SunDodginDoc Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 I'm trying to do some detective work concerning an injured Royal Marine who was returned to Southampton in 1916 from France. Can anyone suggest a source or sources I could look at it? I do not have the name of the casualty nor do I have the name of the ship. Ever hopeful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 Without a name and/or number combined with no specific date I think it must be impossible. Must be May 1916 or later though. You must have something that got you started on this man? I've not seen diaries for Marines of 63rd Division but if they do mention casualties there's no way to tie them to an unknown man arriving at Southampton on x date. 2nd RN Field Ambulance has Admission & Discharge books but of course he may have gone primarily to 1, 2 or 3. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunDodginDoc Posted 5 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2022 I know I'm never going to get to specifics but I thought it would be interesting to try and stick a little flesh on the bones of this. HMHS Asturias was the ship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 Are you sure it's a Royal Marine? I did have a look for 4th Royal Marines but now think the PC says WOUNDED 4PM 18/10/18. PM may have been crossed out and replaced with AM. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 He is unlikely to have been serving in 1/RMLI or 2/RMLI. On 18 October 1916 both of these RND battalions were out of the line, in huts and tents, and were training for pending operations. It is possible that he was wounded in a working party provided by 2/RMLI. It is more likely that he was attached to the RND's 'Y/63' Medium TM Battery. This battery sustained some casualties on 18 October when attached to 3 Division for wire-cutting operations around HEBUTERNE and took a direct hit on one of their 2" mortar teams. Without a name/unit we are unlikely to progress further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunDodginDoc Posted 5 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2022 I'll go with that, @TEW , having zoomed in on my phone. You're right. They clearly didn't hang around shipping him back 3 days after his injury. 2 minutes ago, horatio2 said: He is unlikely to have been serving in 1/RMLI or 2/RMLI. On 18 October 1916 both of these RND battalions were out of the line, in huts and tents, and were training for pending operations. It is possible that he was wounded in a working party provided by 2/RMLI. It is more likely that he was attached to the RND's 'Y/63' Medium TM Battery. This battery sustained some casualties on 18 October when attached to 3 Division for wire-cutting operations around HEBUTERNE and took a direct hit on one of their 2" mortar teams. Without a name/unit we are unlikely to progress further. Hi, @horatio2. I'm inclined to believe that it's 4 AM written over PM, rather than 4 RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunDodginDoc Posted 5 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2022 2 hours ago, SunDodginDoc said: I'm trying to do some detective work concerning an injured Royal Marine who was returned to Southampton in 1916 from France. Can anyone suggest a source or sources I could look at it? I do not have the name of the casualty nor do I have the name of the ship. Ever hopeful I should have been clearer - are there lists of casualties that individual ships would have brought back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 3 minutes ago, SunDodginDoc said: I'm inclined to believe that it's 4 AM written over PM, rather than 4 RM 2 hours ago, SunDodginDoc said: injured Royal Marine If your identification of the casualty as an "injured Royal Marine" was solely based on your misreading 'AM' as 'RM' then ignore all my previous remarks. I think this is taking us on a path to nowhere with no name, no number, no unit and no context whatever.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 2 hours ago, SunDodginDoc said: I should have been clearer - are there lists of casualties that individual ships would have brought back? Is the Asturias featured on the other side of the PC? If not where does the ship details fit in? I think the Asturias has a unit diary but I can't recall ever seeing a list in a ship's diary. The base port probably mentions the Asturias being loaded and setting off. Both diaries should give total numbers embarked which could run into the hundreds. There's an incredibly small chance of a Sick/Wounded list naming a handfull of the few hundred being sent to the UK on the Asturias. I'll take a look at the above just to give the total on the Asturias and check for S/W lists, that's a tomorrow task. With no unit, name or number or actually branch of service (Army, Navy, RAF) it's like hoping to find a splinter from a needle in a large field full of haystacks. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 6 October , 2022 Share Posted 6 October , 2022 The Asturias left Le Havre 20/10/16 at 7 pm. with 816 wounded. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunDodginDoc Posted 7 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 October , 2022 On 05/10/2022 at 15:31, horatio2 said: If your identification of the casualty as an "injured Royal Marine" was solely based on your misreading 'AM' as 'RM' then ignore all my previous remarks. I think this is taking us on a path to nowhere with no name, no number, no unit and no context whatever.. Thanks, @TEW I'm under no illusion about finding any specific details, especially with how widely distributed sources are across various sites and paywalls. Also in mind is how much was lost in WW2. For me, this is a learning exercise as well - discovering where those sources are, learning how to interpret them, engaging with those who are much more knowledgeable etc. I really do appreciate your, and others, patience and support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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