12th London Regiment

[cager]

Hi, I'm researching a soldier who died of wounds with the Rangers. His service dates on the British War & Victory medal roll are 6/7/1915 to 4/7/1916. Was the end date of his service the day he was wounded, or the day he was sent back to England, or the day he was taken off the strength of the Battalion, or ...

The soldier is Herbert Elton Martin, 3991 - D of W 15/7/1916

Many thanks, Colin

[bmac]

I suspect Rfn Martin was wounded at Gommecourt 1.7.16. By 4.7.16 he would have been at the coast awaiting evacuation to the UK where he died on 15.7.16. I suggest, with no degree of certainty, that 4.7.16 was the date of evacuation back to the UK in which case he was no longer with the BEF in France.

[cager]

I suspect Rfn Martin was wounded at Gommecourt 1.7.16. By 4.7.16 he would have been at the coast awaiting evacuation to the UK where he died on 15.7.16. I suggest, with no degree of certainty, that 4.7.16 was the date of evacuation back to the UK in which case he was no longer with the BEF in France.

Thanks Bill, that was by guess. However, I've read ablut soldiers being brough back days after a battle (especially at Gommecourt), and just wondered ....

[bmac]

Colin,

The last ambulance train with any significant numbers on board from the 3rd Army's sector left for the coast on the 5th July.

There are stories of men being found after quite a long time: an officer from the LRB who survived in No Man's Land for three days though totally blind; a Rifleman Hegarty who, wounded himself, looked after some more seriously wounded in a shell hole before coming in after four nights and refusing treatment until he lead a rescue party to collect the rest (he was awared the DCM); and a man from the 1/4th Londons who survived fourteen days (!) embedded in mud and recovered after a year in hospital.