English soldier Albert Carhill

[ianw]

Jeremy Gee of the CWGC ( Our Man In Ypres !) informs me that a suitable commemorative bronze plaque is being considered for our men in Langemark. I am sure this would blend in well and hope it comes to pass in the near future.

[ianw]

Forum users may be interested to know that a little mailshot has turned up a Carhill in Hull who is an interested relative and to whom I have sent details of Albert's burial place. Let's hope it prompts a family visit to see him one fine day.

[Jonathan Saunders]

I have just caught up with this thread and full praise to Hinrich for his work in spite of the fact CWGC already knew the details.

Just to add on on gravestones, many of the CWGC headstones in the RN cemetery at Gillingham are mostly dark stone. Terry do you know why this is? I think these dark coloured headstones would be very suitable in Langemarck.

I can post an example if you have not seen this type before. They are regulation CWGC (although there are also RN Edwardian era burials of the same coloured stone that are about twice the size of the headstones we normally associate with CWGC).

[Terry Denham]

You have answered the question yourself.

CWGC often use a local or other stone to blend in with the surroundings. In this case they are trying to match the existing 'Admiralty' headstones for uniformity.

I have seen these before but a picture might interest others if you can post it.

[Jonathan Saunders]

I will dig out a scan when at home tonight.

I havent quite answered my own question as there are many personal headstones (and skirting for that matter) so generally the RN cemetery is irregular. Also there is a mixture of the two stones, some white, some dark, and I think this can happen in the same row (I will check next time). Predominantly the headstones are dark.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Terry,

If I have done this right a scan of Lt-Cdr Esmonde's headstone should appear below. You should be able to make out in the background mixed white and dark headstones.

I presume where possible they have been consistent and to be honest the white do not look out of place amongst the predominantly dark headstones.

[Terry Denham]

Nice picture although (stating the obvious) it needs rotating!

Behind Esmonde's stone to the right can be seen examples of 'Non-World War' headstones - similiar but with the corners cut out.

[JohnCarlill]

Thanks for all your help on Albert Carlill. I am related to Albert.......he would have been my father's Uncle. Three brothers of Albert served and returned home. I have visted the Langemarke cemetery on a couple of occasions. I have not yet found a photo of Albert but am still searching.

An earlier reference indicated Albert being wounded, taken prisoner and then died in pow/hospital but have not seen source of this reference.

Regiment diary shows the battalion m in operations during October 1918 moving east through current Belgium. On 22 October under heavy machine gun and artillery 14 wounded and one missing (other ranks). On 23 October during early morning engagement in thick fog.... 33 other ranks missing. So I am assuming it was around this time that Albert was captured.

What I have just found is a newspaper item inserted by Albert's parents into the Hull Daily Mail 21/1/1919. They had received a field service postcard dated 23 October 1918 saying he was well, a prisoner of war and stationed at Limburg. The Red Cross had confirmed Albert was on the 'Frankfurt list'.

This confirms his capture. He may or may not have been injured as I undertsand the field cards were only tick boxes, no additional writing was allowed? But a couple of points I need help on.

1) it looks like this Limburg pow camp was in Germany, east of Koblenz.......but there is a Limburg/Limbourg in Belgium (east of Liege)...would he have been taken all the way to Limburg Germany? And if so, and he died in the pow camp how did he end up in Langemarke? Just to further complicate things the earlier (unsourced) reference mentioned a common grave in Louvain containing German soldiers which was removed to Langemark and Albert was included with this?

2) what is the 'Frankfurt list'.............seems to be part of the Red Cross prisoner records? Enquiries indicate that these are held in Geneva, but currently being digitised so not accessible until early 2014.

Thanks for any help

John Carlill