PTE Thomas William Craddock 12572 8th North Staffs BN mystery on place of death

[staffordshire8th]

Thomas was born originally in longton stoke on trent 1879, he volunteered for service in August 1914 with his brother Joseph William Craddock (14145)

the unit was in the reserve trenches on the tara-usna line on the day of the 1 July 1916 and did not take part in the initial assault due to overcrowding/casualties in the first line trenches , Thomas is recorded as DOW on 01/07/1916 but his body was lost and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial.

mystery surrounds his actual location on the 1 July as later in July his wife was informed that he had died near Contalmaison which seems incorrect, the battalion war diary is vague and mentions no losses on 1 July.

any info that can be supplied or theories as to his actual loss would be most appreciated in closing this 105 year mystery.

 

12572.pdf

[Matlock1418]

TNA/You seem to have transcribed his number as 12572 [?] but CWGC and his Pension Index cards at WFA/Fold3 have as 12512

:-) M

Edited 25 July , 2021 by Matlock1418

[MaxD]

Thoought on this .  First to be accurate his number was 12512 (Matlock beat me to that).  Secondly the war diary runs 1- 4 July together and lists casualties for the whole period in the 4 July entry.  Third- Contalmaison is less than 2 miles from the area the Bn were fighting is so "near Contalmaison" is not unreasonable for a wife to be told.

 

MaxD

[staffordshire8th]

Matlock1418 thanks for the info , pension record cards ?? would this have been for his wife a widows pension

[Matlock1418]

 

57 minutes ago, staffordshire8th said:

pension record cards ?? would this have been for his wife a widows pension

Yes - Three x Cards at WFA/Fold3 and Fold3

Rose CRADDOCK, at Ivy Cottage, Balance St, Uttoxeter - b.24.2.81= got 12/6 per week as >35, rate from 2.4.17 - later increased to the <45 rate of 13/9 from 4.4.17.  £5 death expenses grant paid

She tried for a higher Alternative Pension based on pre-war earnings [of 23/- pw] but was not eligible for AP 15-10-18 [likely the new 1917 standard rate must have worked out higher and so they then awarded 13/9]

You will be interested to note that the first/main one has his death recorded as 3/6.7.16 Wounded & missing, seems to have been confirmed 5-3-17 = Presumed dead

:-) M

Edited 25 July , 2021 by Matlock1418
typo

[staffordshire8th]

What can i say but a thousand thanks for the information , it seems the MIC seems incorrect then, as it states as you have seen he died of wounds on 01/07/1916 ?

as for the status of Wounded & missing is it feasible that as he was wounded someone saw his injuries ? and then he went missing would he have gone to a ccs or treated on the front line , who would have made the decision that he was presumed dead ! some 9 months after the battle , whilst he was only one person in what was a major battle someone or one of his colleagues must have seen him at sometime over the 3 day period of 3-6 July 1916.

s8th

[ss002d6252]

1 hour ago, staffordshire8th said:

What can i say but a thousand thanks for the information , it seems the MIC seems incorrect then, as it states as you have seen he died of wounds on 01/07/1916 ?

as for the status of Wounded & missing is it feasible that as he was wounded someone saw his injuries ? and then he went missing would he have gone to a ccs or treated on the front line , who would have made the decision that he was presumed dead ! some 9 months after the battle , whilst he was only one person in what was a major battle someone or one of his colleagues must have seen him at sometime over the 3 day period of 3-6 July 1916.

s8th

Usually there's a range where they know he was alive on one date but missing by the next roll call.

Some records will use the earliest date and some the latest date in the range.

He was not confirmed dead on the battlefield so a minimum of 26 weeks would typically be given to allow him to show up. The extra few months were likely just down to administrative delays and the delays at Chelsea in sorting pensions.

Craig 

[Ancre1917]

8th Battalion was attacking la Boiselle at about this time and the 19th Division moved on to Contalmaison shortly afterwards. See my post below for more details.

Richard