Lance Corporal George Devlin Seaforth Highlanders

[hrebing]

My Great Great Uncle George Devlin

Lance Coroporal 2nd.Bn.Seaforth Highlanders

Died of his wounds at the 22nd General Hospital

On 15 October 1917

and is buried at Entaples,France

How can I find out what battle he was wounded in etc.

Thanks......

[ceebee]

At and around the time of your Great Great Uncle's death, the 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders were part of 10 Brigade, 4th Division, which formed part of the 5th Army. The 4th Division was involved in several major battles during the first half of October 1917:

Battle of Polygon Wood 26 September-3 October 1917

Battle of Broodseinde 4 October 1917

Battle of Poelcappelle 9 October 1917

First Battle of Passchendaele 12 October 1917

Reference to the 2nd's war diary will provide more specific details. Another forum member with access to the war diary may be able to help.

Also, take a look at the Passchendaele Archive project on this forum.

Chris

[hrebing]

thanks alot.....the more time I spend browsing the information on this great website ,the closer I seem to get to deducing what happened to my Uncle.

Not knowing how many days after he was wounded he passed away ....keeps it open to more than one place or time.

My next trip over to England will include a couple of days in kew at the Archives.

however I am just getting started....I am half german also and have a great uncle who also died at or around the same time as my great uncle on the british side......I always wondered about the irony of them fighting eachother.The same thing happened with my grandfathers in WWII.

thanks again.....

Heinz rebing

[greatspywar]

Hello Heinz,

A most remarkable familyhistory you have. I have received your email in good order.

As for your question on where your relative might have been wounded:

I think the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (as part of the 4th Division as Chris mentioned) was only involved in the Battle of Broodseinde which is a part of the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. He was probably wounded during that battle. He then was taken away to the hospital and taken hospital nr. 22 as you mentioned in your email. This is (according to a list I have here) at Camiers (a few miles north of Etaples).

More information might be in his service records or other archive documents. The war diaries as Chris proposed might have some info as well.

The Passchendaele Archives will look into his matter more carefully.

Do you have more info on the German side of your family? You mentioned another familymember who died around the same date? Do you have a photograph of him?

Kind regards,

Jan