CMT/2184 and M/282857 Edwin Leach Stopford ASC

[Guest]

Hi,

 

Uncle was in Royal Army Service corps, MT Depot.

Buried in Dec 1918 in  Brentford Cemetery Middlesex in 1918 in a military grave.

Awarded Victory Medal and War Medal.

Name: Edwin Leach Stopford

 

The thing is what I am looking for is

a. His initial sign up papers

 

b. Which MT Depot was he in?

 

c. Where did he go in WW1

 

d. Why is he buried in Brentford?

 

 

I've searched and searched to no avail.

 

Can you help me please?

 

Thank you.

C

 

[ajsmith]

40 minutes ago, HARF said:

d. Why is he buried in Brentford?

He died in the military hospital in Hounslow so he was buried nearby.

[BFBSM]

Regarding (a) through (c) I am unable to locate service records for the period of the Great War, however, there are Militia records available on FindMyPast, for 1906 to 1907.

 

On Fold3 the Pension Ledger Cards, show he died of influenza.

[kenf48]

Welcome to the forum,

please acknowledge sources in your posts.

 

CMT indicates he enlisted in the Special Reserve (Motor Transport).  His service record does not appear to have survived. Find My Past has a militia record dated 1906 for Edwin Leach Stopford of  Cheetham Hill Manchester.

 

He was also entitled to the 1914 Star which meant he went to France as shown on the Roll on the 16 August 1916.  The Roll shows he was discharged on the 20th January 1916.

As you have access to Ancestry the link is here

Service in the Special Reserve was usually for six years.  It may be he enlisted in 1910 and he was time served in 1916.  He rejoined as shown on the Roll on the 8th January 1917. He would either have been conscripted under the terms of the Military Service(Review of Exemptions) Act 1917, or volunteered, we do not know.

 

There is a fragment on Find My Past which shows he was serving with 5 Siege Battery when he was repatriated to the UK suffering from debility arounfd February 1915.  The winter of 14-15 was very harsh.  The war diary for 5 Siege Battery can be downloaded from TNA currently free if you register

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/fc30f7df331049e8bc281d03a21ded1b

We don't know if he ever returned to France.

 

CWGC gives his unit as M.T. Depot.  The main RASC depot was at Park Royal which is minutes away from Hounslow and the hospital where he died.  As he died in the U.K. you can obtain a death certificate in the normal way from G.R.O.  CWGC also give the  home address in Manchester of his widow Lily.   The influenza pandemic was at its height at this time.

 

33 minutes ago, ajsmith said:

He died in the military hospital in Hounslow

indexed as Hourston on Ancestry (Soldiers Effects)

 

 

As an aside it looks as though his medal were returned, it may be possible for you, or next of kin to claim them - see this thread.  However the medal index card shows his widow applied for his 1914 Star so maybe she did receive them.

EDIT I see it is confirmed he did die from influenza

[kenf48]

The service record of CMT/2185 Eastwood has survived and confirms your man was a member of the Special Reserve. 

 

Eastwood was discharged on the 22nd January 1916 on termination of his engagement.  A motor mechanic he enlisted on the 23 January 1914 for a period of one year in the Special Reserve (ASC) Category C [don't know what that was].   As a consequence of the war he was mobilised on the 6th August and joined the BEF on the 14th August 1914  His initial engagement as with Pte/A/Sgt Stopford was extended for a further year due to the war.

 

The record of CMT/2180 has also survived he enlisted on the 16 January 1914

 

It would appear Stopford enlisted under similar terms between the 16th and 23 January 1914 (presumably the 20th January, discharged on the anniversary of his enlistment) and not six years as in my post above.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I would suggest he might have been at the ASC Depot at Osterley Park, or maybe Isleworth.

Located between Brentford and Hounslow Military Hospital and only a couple of miles from either.

Edited 29 July , 2020 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[Guest]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

Wow bowled over by your swift response and comprehensive research.  Thank you.

 

Couple of questions:

1. How did Ken Lieut. Gen discover this "There is a fragment on Find My Past which shows he was serving with 5 Siege Battery when he was repatriated to the UK suffering from debility arounfd February 1915.  The winter of 14-15 was very harsh."?   I couldn't find this.  Can you point me in the right direction please?

 

2.  Where would I look to try and find a photograph of him or regiment?

 

Thank you once again.

 

C

[kenf48]

1 hour ago, HARF said:

 

Couple of questions:

1. How did Ken Lieut. Gen discover this "There is a fragment on Find My Past which shows he was serving with 5 Siege Battery when he was repatriated to the UK suffering from debility arounfd February 1915.  The winter of 14-15 was very harsh."?   I couldn't find this.  Can you point me in the right direction please?

 

 

If you subscribe the list is here

It shows men discharged to Base Details from an unknown medical facility.  The harshness of that first winter is a matter of record, all winters were hard on the Western Front and there was little campaigning but they were better prepared in subsequent years.

 

As for a photo, usual sources are local newspapers, Rolls of Honour but given the date and circumstances of his death it seems unlikely, but never say never.