Who was he and where did he die?

[TEW]

Another conundrum from Seale Hayne Neurological Studies, a paper written by Dr Arthur Hurst and Dr J Culross published August 1919.

 

Briefly; Private J, aged 28 was admitted to Newton Abbot Infirmary 27/12/1918 with influenza and slight bronchitis. He was transferred to Newton Abbot VAD hospital 5/2/1919 and he died 8/3/1919. No mention of being moved from the VAD hospital.

 

That seems to provide enough detail to identify the man via Soldiers' Effects, Newton Abbot GRO and CWGC as Private M1/5422 (or M/5422) Samuel Jones RASC.

 

But there are a few untidy bits to this;

1. Newton Abbot VAD has an admin/discharge book and Jones is not listed and no other Private Js admitted.
2. Soldiers' Effects says he died in Exeter Military Hospital 7/3/1919.
3. CWGC says he died 7/3/1919

 

I'm not overly worried about the one day date discrepancy but the location that Soldiers' Effects has me worried. Could Exeter Military Hospital cover Newton Abbot VAD hospital for Effects purposes? Bearing in mind that there is a GRO entry for a Samuel Jones for March 1919 in Newton Abbot registration district who is the right age.

 

If he died in Exeter he would be listed under Exeter registration district. I realise buying the death cert may answer the query but that's one step further on.

Thanks

TEW

[ss002d6252]

11 minutes ago, TEW said:

Another conundrum from Seale Hayne Neurological Studies, a paper written by Dr Arthur Hurst and Dr J Culross published August 1919.

 

Briefly; Private J, aged 28 was admitted to Newton Abbot Infirmary 27/12/1918 with influenza and slight bronchitis. He was transferred to Newton Abbot VAD hospital 5/2/1919 and he died 8/3/1919. No mention of being moved from the VAD hospital.

 

That seems to provide enough detail to identify the man via Soldiers' Effects, Newton Abbot GRO and CWGC as Private M1/5422 (or M/5422) Samuel Jones RASC.

 

But there are a few untidy bits to this;

1. Newton Abbot VAD has an admin/discharge book and Jones is not listed and no other Private Js admitted.
2. Soldiers' Effects says he died in Exeter Military Hospital 7/3/1919.
3. CWGC says he died 7/3/1919

 

I'm not overly worried about the one day date discrepancy but the location that Soldiers' Effects has me worried. Could Exeter Military Hospital cover Newton Abbot VAD hospital for Effects purposes? Bearing in mind that there is a GRO entry for a Samuel Jones for March 1919 in Newton Abbot registration district who is the right age.

 

If he died in Exeter he would be listed under Exeter registration district. I realise buying the death cert may answer the query but that's one step further on.

Thanks

TEW

The effects records are normally good when it comes to death location, often even as far as listing the individual VAD hospital - but obviously only as good as the information supplied (and the ability of the clerk to make the correct entry)

Craig

Edited 1 March , 2017 by ss002d6252

[ss002d6252]

There's only 1 Samuel Jones showing as dying in the county during that time period according to a search of FreeBMD.

Craig

[ss002d6252]

Quote

Briefly; Private J, aged 28 was admitted to Newton Abbot Infirmary 27/12/1918 with influenza and slight bronchitis. He was transferred to Newton Abbot VAD hospital 5/2/1919 and he died 8/3/1919. No mention of being moved from the VAD hospital.

Does it give any clues regarding his service ?

Craig

[TEW]

Only that he went sick in France 27/12/1918. The VAD admin book is worrying although it may be that being transferred from the infirmary to the VAD 'seriously ill' he somehow missed the admin process.

 

900 word description of symptoms, treatment and PM - death found to be cerebral abcess, Purulent basal meningitis was found to be a secondary problem and an exploring needle when trephined rubbed against something hard and gritty. No definite cause for the cerebral abscess found. Other symptoms associated with cerebral abscess due to head injury,  not found.

TEW

[IPT]

There's a photo of him on the Llangynllo (Coedybryn School) Memorial page. Oddly, they have him dying in Chester - http://www.wwwmp.co.uk/ceredigion-war-memorials/llangynllo-coedybryn-school-memorial/

 

 

[ss002d6252]

 

5 minutes ago, IPT said:

There's a photo of him on the Llangynllo (Coedybryn School) Memorial page. Oddly, they have him dying in Chester - http://www.wwwmp.co.uk/ceredigion-war-memorials/llangynllo-coedybryn-school-memorial/

 

 

Not sure where they got Chester from (although I suppose it's not far from Exeter... ). He also appears to have still been serving when he died.

The rest of the description they have of the man certainly fits Samuel Jones' records.

Craig

Edited 1 March , 2017 by ss002d6252

[TEW]

There's another Samuel Jones with a death registered in Chester but he would be two years older. Just grabbing the wrong Jones I guess.

TEW

[TEW]

Quote

Another conundrum from Seale Hayne Neurological Studies, a paper written by Dr Arthur Hurst and Dr J Culross published August 1919.

 

Just had it confirmed that Dr J Culross was the Medical Director of Newton Abbot VAD hospital. So can only assume the Soldiers' Effects stating place of death as Exeter MH is down to; only as good as the information supplied.

 

IPT, Thanks for the photo. Odd that they say He served in France for the duration of the war, but died in hospital at Chester, soon after demobilisation, on 7 March 1919. Nothing on his MIC suggests he had been demobilised. Chester could sound like Exeter?

 

Guess I'll have to get the death cert at some stage to be 100% certain.

 

Thanks

TEW