jendave Posted 22 November , 2020 Share Posted 22 November , 2020 I've just purchased a soldier's will ( John Wilson Smith) for a friend and it states he died in France on 13th June 1917. We had already found his grave via CWGC and he is buried in Derry House Cemetery, Heuvelland, Belgium. My friend visited the cemetery last year. Just wondered if he died in France why was he buried in Belgium? Does anyone know if the war diaries for this battalion are available as we would like to read the account of what happened on the 13th June 1917. Many thanks Jenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 22 November , 2020 Share Posted 22 November , 2020 (edited) The War Diary does exist within a folder titled '32nd Brigade' (11th Division). Here it is on Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_1809_0-00392?ssrc=&backlabel=Return. There seems to be something with the National Archives website at the ,moment where you can download a copy for free. If no one else does, I'll put a link on here when I can. Acknown Edited 22 November , 2020 by Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 22 November , 2020 Share Posted 22 November , 2020 This is the 32nd Brigade 11th Div WD for the 13th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 22 November , 2020 Admin Share Posted 22 November , 2020 In the context of the death certificate 'France' was a generic term for ''France and Flanders'. The war diary may be downloaded from TNA for free if you register https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352619 On Ancestry it starts here As noted above always worth downloading the next Command level diary (i.e. Brigade) It is noted he 'died of wounds'. Soldiers Effects on Ancestry also gives place of death as France. The gratuity and near number sampling confirm he enlisted mid-April 1915. He went out to the Dardanelles as a reinforcement draft landing on the Peninsula on the 27th October 1915. (The 14-15 Roll shows date of death as the 10th!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 22 November , 2020 Share Posted 22 November , 2020 According to the GRU report he died on the 14th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 22 November , 2020 Share Posted 22 November , 2020 (edited) One the 13/14 Jun 17, the battalion was operating in the Oosttaverne area (see War Diary), which is only about 2 km north east of Derry Cemetery. Both are in Belgium. Acknown Edited 22 November , 2020 by Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jendave Posted 22 November , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 November , 2020 thank you all so much for your replies. I will pass all this information on to my friend. It has cleared up his burial place in Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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