Early Discharge - Underlying Medical Conditions

[Diane. Toronto]

I'm looking for medical records for William Gooderson, born 1881 in Sunderland.  Does anyone know how I can find them?

 

It was initially thought that he enlisted but died prior to the end of WW1. However on researching, it appears he died in 1922 from acute nephritis - 6 mos,  locomotor ataxi 3 yrs and cardiac disease (valvular) 6 mos.  I read soldiers got something called "Trench nephritis" due disease to bacteria, poor diet, environment.

 

Does anyone know about this disease and its complications? 

 

 

[familyhistoryman]

Hi

This is a link to trench nephritis taken from Kidney International

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815520036

[Alan24]

Thanks for the link FHM.

I'm currently writing a submission to the CWGC to remember a soldier not on their list who died from nephritis after discharge but before the armistice.

He service record clearly states his nephritis was due to active service - exposure. 

Clearly a case of Trench Nephritis. 

Reference to this paper will help.

 

Regards

 

Alan 

[Andy Wade]

Private Herbert Moore also died of nephritis a year and a half after being discharged ...with nephritis cause by trench conditions. We were successful in getting recognition for him with CWGC as we could prove his war service was a causal effect on his death. His case was submitted by members of the 'In From the Cold Project in 2011:

https://www.menofworth.org.uk/events/cwgc-iftc/

...and his new CWGC headstone was dedicated by us in November 2015:

https://www.menofworth.org.uk/events/special-events/

 

[Alan24]

2 hours ago, Andy Wade said:

Private Herbert Moore also died of nephritis a year and a half after being discharged ...with nephritis cause by trench conditions. We were successful in getting recognition for him with CWGC as we could prove his war service was a causal effect on his death. His case was submitted by members of the 'In From the Cold Project in 2011:

https://www.menofworth.org.uk/events/cwgc-iftc/

...and his new CWGC headstone was dedicated by us in November 2015:

https://www.menofworth.org.uk/events/special-events/

 

That's really good Andy and gives me encouragement.

Ultimately I want a CWGC headstone for him. He currently lies in an unmarked grave in Chingford.

 

Regards 

Alan 

[Andy Wade]

21 hours ago, Alan24 said:

That's really good Andy and gives me encouragement.

Ultimately I want a CWGC headstone for him. He currently lies in an unmarked grave in Chingford.

 

Regards 

Alan 

 

Herbert Moore's was also an unmarked grave and this did help with arguing the case for him to get one once he had been accepted. We had another man whose grave was marked by his family and we had to argue that because it didn't mention anything other than his name and date of death, that CWGC ought to supply him with a CWGC headstone to show that he had died in service and that he was with the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment when he died. It wasn't that hard to do as they agreed with us but the original grave assessment implied that he might not get one as the family had already commemorated him so we stuck to our guns over that.
If you can prove the war caused his death and win that part of his case, then arguing for a headstone should follow fairly easily as he's not marked at all. Don't hold your breath though, the shortest time we've known from acceptance to headstone installation has been three years.

If you can find family members who are still alive, it would help to get their blessing as the CWGC don't just put headstones on graves, there are permissions required from grave owners (if they're still alive) and the church or council who maintain the cemetery who need to smooth the process. We're fortunate that Bradford Council's Bereavement Service is staffed by some excellent people who want to do the right thing and were keen to help get these local men their proper recognition. We made sure their representatives were invited to our dedication ceremony receptions so we could thank them properly.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Hi Diane,

 

It's hard to pin down William Gooderson based on surviving UK records.

There are a few Medal Index cards  in that name, including one which stated the awardee was invalided out of the armed forces, but nothing to link him directly to your William.

 

I'm guessing here, but your username hints at a Canadian connection.

Did he serve with British forces or Canadian?

There is no surviving UK service record for him, nor a pension record. So is there a Canadian record?

In my experience, Canadian and Australian records are far more comprehensive (and fire resistant) than the British equivalent.

 

And did he die in Canada?

I can't find a matching England & Wales death for that period.

 

A couple of other points:

1) The cut off date for being commemorated by the CWGC is a date of death after August 31st 1921. So, even if William died of war or service related causes after this date, he would not be commemorated by the CWGC.

2) His cause of death lists both nephritis and cardiac disease (valvular) of 6 months duration. That in itself suggests that neither was related to war service.

 

Could I ask if these details are from his death certificate, and (again) is this British or Canadian?

The only other place to look  (if he served in the British Army) after 1920, would be the MOD, who retain service records of post 1920 servicemen.