Frederick Perkins, 968/613421, 1/19th County of London Regiment

[mike adams]

I have just restarted researching my grandfather.

My mother always referred to her father as a 'despatch rider' on the evidence of this photo, whilst the 1918 absent voters list (kindly referenced to me by Charles Fair), listed him as 'driver', which Charles told me meant that, at that time, he was a member of the transport section. Somewhere else, (reference mislaid), I read that he was attached to 'H.Q. Unit'. According to his medical record, he was hospitalised with 'shock' on 5th Feb. 1916, and on page 79, in Reginald and Charles Fair's excellent book 'Marjorie's War' is reproduced a letter, dated 6 Feb. 1916 which states that '---a shell dropped right into our transport lines ...and killed one man, wounded eleven and killed twelve horses.....'. This letter was written by Charles Fair senior, an officer in the 1/19th London's. Would it be reasonable to conclude that this was the cause of Fred's shock, and can anyone explain to me what his duties would have been?

Thank you

Mike.

[Drew-1918]

Hello Mike,

I would say its certainly likely, but whether you will ever be able to prove that 100% is another thing. Does the letter say that the shell dropped on the transport was specifically on the 5th? Also, have you got hold of the 1/19th Bn. War Diary yet?

I wonder if this was the one man killed mentioned in the letter:

RODD, W

Rank: Private, Service No: 1472, Date of Death: 05/02/1916, Regiment/Service: London Regiment 19th Bn., Grave Reference 6., Cemetery MAZINGARBE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

I f you haven't already, you might like to try and get hold of the 1/4th London Field Ambulance War Diary for that date. Probably not much help with detail, but just to cross it off your list of things to check. I think this is it (though there is a 2/4 LFA so please double check which one you need before you pay for it!) :

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C7354548

Great picture by the way, thanks for posting.

Regards,

Chris

[mike adams]

Thanks for that, Chris. Whilst the 1/4th London Field Ambulance war diary doesn't have a lot of relevant information, it does give their location at the time (Noeux les Mines, about 3 miles south of Béthune), which is very useful.

Regards'

Mike

[Charles Fair]

Mike - great picture, and thanks for posting. I agree that it is a very plausible hypothesis. but hard to prove 100%. I'll post the relevant words from the 1/19th War Diary which rarely mentions other ranks.

Looks like this is an incident which for some reason I did not get round to footnoting in my book. Will do so if I ever get round to a second edition.

Charles