James Moffat RNR 13181/DA

[eltoro1960]

I have tried searching online for this local man who was probably the last killed from the village, without success, can anyone assist here is his CWGC listing , thanks.

Name: MOFFAT, JAMES

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Deck Hand

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Reserve

Unit Text: H.M. Motor Launch "235."

Age: 29

Date of Death: 08/11/1918

Service No: 13181/DA

Additional information: Husband of Janet Moffat, of 29, Lingerwood Rd., Newtongrange, Midlothian.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Naval. 5. 261.

Cemetery: GILLINGHAM (WOODLANDS) CEMETERY

[kin47]

Hello

For information, Moffat died from influenza.

All best

don

[joseph]

John,

The RNR documents are not online, information may be obtained from the Fleet Air Arm Museum or the national archives.

Regards Charles

[eltoro1960]

John,

The RNR documents are not online, information may be obtained from the Fleet Air Arm Museum or the national archives.

Regards Charles

Charles, Don nice to know I am not going mad,many thanks for your help. The speed of ypur posts caught me out there

John

[horatio2]

John, If you can get there, the FAA Museum RNR record cards are the originals, which can be studied in detail. TNA films of them are frequently unreadable, especially where small handwriting in red ink is evident.

H2

[eltoro1960]

John, If you can get there, the FAA Museum RNR record cards are the originals, which can be studied in detail. TNA films of them are frequently unreadable, especially where small handwriting in red ink is evident.

H2

I would like to go to the FAA museum, (my old man was RNR) but it's a fair hike to Yeovil from my neck of the woods, it sounds a tremendous place. You were kind enough to give me information on another native of Newtongrange - Walter Hogg RMLI. It appears that both the Navy men from my village that died in the Great War died of the flu (thanks Don) , John Cooper RN died near the end of the war as well during the epidemic, maybe because of the confined spaces and spread of infection.

Thanks

[kin47]

Hello John

If your John Cooper was on the Ordinary Seaman on AFRICA; he was one of seven ratings who died the same day from the influenza while at Freetown. All together, AFRICA lost 51 men to the Spanish influenza in September 1918.

All best

don

[horatio2]

Give the FAA Museum a ring and see if they can help. They should be able to confirm quickly if his card is held there. 01935 842628 (Mrs Jan Keohane).

H2

[eltoro1960]

Thanks for all the useful information in the replies guys , much appreciated. I am still trying to find James Moffat's obituary in the paper but here is John Cooper's, as Don correctly identified he died of flu on board

HMS Africa. Cheers

[eltoro1960]

The law of coincidence has struck today, I was at the local library and saw a lady struggling to put up a poster, so being a gentleman pinned it up for her. I was dumbstruck on standing back to see three WW1 poems on it including this one:

Drifting

I feel the high tide of my life is ebbing fast away,

I know that I am drifting, yet still I cannot stay,

I must keep drifting onwards, and trust as to my fate,

Praying God will guide me before it is to late

I,m drifting to another land, but I drift not to despair,

My heart rejoices at the thought of seeing mother there,

I feel her angel spirit near, guarding and watching with joy,

The drifting tide, as it brings her lost, broken hearted boy.

Seaman John Cooper,

Late 26 First Street Newtongrange.

Died on active service 13th September 1918

He had written this just prior to his death and one of his shipmates had posted it home. Spooky.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

James MOFFAT 13181DA served briefly as J59038 RN, died at Haslar Hospital, cause of death given as lobar pneumonia. Of course I only saw the copy of his record at Kew, but it seemed readable to me.