'Field band'

[Guest]

I have a letter from the western front written to my grandmother by her son Tom who was serving with 8th Royal Fusiliers. The letter is a reply to a letter she must have sent to him informing him that his younger brother, Ted, has been posted missing from the 9th East Surreys on 16th August 1916.

In reference to the information about Ted being 'missing' Tom writes, 'It is certainly very strange about the Field band saying he was going to the base.'

Anyone got any suggestions as to what this might mean?

Regards,

Ray Hooper

[Will O'Brien]

Ray

This is just a guess & probably wrong but - Given that regimental bandsman doubled up as medics/stretcher bearers during combat perhaps he was referring to a medic advising his wounded brother was being moved to a base hospital. This could tie in with him going missing being strange.

Will

[Guest]

Thanks Will. I think your suggestion is probably not that far out. Maybe he was wounded and then killed on his way to the base, but no one was aware of what had happened and so was listed missing. It's still a bit of a mystery.