Soldier Info - Charles Ernest Rulten TR/10/26259

[matt180385]

Hi, this is my first post so please bear with me.

I am looking for information on my Great Great Uncle Charles Ernest Rulten

I got most of his information from the CWGC Website and his headstone.

He was born 4th Jan 1899 his regiment number was Private, TR/10/26259

31st (Training Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) he died Died 31 March 1917

aged 18 – Buried Great Yeldham.

This is an extract from a book about Great Yeldham

The only other Great Yeldham serviceman to be buried in the village churchyard was Charles Ernest

Rulten who died in the Military Hospital, Western Heights, Dover and was buried on 5th April, 1917 aged 18 years."

As far as I am aware he has no medal card, so I am assuming that he never actually went to fight, this is

whats puzzling me, I am wondering if there was some kind of accident or if he had an illness. Would he have

a death certificate? is there anyway to find out more about him & Western Heights?

Thanks

Matt

[Hambo]

Matt

Welcome to the forum. I can add that he enlisted in Colchester. The 31st was formed in Colchester in September of 1915

Others will know better than I but I would expect that there is a death certificate as he died in the UK. Good luck with the research, you're in the right place

Hambo

[Paul Johnson]

Hi Matt

Your G/G/Uncles death was recorded in Dover. If you go to the GRO Website you can order his Death Certificate. The reference number is DOVER 2 a 1421.

This link will take to their website but you will have to register with them. The fee is £7 for certificate and you'll have to wait about 2 weeks at the moment, but I sure it will be worth it.

GRO

Please let us know what you discover, we will all be very interested.

Regards

PAUL JOHNSON

[matt180385]

Thanks for all your help, I have just ordered ther certificate.

I will definatley let you know what turns up

Thanks again

Matt

[Graham Stewart]

Matt,

Just some additional bits of interest, the 31st Training Reserve Battalion/7th(Reserve)Brigade were actually formed from the 14th(Reserve)Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in September 1916 on the formation of the new Training Reserve. The role of the T.R. was to provide drafts of trained soldiers for units overseas and I would think in this case you're probably looking at an 18yr old lad, under training, who has either died accidentally or of illness.

Graham.

[matt180385]

Thanks Graham

[matt180385]

Hi Matt

Your G/G/Uncles death was recorded in Dover. If you go to the GRO Website you can order his Death Certificate. The reference number is DOVER 2 a 1421.

This link will take to their website but you will have to register with them. The fee is £7 for certificate and you'll have to wait about 2 weeks at the moment, but I sure it will be worth it.

GRO

Please let us know what you discover, we will all be very interested.

Regards

PAUL JOHNSON

Just an update it took a few weeks to get here but it came eventually his death certificate states that he died from Bronchitis & another "itis" but I am unable to make it out.

Thanks again for your help.

Matt