cladhan Posted 8 June , 2016 Share Posted 8 June , 2016 I have a photo of a football team, including my grandfather Charles Cairns, in vertically striped shirts. The ball is marked "Ashton Mil. Con. Hosp. 1918-19" Grandfather was from Glasgow, was a railway clerk before the War, but I don't know his regiment. He was gassed around (possibly immediately after) the end of the War. From the web, there were several Ashton hospitals, but no detail is available. Anyone any idea that might help me trace info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 8 June , 2016 Share Posted 8 June , 2016 There's a service record to a Charles Edward Stewart Cairns of 23 Kingsburgh Road, Edinburgh. Wife Williamina Annie Lucinda. Could that be him? Not a railway clerk though. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cladhan Posted 8 June , 2016 Author Share Posted 8 June , 2016 thanks for looking it up. It's not him. I've been through records of Kew and Ancestry, and others, extensively, and can find no trace of this Charles Cairns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 9 June , 2016 Share Posted 9 June , 2016 There are 25 Charles Cairns with Medal Information Cards. Most of them were in Scottish regiments so I don't envy your search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cladhan Posted 9 June , 2016 Author Share Posted 9 June , 2016 Believe it or not, none of them is my grandfather! Or should I say, identifiably my grandfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 9 June , 2016 Share Posted 9 June , 2016 Three that have a Silver War Badge but no guarantee your man is on this list. S/7181 Pte. Charles Cairns. Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). Discharged 7/12/184878 WOII Charles Frederick Cairns. Royal Artillery. Discharged 5/12/18, wounds.44879 Pte. Charles H. Cairns. Yorkshire Regiment. Discharged from army reserve 27/1/19. KR392 xvi(a). 44879 also has a MH106 record with FWR and they have four other records to C Cairns in Scottish Regiments A couple of numbers to eliminate? 43090 C Cairns RSF enlisted in Bathgate 6061 C Cairns Border Regt. enlisted in Carlise TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cladhan Posted 9 June , 2016 Author Share Posted 9 June , 2016 What is the significance of a Silver War Badge? Our Charles never had a middle name as far as I can see from birth and death certificates, which tends against 4878, 44879. Agreed that 43090 and 6061 are unlikely. The story I always heard was that, in the few days following the end of the War, Charles and his colleagues bedded down for the night in a barn, the hay in which had been gassed by the retreating German troops. Another tragedy of the War. He never recovered, succumbing eventually, aged 54, to lung damage. Nevertheless, he was a happy man with a happy life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 9 June , 2016 Share Posted 9 June , 2016 The Silver War Badge was given upon discharge, normally with wounds. Are numbered and can be traced back to the original recipient. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 9 June , 2016 Share Posted 9 June , 2016 The story I always heard was that, in the few days following the end of the War, Charles and his colleagues bedded down for the night in a barn, the hay in which had been gassed by the retreating German troops. Another tragedy of the War. He never recovered, succumbing eventually, aged 54, to lung damage. Nevertheless, he was a happy man with a happy life. If he was hospitalised for this incident at the end of the war then there is a possibility he was discharged from the army as a result of wounds/sickness. If so, he had the option to claim a Silver War Badge, it was not issued automatically. However most men did apply and receive one. Assuming he did claim one and he had no middle name then S/7181 Pte. Charles Cairns. Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). Discharged 7/12/18 seems to be the best bet. It's likely to be difficult to establish if that is definitely him unless a A&S Highlanders expert knows that men with close numbers enlisted in Glasgow which takes things one step closer. If the battalion for S/7181 Pte. Charles Cairns could be established then maybe a battalion diary will mention the barn/gassing incident. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cladhan Posted 9 June , 2016 Author Share Posted 9 June , 2016 Mikey and TEW, Thanks. The age of S/7181 at discharge was 32, whereas my Charles would have been 26 then. Seems not a match. Anyone know anything about the Ashton hospitals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 10 June , 2016 Share Posted 10 June , 2016 I'll make a guess at Garswood Hall Convalescent Hospital, Ashton-in-Makersield. The only hit I get for Ashton Military Convalescent Hospital relates to Wigan area . Various combinations of Ashton, Hospital & Convalescent produce results for Ashton-in-Makersield which is only 4 miles from Wigan. As to IDing him, I'd make a list of all the Charles Cairns from medal records. There are only 16 ish with no middle name or initial. You've already eliminated S/7181, CWGC have one that died in 1918. There are 3 with service records on ancestry, 5 with pension records. FMP have 12 sets of service records to the name. From those you should be able to eliminate most of them by age, parents names, wife, birthplace, address or occupation. MIC Medal Rolls TNA Medal Rolls TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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