steve milburn Posted 10 April , 2006 Share Posted 10 April , 2006 I am trying to find out the name of the other soldier that was KIA on 29th October 1916 at Hebuterne, France with the 1/4th KOYLI . I know that one was L Cpl 7128 Charles Milburn (my Great Uncle) but I have no idea who the other was. Charles is buried at Hebuterne Military Cemetery but so far I haven't been able to trace another KOYLI soldier with the same date of death using the CWGC site. Unfortunately the CWGC site does not make searching easy and I may have easily missed an entry. Does anybody have any suggestions as to a quick method to solve this problem? Many thanks Steve Milburn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Thornicroft Posted 10 April , 2006 Share Posted 10 April , 2006 Steve Your Great Uncle is the only casualty of the 1/4th KOYLI listed in the SDGW as losing his life on 29/10/16, but Pte. Ernest William Nendick (5134), 1/4th KOYLI, died of wounds on 30/10/16, so he may be your man. He was born in Scarborough & enlisted in Wakefield. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen D Posted 10 April , 2006 Share Posted 10 April , 2006 Using Nick's info I thought I'd save you the trouble of looking him up. Name: NENDICK, ERNEST WILLIAM Initials: E W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Unit Text: 1st/4th Bn. Age: 29 Date of Death: 29/10/1916 Service No: 5134 Additional information: Son of William and Emma Nendick, of Wintringham, Rillington, Yorks. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. C. 15. Cemetery: COUIN BRITISH CEMETERY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve milburn Posted 11 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2006 Many thanks Nick. That is really interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve milburn Posted 11 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2006 Thanks for the look-up. It is strange that you give date of death as 29th October 1916 whereas Nick says it was 30th October. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 11 April , 2006 Share Posted 11 April , 2006 There is often a day or two difference in dates between SDGW and CWGC. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve milburn Posted 11 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2006 There is often a day or two difference in dates between SDGW and CWGC. Bob. Thanks Bob. I'm a bit of a novice at all this WW1 detail. Why differences exist etc. I'm constantly surprised at all the wealth of knowledge that exists on this site. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Thornicroft Posted 11 April , 2006 Share Posted 11 April , 2006 Steve You often get different dates of death in the SDGW, CWGC, newspaper reports or the Battalion War Diaries. For accuracy, it is best to rely on the War Diaries, as these were written 'in the field' as the events were unfolding. Many incidents took place at night, therefore there may be some confusion as to whether an individual died before or after midnight. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 11 April , 2006 Share Posted 11 April , 2006 Were War Diaries written at local time ? Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Thornicroft Posted 12 April , 2006 Share Posted 12 April , 2006 Myrtle Can you define what you mean by "local time"? Thanks Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve milburn Posted 12 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2006 Identifying the second soldier KIA on 29th October 1916 begs another question. If 2 soldiers were KIA at Hebuterne on the same day (29th October 1916) while as the Battalion War Diary says 'Battalion furnished working parties for the 1/4th (Hallamshire) York & Lancaster Regt. only - Casualties 2 O R Killed, 16 Wounded' then why is it that one is buried at Hebuterne and the other at Couin which appears to be some 8 kms away. Surely if the second was wounded and taken to a field hospital (which would explain why he is away from the action) then he would have been included in the wounded figure. If Hebuterne Military Cemetery was full (which it wasn't as it was used at least 13 more times for soldiers from the KOYLI battalions in the following 13 days) that would explain the need to use somewhere else. Any help / suggestions would be welcome. Thanks Steve Remembering L Cpl 7128 Charles Milburn 1/4th KOYLI KIA 29th October 1916 Hebuterne, France Dear Mrs Milburn It is deep regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son, Lance-Corporal Milburn on the 29th of the last month. He was always cheery in the most trying circumstances, and his loss will be very deeply felt throughout the battalion and in the bombing platoon especially. His death was instantaneous, and he can have felt no pain at the end. My sympathy and that of the whole section of bombers is with you in your bereavement. I remain, yours faithfully B C Drummond, Sec. Lieut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 12 April , 2006 Share Posted 12 April , 2006 Myrtle Can you define what you mean by "local time"? Thanks Nick Nick I was wondering about the war Diaries written in places such as Mespot. I have come across men being listed as killed on one day and then listed as killed the next by CWGC. I just wondered if the War diaries were written at local time or if the army stayed with GMT. Seems to me that it would be local time but I have wondered about the frequency of these differing records especially when deaths occurred around midnight. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 12 April , 2006 Share Posted 12 April , 2006 I just wondered if the War diaries were written at local time or if the army stayed with GMT. I seem to recall that it's been mentioned on the Forum that, for some units, the "new war diary day" started at some daft hour like 06.00. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 12 April , 2006 Share Posted 12 April , 2006 I seem to recall that it's been mentioned on the Forum that, for some units, the "new war diary day" started at some daft hour like 06.00. John How does that work ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Thornicroft Posted 13 April , 2006 Share Posted 13 April , 2006 It would be logical to suppose that the local time of the country the army was serving in was the time specified in the War Diaries. Watches would need to be synchronised in the event of a night-raid, or the time of a day-light attack, so that everyone knew what they were doing at a precise moment. I know this has been discussed before, but I am pretty sure 07:30 in France on the morning of July 1st, 1916, was at a different hour to 07:30 in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 13 April , 2006 Share Posted 13 April , 2006 Nick Yes I agree, it is more logical especially when on the Western Front liaising with the French army on combined operations. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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