Guest Posted 21 December , 2014 Share Posted 21 December , 2014 I have been unable to find the service or pension records for this distant cousin of mine. I have found War Medal details (Victory & British) but the Medal Roll Index Card is silent on Theatre of War First Served In & Date of Entry Therein, which presumably means it was after 1 January 1916. (From its War Diary it appears that his unit embarked from Southampton on 27 January 1916.) I know that he died of wounds on 7 February 1916 following shelling of his billet behind the lines at Mazingarbe, near Loos the previous evening and that he was buried in Mazingarbe Communal Cemetary. I understand that this incident is reported in James Sambrook's book, With the Rank and Pay of a Sapper: The 216th (Nuneaton) Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers in the Great War (Nuneaton: Paddy Griffiths Associates, 1998), but I have not seen a copy of this. Prior to his enlistment he was employed as a stonemason at Magdalen College Oxford and his death is commemorated on its Great War Memorial in the cloisters. (Incidentally, one of his comrades also killed in the incident, Spr. Horace Barrier, 91818 from Birmingham was also a stonemason.) What I am trying to find out is when and where he enlisted. Can anyone help please? Brian W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 21 December , 2014 Admin Share Posted 21 December , 2014 Brian sodiers Died in the Great War show him as being born and residing in Headington and he enlisted in Oxford. As for when he enlisted, you might want to lok through local papers around the time he died as there may be an article about him. Otherwise, it is very difficult with the RE. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 21 December , 2014 Share Posted 21 December , 2014 Thank you Glen, I had forgotten that I had also seen that record and was aware of the location of his enlistment. The local papers idea is one that I can follow up. I assumed that there was some correlation between the regimental numbers and date of enlistment. His comrade, 91818, Horace Barrier enlisted in Birmingham but again no indication of date. It is a pity that seeing how they had details of residence and location of enlistment they did not include date of enlistment in the record. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 28 October , 2017 Share Posted 28 October , 2017 I believe he enlisted at Nuneaton. I am his grandson. Visit headington.org for more information. Ian Garrett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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