Gunner 214469 Herbert Embley 218Btn RFA

[Sapper2493]

I am researching a relative, Herbert Embley, who is listed by the CWGC as serving with the 218th Brigade RFA but he died at home in Blackburn on the 13th October 1918. I am assuming that as the CWGC are listing him he died from wounds or disease. I cant find any military records apart from his Medal roll index card, CWGC Roll of Honour and Register of Soldiers who died in the Great war . Id appreciate any help.

[HeatherC]

The newly released register of soldiers' effects on Ancestry gives his place of death as "East Leeds War Hospital". The CWGC listing means he died while still serving. It did not have to be directly war-related for a man to be listed. Your best bet is to get his death certificate which will tell you exactly what he died from. His service record seems not to have survived (or at any rate it is not on Ancestry)

[Langdon]

On Ancestry there is a public (i.e. accessible) family tree (Full Embley) about Herbert which has him dying of wounds. The contact there is GrahamEmbley1961 who might have more details.

You may like to look at this previous thread

I had a quick look at RFA numbers in the Silver War Badge records and 214448 (216th Brigade) enlisted on 3rd December 1915 and 214471 (6c Res. Bgde) on 11th December 1915.

Mike

[David Porter]

The Silver War Badge records may have a date of enlistment, but for late 1915/early 1916 this can only mean registering under the Derby Scheme. The actual service number points to the true date of call up. In this case 214469 refers to someone arriving at No.2 Depot RFA, Preston in late February 1917.

October 1918 was around the peak of the Spanish flu outbreak. As others have said Herbert's death certificate will prove what caused his demise.

[Sapper2493]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I managed to get the death certificate from the GRO which stated he committed suicide by cutting his own throat. Leeds Family History Library kindly dug out a newspaper cutting saying that the inquest recorded an open verdict. Im still at a loss as to why he was in hospital in the first place. It certainly needs a bit more research but Im at a brick wall again.

Mike - the ancestry tree is my own - thanks anyway.

Graham