danikagrace Posted 30 March , 2018 Share Posted 30 March , 2018 Hi all, my husband is trying to find out more about his great uncle after a recent very moving trip to Ypres with my family. Here's what we know so far: John Deegan - 1st Bn. Coldstream Guards 10353 died 08 October 1914 aged 23. He is recorded as "Killed in action" and is commemorated on La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial to the Missing. However when studying the war diary for 1st Bn. (page attached) it doesn't record any "action" that day and only records 12 men as dead/missing in the relevant time period, however cwgc shows 19 of 1st battalion dead in the same timeframe. This has left us very confused!! Can anyone with better understanding shine any light?? Others in the same Bn. who died at the same time are buried at Braine Communal Cemetery, does this mean it is possible John is buried there as a soldier 'known unto God'? We would also love to know when he enlisted if that's possible to find out? Thank you so much in advance for the help or guidance, it's greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFBSM Posted 30 March , 2018 Share Posted 30 March , 2018 I can help with enlistment, the Soldier’s effects register on Ancestry, shows that John enlisted on 6 September, 1913, and a the time was employed as a ’town carter’. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danikagrace Posted 30 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 30 March , 2018 Ahhh thank you so much Mark! So he enlisted before the war? That makes sense as to why he was shipped out so early. I wonder what he was doing in the army (if anything) before the war, and if there was any 'talk' of impending war in Sep 1913... (apologies to all for my ignorance, I'm new to war history and have much to learn!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loader Posted 30 March , 2018 Share Posted 30 March , 2018 The area where your man was killed is such a relatively small area & was pounded by shell fire for the next 4 yrs many graves were destroyed later & no trace found of them. Those men who were buried in marked graves & still found were the lucky ones. The whole time of Oct. 1914 was a confused chaotic time for the troops there & things almost gave way several times & much of the old regular army was destroyed in the fighting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 30 March , 2018 Share Posted 30 March , 2018 As Loader says above, many battlefield graves were destroyed. The lucky ones were found, some cases where two graves were close and two sets of body parts found its not uncommon to find two names on a headstone. the war diary would only give names of officers as casualties, the rest being noted as nco's or or's (other ranks). as the diary does not list action you say, it's possible he died of wounds he received the previous day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Black Posted 31 March , 2018 Share Posted 31 March , 2018 (edited) In the 25th of November, 1914 newspaper the 21st of October casualty list is published. Deegan is listed as "Killed", not Died of Wounds or Died. His date of death could be an administrative one, as in the first roll call (some days after an action) the battalion held. Cheers, Derek. Edited 31 March , 2018 by Derek Black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danikagrace Posted 31 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2018 Thank you so much @Derek Black @chazand @Loader that's all so interesting. So he likely was buried but there was no grave to come back to by the end of the war, that makes sense, so harrowing. In the relevant time period the war diary records the "daily bombardment" of shell fire affecting their trench only "slightly"... Maybe he was one of the 7 recorded as killed in the diary during this 'slight' daily bombardment period?! We're still confused as to why the cwgc records more deaths in that couple of weeks in 1st Bn. than the war diary does, but I take it that could be all part of the chaos and confusion you mentioned? @Derek Black which newspaper are you referring to? Is it available by subscription online anywhere? Thanks again all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 31 March , 2018 Share Posted 31 March , 2018 The diary was lost at some point during 1914 hence errors Contemporary Coldstream records show him as killed . There is also a other with a very similar name, J DEGAAN killed in the CG in 1914 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullybrone Posted 31 March , 2018 Share Posted 31 March , 2018 Hi, Date of entry to France 26th August 1914 suggests he was part of the the 1st Reinforcement draft to 1st CG - likely joining the Battalion on or about 4th September. My gf has same date of entry and joined 2nd CG 4th September 1914. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danikagrace Posted 16 April , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2018 Thank you so much everyone for your help, it means a lot to us to have more of an understanding of what may have happened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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