roughdiamond Posted 20 November , 2014 Share Posted 20 November , 2014 Reading "Diary of an Old Contemptible" and the diarist Edward Roe of the East Lancs makes much of the fact that whilst serving in Mespot, a common way of avoiding frontline duty was to "lose" your false teeth, the reasoning being you couldn't eat the hardtack ration biscuits without them, so you were kept in the base areas till replacements arrived which could take months. He relates that the common loss was due to "Mal de Mer" on the boat to Mespot, however the best one was a man who claimed a Jackal stole them from the glass next to his bed. Anyone else came across similar accounts in personal accounts of the War or official documents of men being excused front line duty due to lack of dentures? Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 20 November , 2014 Share Posted 20 November , 2014 It certainly happened after D-Day when so many pairs had been lost due to sea sickness that a unit of tooth makers had to be sent to make them on the beaches. I only hope they weren't issued full of sand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 20 November , 2014 Share Posted 20 November , 2014 Only this afternooon did I find a court of enquiry into a man who damaged his upper dentures while cleaning them in a trench at Bailleul in July 1918. It was decided that the man had damaged his dentures through a fault of his own during service and he should replace them at his own expense. Perhaps an event like this needing a court of enquiry suggests that damaging false teeth may have been quite common.?? TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Nulty Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 100 yeara ago today, on 16/12/1914, William Burdekin died after swallowing his false teeth http://www.sthelensrollsofhonour.co.uk/casualty-1591-William_Claude_Burdekin.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 Unfortunately I don't know the source for this letter - a colleague sent me the image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin ss002d6252 Posted 16 December , 2014 Admin Share Posted 16 December , 2014 I was looking at the 50th DIV ADMS recently - through Sep 1915 and in to 1916 they had around 10 men at any one time with the F.Amb awaiting new dentures (and usually 1 or 2 officers as well). Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 Unfortunately I don't know the source for this letter - a colleague sent me the image. Dental loss WW1.JPG Jacob Barton - many Service Records in Ancestry. The letter is probably from these. Name: Jacob Barton Birth Date: abt 1890 Age at Enlistment: 25 Marriage Date: 28 Jan 1909 Marriage Place: Register Office Cockermouth Residence Place: 32 Derwent Street, Cockermouth Cumberland Document Year: 1915 Regimental Number: 178932 Regiment Name: A Vet Service Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 Slightly off-topic, but here is a Tempy Surgeon RNVR's reaction to denture problems: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 PS: Kath, many thanks for those details of Jacob Barton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 Interesting thread - I wonder if anyone was ever charged for "wilfully casting away their dentures in the face of the enemy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin ss002d6252 Posted 16 December , 2014 Admin Share Posted 16 December , 2014 Interesting thread - I wonder if anyone was ever charged for "wilfully casting away their dentures in the face of the enemy". Sorry Sir, I couldn't cast away my rifle so I used my dentures instead. It would probably shock them enough to let you get away. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 "In the teeth of fierce opposition ... " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 16 December , 2014 Share Posted 16 December , 2014 "In the teeth of fierce opposition ... " very apt! Well...here's my contribution from David Rorie, A Medico's Luck in the War. Around June 1915 so early days for the 51st Highland Division. He might not have been so keen to recover them later on in the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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