Acknown Posted 3 April , 2020 Share Posted 3 April , 2020 (edited) Can anyone decipher this entry. It is on the Soldier's Effects Register of a RFA soldier who died in Dalmeny House Hospital, Midlothian in 1915. Thank you. Acknown Clipping from National Archives/Ancestry. Edited 3 April , 2020 by Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 3 April , 2020 Admin Share Posted 3 April , 2020 6b reserve brigade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 3 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2020 (edited) Russ - Thank you. Do you know what the brigade function was? I believe that it was basic gunner training and so my man would have died before being deployed to a field unit. But as he was a Fitter, he must have either been trained as such and qualified, or was trade tested on enlistment. Could this have taken place at Piershill Barracks? Was he on held strength pending posting? And when did he enlist?! Again, thank you. Acknown Edited 3 April , 2020 by Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 3 April , 2020 Admin Share Posted 3 April , 2020 Its function was training - http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-royal-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/royal-artillery-depots-training-and-home-defence-units/ It might be possible to work out when he enlisted if you could provide his service number and any other details (e.g. name etc). Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 3 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2020 Thanks. 88907 Fitter Frank HODGE. Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 3 April , 2020 Admin Share Posted 3 April , 2020 As you say a fitter was a trade - strictly his rank would be gunner (or driver). He did serve overseas - he was entitled to the 1914 Star (entered France 12/11/1914) and the BWM/VM, which describes his rank as Driver. He evidently became sick - and was evidently posted to 6b Res Bde for admin purposes. He died of a brain tumour and is buried in Bristol, where he was born and where he enlisted. Perhaps his illness was such that he was moved to a hospital closer to his family. His war gratuity of £3 net only tells us that he had less than 12 months service, so we will need to look at men with similar service numbers to work out his enlistment date. Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 3 April , 2020 Share Posted 3 April , 2020 14 minutes ago, Acknown said: 88907 Fitter Frank HODGE. A Casualty List shows he was transferred to Rouen for England ex 4th General Hospital, Versailles, on April 15, 1915 with a tumour. His unit in France is given as 35th battery. As he died at Dalmeny House Hospital, Midlothian on April 25, 1915, the posting to 6B Reserve Brigade RFA was only in place if he recovered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 3 April , 2020 Admin Share Posted 3 April , 2020 Hi David Can you tell us his enlistment date from his number? It will save me working it out ! Thanks Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 3 April , 2020 Share Posted 3 April , 2020 Full name James Francis Hodge born Dec Qtr 1892 Shown as Francis James Hodge on the 1911 census residing with his grandmother Mary Ann Chapman and siblings at 4 Richmond Street Barton Hill Bristol employed as a general engineers apprentice HERE on Ancestry (details confirmed by his pension document) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 3 April , 2020 Share Posted 3 April , 2020 Russ, I think his enlistment date was around August 20, 1914, arriving at No. 3 Depot. RFA, Hilsea. Going to France in November 1914 must be due to his fitter qualification. There are no specific units arriving in France on November 12, 1914. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 4 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2020 Thank you all very much. A very detailed set of facts and deductions which I greatly appreciate. Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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