Mystery Death(s) - Pte William Budd 1/4 Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

[Pompey]

I am trying to track down the last days of Pte William Budd 1/4 Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who is buried at St Erme Communal Cemetery Extension having died of wounds on 24 July 1918 reported missing on 17 July 1918 (limited records).  There are 18 soldiers from 13 different units also having died on 24 July in St Erme Cemetery. One of which was Pte Harold Foster 1/4 East Yorks on the  27th May 1918 was reported as missing in action. He had been captured and was a prisoner of war. He died of wounds – he had been wounded by a hand grenade – in German hands on 24th July 1918 (From Nottinghamshire County Council Roll of Honour)

 

The 1/4 Battalion NF war diary has them in the rear at the time Pte Budd was reported missing, but I believe he was taken as a POW in the June attacks where the 1/4 NF lost a lot of men killed and missing.  The mixed bag of soldiers having all died on the 24th suggests that they were all POWs killed in the same incident as Pte Foster.  

 

Ok so am I totally off track or is this a possible solution to the mystery ?

 

Thanks for any help

Pompey

[Swinesheadvillage]

Hi Pompey

 

His POW card is here courtesy of ICRC. As for translating the German text, hopefully somebody with better language skills than mine will help

 

https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/3128605/698/36314/

 

Kind Regards

 

Derek

[clk]

Hi Pompey,

 

The Red Cross records linked via this index card show:

 

 

 

Images sourced from the ICRC

 

He would appear to have been buried in a graveyard in Ramecourt , his death having been caused by shrapnel. He appears as "missing" on this casualty lists. You could probably date more accurately when he actually went missing, by looking for service records for other men from his regiment on the list, and see if there is any commonality of missing dates.

 

Regards

Chris

[Pompey]

Thanks for the info guys, at least part of my theory is correct and he was a POW at the time of his Death.  There were 485 missing and 53 NYD (Not Yet Designated ?) in the Battalion War Diary for the month of May, so it looks like he went missing then and was noted as NYD.  It seems it was the same incident with the grenade and Private Foster due to the shrapnel wounds. I think some research on the other casualties from the cemetery at St Erme for the 24th would confirm this.

 

Derek / Chris thanks again for the help

 

Regards

Pompey

[charlie962]

52 minutes ago, Pompey said:

It seems it was the same incident with the grenade 

is granatsplitter in German records rather like GSW in British- ie shell shrapnel rather than specific type of weapon ? @charlie2

Edited 22 April , 2021 by charlie962

[charlie962]

ICRC glossary confirms this:

Gr. Splitterverletzung
Granat Splitterverletzung
blessure par éclat de grenade
shrapnel injury

[charlie2]

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

is granatsplitter in German records rather like GSW in British- ie shell shrapnel rather than specific type of weapon ? @charlie2

A „Granate“ is an artillery shell, so „Granatsplitter“ can either be understood to be shrapnel or a shell splinter, although „Schrapnell“ does occur in the records. 

 

A Handgrenade is a „Handgranate“ so Pte Budd died from injuries caused by an artillery shell not a Handgrenade.

 

Charlie

[Pompey]

Hi Charlie,

 

an artillery round makes more sense then a grenade as described in the Notts CC roll of honour for Pte Foster.  The number of casualties killed (18) on that day in St Erme Cemetery from multiple units is more likely a shell then a POW / German guard setting off a grenade.  

Thanks

Pompey

[clk]

Hi Pompey,

 

6 hours ago, Pompey said:

...reported missing on 17 July 1918...

 

Whilst that is the date of the War Office Casualty List, looking at the first half dozen men from his Regiment that appear on it shows:

 

75326 Adams - missing 27.5.1918 (6th Battalion)

78984 Adams - missing 27.5.1918 (4th Battalion, 'B' Coy)

290210 Air - missing 27.5.1918 (4th Battalion, 'A' Coy)

200476 Alair - missing 27.5.1918 (4th Battalion, 'A' Coy)

20518 Alderson - missing 27.5.1918 (4th Battalion, 'A' Coy)

265657 Alexander - missing 27.5.1918 (6th Battalion)

 

Regards

Chris

[Pompey]

Hi Chris,

the 27 May seems the most likely day he went missing / taken POW judging by the numbers listed as missing in the battalion.

 

Regards

Pompey