Gallipoli casualty - 7th North Staffords

[james drury]

I noticed when looking at his reports own the CWGC that on one of the documents it gives Higgott's date of death as the 2nd January not the 5th. 

 

I am now wondering if this was the date of his wound and mistakenly transcribed as death. All other documents give death on the 5th from wounds. 

 

The Safford's moved from the Eske line to Y ravine in brigade reserve on the  the 1st January (until the 3rd.)

 

The divisional and brigade war diary noted 'considerably more shelling by the enemy on the communication and reserve lines'  on the 2nd. 

 

The Staffords WD does not note any specific casualties from arriving back at Helles on the 28th December until 7th January when it lists 94 casualties.  The brigade diary notes 1 wounded on the 2nd.

 

all speculation in know.... anyway thank you all for your  patience in my ramblings ... 

 

 

[james drury]

.... and as the article states he died in a hospital on Helles i'm presuming this was No17 Stationary Hospital, which I think was relatively  close to the cemetery at Lancashire landings ?

Having looked at the war diary they seem to have been pretty busy packing up most of their equipment,  supplies and personnel  for evacuation  -  not a good time to be admitted. 

 

Also found that there was an advance dressing station run by 1/3 Ambulance 42nd Division located on Ghurka Buff almost next to Y Ravine  - may be he was sent there first... 

[james drury]

On 19/11/2020 at 12:47, michaeldr said:

 

It may not be possible to rule that out, however, I feel almost certain that any wound taking so long to recover would have been referred on to Egypt, to Malta or to the UK.

Medical facilities on Lemnos were certainly better/more extensive than those on the peninsula,

but nevertheless they were still quite limited and the bed-space valuable.

 

Another bit which helps with the story, both news cuttings,  both  from early December but written around the 29th October referring to Higgott bing injured and unable to be given his tobacco parcel around that date, with it being distributed  to the 'other Burtonians in the company', one being F H Winter.... and an article giving Winters  company along with a few others as D company. 

 

From  Higgott was either freshly wounded or still recovering from the august wounded on the 28/29 October.   

 

Could not be given the tobacco - He was on Mudros on the 3rd December. 

 

...and that he was probably in D company, which seems to have housed men form Burton. 

[james drury]

Have been able to find the service record of Franklin mentioned wounded  in the article With Higgott which might offer a suggestion as to Higgott been on Mudros on the 3rd December, so long after an August wound:

 

Franklin was in D company 

Franklin was wounded in early August. (Higgott  around the same time judging from the Article in September listing him with men wounded on the 6/7/8th)

Franklin was admitted to the SS Georgina in Mudros Bay on the 11th August  - 

Franklin was then Invalided to England on the HMHS Aquitania on the 14th August 

He was at Netley from the 23 August to 10th October 

On the 9th October Franklin was 'passed fit for Expeditionary force - went on furlo' 

He was home until the 14th November on the 15th November left to rejoined the Mediterranean Exopeditionary force. 

This would put him back in the close proximity to Mudros/Gallipoli  in early December. 

 

 

This time line matches pretty closely what we know about  Higgott, wounded in early August,  and being on Mudros on the 3rd December before rejoining the Stafford's. and would explain the august to December gap.