44129 Pte William J A Brock, Devonshire Reg't - can't find him?

[sutton-in-craven]

Hi forum members

 

Chagford church graveyard in Devon has a war grave inscribed on the headstone: W. J. A. Brock, 44129, Private, Devonshire Regiment, 5 May 1920, Age 34 

 

I've found William J A Brock in the 1891 and 1911 census data, but I cannot find anything at all for his military service. No medal index card or anything in Soldiers Died in the Great War, or Commonwealth War Grave Commission. No family tree on Ancestry, no nothing. 

 

I'd really like to know more about Pte Brock's Great War military involvement if possible, so any help would be most welcome

 

Thank you to GWF members in advance

 

Best regards, Andrew

[The Inspector]

Hi Andrew

His death certificate is 5b, 452, Okehampton, Devon. This should tell you what he died of and where he was. In 1901 he is a servant. The only record including the "A" is his death cert.

Regards Barry

Edited 20 May , 2018 by The Inspector

[busterfield]

There is a William J. A. Brock, occupation Mason, born Chagford around 1886 living in Okehampton in the 1911 census with his brother Albert George Brock, born around 1880 in Chagford.

[busterfield]

The Western Times, Devon, 21 May 1920 has an article on the death, where the parent is W. Brock and the brother is A. G. Brock.

[Skipman]

CWGC

 

Mike

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Coincidently my former father-in-laws' name was William Albert John Brock and he originated from Devon - so possibly the WJA

were family names.

Edited 21 May , 2018 by HERITAGE PLUS

[ss002d6252]

10 hours ago, sutton-in-craven said:

Hi forum members

 

Chagford church graveyard in Devon has a war grave inscribed on the headstone: W. J. A. Brock, 44129, Private, Devonshire Regiment, 5 May 1920, Age 34 

 

I've found William J A Brock in the 1891 and 1911 census data, but I cannot find anything at all for his military service. No medal index card or anything in Soldiers Died in the Great War, or Commonwealth War Grave Commission. No family tree on Ancestry, no nothing. 

 

I'd really like to know more about Pte Brock's Great War military involvement if possible, so any help would be most welcome

 

Thank you to GWF members in advance

 

Best regards, Andrew

The fact that there is no entry in the soldiers effects register confirms he was discharged prior to his death.

Craig

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I see his CWGC entry has his regiment as 'Depot Devonshire Regiment'.

Would that have been a home depot, implying no overseas service, thus no medal entitlement, and thus no Medal Index card?

Does anyone have access to the Devonshires Medal Rolls?

[ss002d6252]

20 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

I see his CWGC entry has his regiment as 'Depot Devonshire Regiment'.

Would that have been a home depot, implying no overseas service, thus no medal entitlement, and thus no Medal Index card?

Does anyone have access to the Devonshires Medal Rolls?

He may have been posted back to the depot as administrative move but I can't see any medal entitlement to show overseas service.

 

Craig

[sutton-in-craven]

6 hours ago, busterfield said:

The Western Times, Devon, 21 May 1920 has an article on the death, where the parent is W. Brock and the brother is A. G. Brock.

 

Hi guys, this is terrific, thanks very much for the information. I just couldn't find anything on this deceased serviceman.

 

busterfield - can I ask where you found the Western Times, Devon, 21 May 1920 article please? This sounds very interesting....

 

[busterfield]

Hello, the newspaper article is available on findmypast in the newspaper section. search,  Brock, Chagford, and 1920.Subscription needed to view whole article, mine's lapsed so unable to give any more than earlier.

[TEW]

The article relates to the funeral of William John Aggett Brock. Principal mourners were;

Mr & Mrs W Brock, parents

A G Brock, brother

Miss W H Salt, Misses H E & G M L Brock, sisters

W H Salt SPO RN, brother

 

Bearers were from Chagford Football Club.

Deceased was 34 years of age.

 

A John Aggett left an email address back in 2006 on the Chagford Guestbook site

 

TEW

[sutton-in-craven]

Thanks once again to everybody for their thoughts and replies to my query of Pte Brock.

This was all excellent information and the pieces of the puzzle are clearer now

My sister in Devon is going to apply for a copy of Pte Brock's death certificate to see what the cause of death was. I haven't yet worked out whether he served overseas and was wounded in action, or whether he was home-based for the entirety of the Great War, perhaps in an administrative role within the Devonshire regiment. 

Thanks again to everyone   Best regards, Andrew

 

 

[chaz]

There was a lot of tuberculosis around the end of the war, this killed off a good few returning soldiers. Probably as malnourished they would have also had side affects of the cold and wet , trench foot and gas on lungs making an easy target for tb.

[sutton-in-craven]

I was thinking exactly the same thing chaz, pulmonary tuberculosis was a major killer back then so it wouldn't surprise me if this is documented as the cause of death once my sister has obtained a copy of his death certificate. Thanks for your thoughts 

[chaz]

Ive recently bought a trio to a W.O.2 who died at home. with no research done. having juggled and rechecked for alternative numbers I now have a trio, now missing a LSGC , to a man who served in Africa pre war, spent less than 2 months in France came back presumably as a drill instructor then died of TB, 20 years service only to loose his life that way.

[ss002d6252]

12 hours ago, sutton-in-craven said:

Thanks once again to everybody for their thoughts and replies to my query of Pte Brock.

This was all excellent information and the pieces of the puzzle are clearer now

My sister in Devon is going to apply for a copy of Pte Brock's death certificate to see what the cause of death was. I haven't yet worked out whether he served overseas and was wounded in action, or whether he was home-based for the entirety of the Great War, perhaps in an administrative role within the Devonshire regiment. 

Thanks again to everyone   Best regards, Andrew

 

 

It's a pity in some ways that he died after his war gratuity was paid out otherwise it would have been quite easy to see if he had ever served overseas or not.

I can't see any obvious casualty list entry for him.

Craig

Edited 26 May , 2018 by ss002d6252