John Edward Fitzpatrick, 2nd Bn., Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.); Pte., 10765, KIA (Gas Poisoning), 5 May 1915

[RaySearching]

9 minutes ago, David_Blanchard said:

Interesting that you found the Grave Registration on CWGC today- I couldn’t find one.  

 

Now there's a thing   I cannot find them on CWGC either  having just looked 

Have they been removed from the CWGC website?

 

The one I posted I copied from the CWGC website some time ago

 

Regards Ray

[David_Blanchard]

Probably lost when the website had a makeover recently. Also wouldn’t mind looking at the burial returns either. 

[RaySearching]

As  extracted from my 18th May 2020 post somewhere above

 

following is an extract from a post made some time ago by Old Owl (Robert) on the forum 

(According to the regimental history 5th May 1915
At 8.00 am the Germans, aided by a favourable wind, sent over asphyxiating gas (chlorine)with disastrous effects.—We had not received gas masks yet, only a piece of gauze soaked in a solution—this solution after a few minutes required renewing, a procedure absolutely impossible, of course, in action.  On came this terrible stream of death, and before anything could be done, all those occupying the front line over which it swept were completely overcome, the majority dying at their posts---true heroes.—The battalion suffered over 300 casualties that morning, large numbers dying as a result of this barbarous gas)

 

The reason I believe that a number of headstones commemorate more than one soldier, is  most likely due to the numbers who perished 

and they were most likely laid side by side alongside each other in a trench grave and there was not enough room for individual headstones in the row

 

 

regards Ray

 

Edited 20 March , 2021 by RaySearching

[David_Blanchard]

I think you are probably right- there were some other men from 2 Dukes buried at Perth China Wall and Larch Wood.
 

In my first comment on this thread I mentioned that I am curious about the medical evacuation chain of these men.

 

I came across a tour offered by In Flanders Fields museum which follows the men of the 2 Dukes after the gas attack to illustrate how men were evacuated from Ypres Salient. I was curious as to know why the museum decided to trace the movements of men from this battalion.

 

 

 

 

Edited 20 March , 2021 by David_Blanchard