 

From the Essex Newsman, 25 September 1915
"MILITARY TRAGEDY AT COLCHESTER.
DEAD WITH A RIFLE BY HIS SIDE.
Mr. H. Geoffrey Elwes held an inquest on Saturday Private Edward Smithies, aged 38 years, of the R.A.M.C., who was found shot in a detention room at Assaye Barracks, Colchester, on the previous Thursday.
The Coroner said the deceased was at the Military Hospital until the end of August, when he left without leave. He was arrested at Blackpool on Sept 11 and sent back to Colchester under military escort. He was kept at the hospital for the night, but as there was no guardroom there he was transferred to Soraon Barracks. The battalion stationed there was, however, leaving and he was sent to the guardroom at Assaye Barracks where his dead body was afterwards found. The circumstances pointed to the man having taken his own life. A rifle belonging to another man who was under detention was found by his side.
... Annie Smithies, of Ribchester, near Preston, sister of the deceased, said some years ago he fell from a loft and injured his head, and since that time he has been more or less depressed."
Following the "verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind" ... the Jury, added that "the deceased was to be examined for his mental condition, he should have been kept under more strict supervision, and that when arrested more care should have been exercised in searching his person and equipment." ...