Laid to rest - Mesopotamia?

[swells]

I'm researching the war history of an uncle. I know that he died of "fever" in, I believe, late September 2017 whilst serving in Mesopotamia (one soldier among, I've read, some 17,000 soldiers who die from illness, fever etc due to the conditions they had to endure in that region rather than 'battle' injuries. How would I find out where he is likely to have been buried? I don't think the CWGC have records - but I may be wrong. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. S Wells.

[seaJane]

He should definitely be recorded on CWGC, as the conditions/illness he endured were due to war service (the Commission does not only list those killed in action or died of wounds).

 

On the premise that you meant September 1917 above, I can say that 195 men are listed who died in Iraq that September, but not knowing your uncle's name (it's always useful to post names) I can't say whether he was one of them.

 

Best wishes,

 

seaJane

 

[swells]

Of course. His name was BENJAMIN FELLOWS from Pleck, near Walsall. He was a sapper with the Royal Engineers.  

[ss002d6252]

4 minutes ago, swells said:

Of course. His name was BENJAMIN FELLOWS from Pleck, near Walsall. He was a sapper with the Royal Engineers.  

Did he have a middle name ?

 

Craig

[thetrenchrat22]

J b fellows on the CWGC website 

 

is how is name appears

[seaJane]

He seems to have had one: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/633396/fellows,-/

snap!

Jabez B. Fellows on his Medal Index Card: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D2204614

[ss002d6252]

Triple snap - I was just looking at that man on the effects. Effects also shows death as 27 Sep 1918.

 

Craig

[swells]

I don't know. I'll have to check in the registry of births for his exact name. The 1911 census only gives Benjamin Fellows ( but, having said that, it also only gives Albert Fellows  (Benjamin's brother and my grandfather) even though he was actually Albert Henry! I'll see what I can find out.

Yes - that date ties in with the date in ther newspaper article i have.

[swells]

To you all. YES! That is he! In 10 minutes I've managed to find out something that, to date, has taken me months to try to find.

It is definitely him , as his mother ( as shown on the CWGC site as Mrs A M Fellows)) is Ann-Marie Fellows from the 1911 census and his father is not mentioned because

 by then, he was not shown as living at the family home. No wonder I could not find anything on Benjamin if his first name began with a 'J' !

Again - thank you all for helping out.

Now - I must find out more about my grandfather, Albert of the 1/6th South Staffs who went on to joon the MGCorps.!

Shirley Wells.

[charlie962]

Shirley,

Your uncle was in 72nd Field Company. The WarDiary is here on National Archives for Sept1918 onwards and can be downloaded for pounds3.50 .  

The previous War Diary is here and similarly available.

 

Extract

72nd Field Company War Diary 1-8th Oct 1918

....No 4 section being occupied in similar labours (ie roadbuilding) in the neighbourhood of Bijar ( 100 miles northwest of Hamadan in Persia). This last section were somewhat unfortunate in their location and suffered the loss of two sappers who died of dysentery and a large number were sick and in hospital..

 

A search on CWGC for deaths in 72ndField Company RE in the period 1 Sep 1918 to 31 Oct 1918 only brings up 2 names: JB Fellows (d27/9) and WA Bristow(d9/9).  I would like to suggest that these are the two men referred to in the early Oct War Diary. The Company was involved in similar activities in Sept but no mention of any losses.

 

He might have a death certificate that gives cause of death which would perhaps confirm dysentery. It would also be worth checking for records of death of Bristow.

 

Charlie

Edited 24 November , 2018 by charlie962

[charlie962]

[GraemeClarke]

Hi

 

He is on the Walsall RoH as well as thos ementioned below,

 

Benjamin FELLOWS

Sapper 154143

72^nd Field Company, Royal Engineers

Died in Iraq on Friday 27 September 1918

     Benjamin served in the Army as ‘Jabez Benjamin Fellows’.

     He was born in Walsall, the son of Samuel and Ann Maria (née Bowen) Fellows of 12, Narrow Lane, Pleck, Walsall, later of 47, Wellington Street, Pleck, his father, who predeceased him in 1903, being an iron worker. 

     Benjamin was employed as a house painter by Mr. Whitfield, a painter of Darlaston Road, Walsall when he enlisted in the Army at Walsall in March 1916.

     Drafted to Mesopotamia in October 1916, Benjamin contracted fever from which he did not recover.

     Benjamin is buried in Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq in Grave XI.A.4 and is commemorated on the rolls of honour at St. John’s Church, Pleck and Pleck Wesley Church. He was 23 years of age.

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

 

PS Thanks to Charlie for the WD.

 

Graeme

[swells]

18 hours ago, seaJane said:

He should definitely be recorded on CWGC, as the conditions/illness he endured were due to war service (the Commission does not only list those killed in action or died of wounds).

 

On the premise that you meant September 1917 above, I can say that 195 men are listed who died in Iraq that September, but not knowing your uncle's name (it's always useful to post names) I can't say whether he was one of them.

 

Best wishes,

 

seaJane

 

 

[swells]

Graeme - thank you SO much for that additional information; a journey to the West Midlands is certainly easier than a journey to Iraq!  And, from your posting, I read that Samuel, Benjamin's father, had died earlier in 1903 which explains why his name was absent from the family household in the 1911 census  - a fact that has saved me a great deal of time in trying to find out why his name wasn't there. Thanks again. Shirley.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Graeme,

Brilliant researching!

The Sapper Fellows portrait, for example, is more than I have been able to find for certain Officers...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[GraemeClarke]

a pleasure !!

[swells]

Hi Kim,

 

I had actually seen the same picture of my uncle ( but obviously not all the details which people have kindly provided me with on here) from this site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

It has a wealth of information.

I mention in an earlier post above that my grandfather Albert was Benjamin's brother. I discovered from the newspaper site that Albert, aged 11 and with another boy, saved a boy from drowning in the nearby canal, for which he was awarded a Royal Humane Socierty Certificate and an engraved silver watch as a 'thank you' from the local community! Not bad for an 11 year old!! The other boy received a similar certificate and a complete new set of clothes!!