Saving Private Watsisname

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

It is being suggested to me that the Saving Private Ryan scenario existed in the British Army during WW1.

As this proposition is coming from a source with slightly more clout than that bloke in the public bar at The Fox and Ferret who knows everything about everything (you possibly know him too), I thought I'd better ask.

Anybody got any news on this ? (No wild speculation please).

Tom

[IPT]

Is he referring to the case of Private Bell, A.I.F.?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2590975/Real-Saving-Private-Ryan-Soldier-brought-home-WWI-frontline-sister-wrote-army-begging-sent-FOUR-brothers-killed.html

[IPT]

There's also the case of WIlfred Smith, RFC, in which Queen Mary is claimed to have intervened after his 5 brothers were killed - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2562886/The-real-life-Saving-Private-Ryan-Amazing-story-soldier-flown-mother-line-five-older-brothers-killed.html

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Is he referring to the case of Private Bell, A.I.F.?

No, but that case and the example given in post #3 are both interesting and probably deserve some further investigation.

Any others - especially anything which may point towards "policy" ?

Tom

[paulgranger]

Considering no-one seemed to think of the ramifications of mass casualties in the Pals' battalions when they were being recruited, I doubt if there was any policy on the matter

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

I am writing something up for our association mag about one such AIF case.

the family starting writing after three of there five boys had been killed and one was badly wounded at Passchendaele leaving one uninjuried son in Palestine with the Camel Corps.

Letters were sent and after some time the Army send OK to save this last son, but by the time the messaged arrived that son was killed at the Battle of Amman in March 1918.

That left only the wound boy in France but by this time (march 1918) he was back with his unit and was badly wounded again during the counter attack around Villers Bretonneux in April 1918.

Now the Army sent him home, having done his bit and the loss of his four brothers.

There name was Pearce.

S.B

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

That left only the wound boy in France but by this time (march 1918) he was back with his unit and was badly wounded again during the counter attack around Villers Bretonneux in April 1918.

Now the Army sent him home, having done his bit and the loss of his four brothers.

But if he was badly wounded there is every chance he would have been discharged anyway.

Tom

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

There's also the case of WIlfred Smith, RFC, in which Queen Mary is claimed to have intervened after his 5 brothers were killed - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2562886/The-real-life-Saving-Private-Ryan-Amazing-story-soldier-flown-mother-line-five-older-brothers-killed.html

Reading the newspaper article - its a long way from being watertight. Has anybody ever investigated this man's record ???

Tom

[stevenbecker]

Tom,

Your right the reason for the last brothers return is open but concidering the amoung of documents rasied try to save the brother in Palestine I am sure that he was at lest in part sent home for being the last brother?

These are the brothers;

PEARCE Herbert 12/1762 Pte NZEF 3R Auckland Bn WIA 7-8-15 L/Leg shot during fighting at Chanak Bair (G) died at Alexandria buried Chatby War Memorial Cemetery Egypt Brothers Carl ICC, Richard 15Bn, and Stanley 5Bn all KIA & Edward 3 LHR

PEARCE Carl 488 Pte 14Bn DCo (G) to 3Co/1Bn ICC 1-16 to 4Co/1Bn 1-17 killed at Amman NKG listed on Jerusalem Memorial Palestine (see attempts to save is life after his brothers were killed in France but arrvied to late and only Edward returned home) Brothers Richard 15Bn, Edward 3 LHR and Stanley 5Bn all KIA and Herbert Auckland Bn NZEF KIA

PEARCE Edward James 826 Pte 03 LHR 3R tos C Sqn 4-15 (G) to 4 Trg Bn (12Bn) UK 9-16 to 51Bn 10-16 WIA 16-10-17 gas mustard reported at Passchendaele rtn Cpl 4-18 WIA 24-4-18 R/thigh shot reported during counterattack around Villers Bretonneux F&B disch 3-12-18 reported disch due to the loss of all his brothers during the war. brothers Richard 15Bn KIA, Carl ICC KIA, Stanley 5Bn KIA and Herbert Auckland Bn NZEF KIA

PEARCE Richard Henry 2184 Pte 15Bn 6R Tos ACo 7-15 (G) reported WIA & MIA killed in attack by Lt Coombs and 50 men from ACo att 14Bn of whom 40 were casualties on Kalajik Aghyl NKG listed on the Lone Pine Memorial Gallipoli brothers Carl ICC KIA, Stanley 5Bn KIA and Herbert Auckland Bn NZEF KIA & Edward 3 LHR

PEARCE Stanley Garrett 5745 Pte 5Bn 17R to 2 Trg Bn 3-16 Tos 7-16 F&B reported killed when A & BCos relieved the 6Bn in the trenches at Pozieres NKG listed on Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Villers Bretonneux France brothers Carl ICC KIA, Richard 15Bn KIA and Herbert Auckland Bn NZEF KIA & Edward 3 LHR

Cheers

S.B

[stevenbecker]

Tom,

I checked my records and found this case which although not quiet the same is along those lines?

BURGES Irwin Carleton Temple 222 Cpl 10 LHR B Sqn B Troop to L/Sgt 3-15 prom 2/Lt C Sqn D or C Troop? 1-8-15 to A Sqn A Troop 8-8-15 WIA 29-8-15 L/hand bomb in attack at Hill 60 (G) disch 5-4-17 at mothers request having lost two son's only one alive later WWII LtCol VDC two brothers Thomas 10 LHR KIA ?

I am still the double check the family but this is not the only soldier I've seen which had their soldier family member RTA because of a request by a member of that family.

Others are when the wife had died at home leaving children without a perent?

Cheers

S.B