my great grandad grandad

[chocaholic6]

My great grandad grandad was killed in action on WW 1 he is buried in blargies cemetery I've found a lot of information about him there was 1 photo of him that my grandparents had but no one got it I wondered if anyone can help he was in labour corps he's name was william Talbot he was killed in 19th May 1918

[KevinBattle]

Hi, and welcome, refreshing to see someone being open about their addiction (unlike Mrs Axe, but the furtive rustling gives her away)

You have probably seen his CWGC entry, but do check again, as they have just finalised a good upgrade so there are more items to view

TALBOT, WILLIAM. Rank: Private. Service No: 298744. Date of Death: 19/05/1918. Age:45.

Regiment/Service: Labour Corps 783rd Area Employment Coy.

Grave Reference: I. E. 7. Cemetery: BLARGIES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Additional Information: Husband of A. L. Talbot, of 24, Lyon St., Caledonian Rd. London.

The Labour Corps was often for men who whilst fit in general, did not for one reason or another, meet front line standards of fitness, usually after wounds or serious illness, injury etc.

He had previously served in the (Royal) Army Service Corps - it didn't become "Royal" until after WW1)

Soldiers Died in the Great War shows him as:-

Name: William Talbot. Birth Place: Datchet, Windsor, Buckinghamshire. Residence: Caledonian Road, Middlesex.

Death Date: 19 May 1918. Death Place: France and Flanders. Enlistment Place: London.

Rank: Private. Regiment: Labour Corps. Regimental Number: 298744. Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre. Comments: Formerly 9221, R.A.S.C.

Given that he was 45 in 1918, 9221 seems a very early number, those in WW1 generally are 5 or more numbers long.

That might mean he had Boer War service. More expert Pals may know more...

His Medal Index Card shows entitlement to 1915 Star as well as the British War and Victory medals as he entered France on 5 May 1915, so likely his Army Service Corps involvement was in the UK, as all his medals were issued by the Labour Corps with whom he was serving in France.

You are one of the few "fortunate" ones as the Service Records for William still survive, despite the loss of almost 2/3rds during a fire in the Blitz in 1940.

Name: William Talbot. Birth Date: abt 1877. Age at Enlistment: 38. Marriage Date: 10 Nov 1895.

Marriage Place: St Pauls Church Clinkinwell (Clerkenwell). Residence Place: 24 Lyons St, Caledonian Road London

Document Year: 1915. Regimental Number: 298744. Regiment Name: Army Service Corps. Number of Images: 28.

Form Title: Short Service Attestation

(you'll see that his Service Number is his Labour Corps one, rather than

His family comprised: Alice Louisa (nee Forsyth) Spouse; Dorothy Edith Talbot, child; Richard Thomas Talbot, child; William Fred Talbot, child; Albert Edward Talbot, child, Alfred Frank Talbot, child; Joseph Victor Talbot, child; and Leslie Talbot, child. EDIT: Ah! Sad footnote: Leslie was born 4th June 1918.......

That left great great granma (I assume you don't mean your great grandfathers grandfather?) with 7 children to support.

(Little wonder he transferred to the Labour Corps at a special rate of pay of 3 shillings a day - must have been a small fortune at the time)

I won't go into his Service Records, as I think you'll gain a lot from reading them yourself.

You can access the records on Ancestry for free at your local public library if you don't have access yourself).

I hope you enjoy seeing his signature and the rest of the information.

Don't worry if you don't understand it all, just ask - we were novices once ourselves!

EDIT: William and Alice married 10 November 1895. Their first child, Dorothy, was not born until 10 February 1902.

William enlisted in April 1915 and by 5 May was in France with the Labour Corps, at a special rate of pay... that's unusually fast so it infers he had a badly needed skill (or volunteered for something hazardous for the money).

An Area Employment Company doesn't sound as if there were too many "Killed in Action" deaths, as I'd expect them to be away from the Front....

Perhaps a story waiting to be revealed?

Alice received a pension of 42/6 per week for herself and 6 children, Leslie doesn't show in the List of Names....

[Ron Clifton]

Hello both

He was probably in one of the ASC Labour Companies in 1915, and transferred to the Labour Corps when it was formed on 1April 1917. Area Employment Companies operated around Corps HQs and towns in the rear areas, but were still susceptible to air attack or long range shelling.

Ron

[chocaholic6]

Hi, and welcome, refreshing to see someone being open about their addiction (unlike Mrs Axe, but the furtive rustling gives her away)

You have probably seen his CWGC entry, but do check again, as they have just finalised a good upgrade so there are more items to view

TALBOT, WILLIAM. Rank: Private. Service No: 298744. Date of Death: 19/05/1918. Age:45.

Regiment/Service: Labour Corps 783rd Area Employment Coy.

Grave Reference: I. E. 7. Cemetery: BLARGIES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Additional Information: Husband of A. L. Talbot, of 24, Lyon St., Caledonian Rd. London.

The Labour Corps was often for men who whilst fit in general, did not for one reason or another, meet front line standards of fitness, usually after wounds or serious illness, injury etc.

He had previously served in the (Royal) Army Service Corps - it didn't become "Royal" until after WW1)

Soldiers Died in the Great War shows him as:-

Name: William Talbot. Birth Place: Datchet, Windsor, Buckinghamshire. Residence: Caledonian Road, Middlesex.

Death Date: 19 May 1918. Death Place: France and Flanders. Enlistment Place: London.

Rank: Private. Regiment: Labour Corps. Regimental Number: 298744. Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre. Comments: Formerly 9221, R.A.S.C.

Given that he was 45 in 1918, 9221 seems a very early number, those in WW1 generally are 5 or more numbers long.

That might mean he had Boer War service. More expert Pals may know more...

His Medal Index Card shows entitlement to 1915 Star as well as the British War and Victory medals as he entered France on 5 May 1915, so likely his Army Service Corps involvement was in the UK, as all his medals were issued by the Labour Corps with whom he was serving in France.

You are one of the few "fortunate" ones as the Service Records for William still survive, despite the loss of almost 2/3rds during a fire in the Blitz in 1940.

Name: William Talbot. Birth Date: abt 1877. Age at Enlistment: 38. Marriage Date: 10 Nov 1895.

Marriage Place: St Pauls Church Clinkinwell (Clerkenwell). Residence Place: 24 Lyons St, Caledonian Road London

Document Year: 1915. Regimental Number: 298744. Regiment Name: Army Service Corps. Number of Images: 28.

Form Title: Short Service Attestation

(you'll see that his Service Number is his Labour Corps one, rather than

His family comprised: Alice Louisa (nee Forsyth) Spouse; Dorothy Edith Talbot, child; Richard Thomas Talbot, child; William Fred Talbot, child; Albert Edward Talbot, child, Alfred Frank Talbot, child; Joseph Victor Talbot, child; and Leslie Talbot, child. EDIT: Ah! Sad footnote: Leslie was born 4th June 1918.......

That left great great granma (I assume you don't mean your great grandfathers grandfather?) with 7 children to support.

(Little wonder he transferred to the Labour Corps at a special rate of pay of 3 shillings a day - must have been a small fortune at the time)

I won't go into his Service Records, as I think you'll gain a lot from reading them yourself.

You can access the records on Ancestry for free at your local public library if you don't have access yourself).

I hope you enjoy seeing his signature and the rest of the information.

Don't worry if you don't understand it all, just ask - we were novices once ourselves!

EDIT: William and Alice married 10 November 1895. Their first child, Dorothy, was not born until 10 February 1902.

William enlisted in April 1915 and by 5 May was in France with the Labour Corps, at a special rate of pay... that's unusually fast so it infers he had a badly needed skill (or volunteered for something hazardous for the money).

An Area Employment Company doesn't sound as if there were too many "Killed in Action" deaths, as I'd expect them to be away from the Front....

Perhaps a story waiting to be revealed?

Alice received a pension of 42/6 per week for herself and 6 children, Leslie doesn't show in the List of Names....

Thanks only thing I wasn't sure about was the 1915 star I'm very addicted to it I've got photo of he's grave stone I know I'd never go but I do think about him

[Loader]

My money is on shell fire being the cause of his death. may have been working on roads repairs or such. Glad you are keeping his memory alive now.

Air attack second most likely. Camp bombed perhaps.

[chocaholic6]

He was blown up my grandad told me but he never knew where he was buried he mother never told any of them she visited hes grave once but no more so we found out where he was buried after my grandad died so he never knew x