Pte 21417 William Pierce Rowlands

[Hywyn]

William Pierce Rowlands.

1. Is on the Llanberis War Memorial as Pte W Pierce Rowlands.

2. The Newpaper report of the unveiling states his name was called out as William Pierce Rowlands of Llainwen ( house name)

3. 14th RWF Nominal Embarkation Roll for Dec 1st 1915 shows Private 21417 W P Rowlands, 1 Llainwen, Llanberis.

4. Newspaper reports of 4th July 1916 reports him arriving home and recovering well. He has suffered a lot and has been moved from one hospital to another. He has been discharged from the Army.

5. His Death Certificate shows that he died 18th February 1917 at 1 Llainwen., Llanberis of Phthisis Pulmonalis. ( I have not yet reached February 1917 in my perusal of the newpapers and I can't see me going to the Archives for a couple of weeks.)

6. His Medal Index Card shows that he was discharged 8th Feb 1916. He is on S W Badge List J/3

Having searched the Forum my understanding of Phthisis Pulmonalis is that it is more or less TB and it could be brought on by gassing (hence the SWB?)

I see that John Morecombe recently got Able Seaman John Rae commemorated.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...amp;hl=phthisis

AB John Raes' cause of death was the same.

So, my first question is have I sufficient to apply for a commemoration for William Rowlands or do I need to show that he was gassed etc presumably from the SWB File.

Hywyn

[clive_hughes]

Hywyn,

In these cases it's best to try to get the max. amount of paperwork to back up your claim - SWBadge would be good, as also maybe obituary in local newspaper? Do his soldiers papers survive at the Nat. Archives? Try running it past them then.

I once had the medals of a sailor who was on the local memorial & his photo in the Town Hall as one of the war dead. No war grave, though. I found his death cert, which stated he was Trawler Section RNR and died at his home in town, of TB, influenza, and pneumonia combined, a few days before the end of the war. When I tried the Naval Records people they just said that he had been discharged 6 months previously, and his cause of death was not held to be due to war service! The fact that he was discharged sick & may even have had a SWBadge (I never checked) cut little ice, I fear, in his case as with very many others with broken health who died after they were discharged - but at least the locals honoured his memory.

I also have a post-war reference to men with bullet wounds finding their pensions being reduced because they were reclassified as medical condition "aggravated" by the war rather than "caused" by it!!!

Best of luck with Pritchard!

Clive

[Terry Denham]

You will need to prove that his death was due to service as he had been discharged a year when he died.

Do not assume gassing unless you have some evidence. TB cannot be 'brought on' by gassing but it can be exacerbated if the patient has been gassed or weakened lungs can be more liable to be infected. (Is there a doctor in the house?)

Also, on the above data, you do not know the reason for his SWB - injury or illness?.

John had RAE's service record which showed his suffering during service (IIRC). TB was rife at the time and could have been contracted anywhere. (I am not doubting anything here - just showing how difficult it can be).

[Hywyn]

Clive and Terry

Thank you both for your comments and advice which I value.

I think my course of action now will be to see what I can glean from the newspapers re his death (next archives visit in a few weeks)

I'll post on the Going to the NA section asking for assistance

.

Hywyn

[John Morcombe]

You really need his cause of discharge from WO/364 (or 363 if not found in 364) & it really must be due to TB. It looks pretty likely to be TB contracted in service, as he died not too long after. They had to be medically fit to go to France, so TB not diagnosed until returning to UK in 1916 maybe? His civil death certificate may also give the duration of the TB, but I assume not.

[Hywyn]

John

There is nothing on the certificate re duration.

I take your point re fitness going to France. He went over Dec 1st 1915 and was discharged two months later on 8th February. After discharge he must have spent time in various hospitals including a Sanatorium in Llanybydder (West Wales)

Whereas all this points to TB contracted in service I will need the NA information that you suggest.

Kew is a tad too far at the moment I have posted on the Going to the NA section in the hope of assistance.

many thanks

Hywyn

[Neil Clark]

Another old thread which needs looking at for an update...

[Carmania]

His papers have survived in WO 364 and are available on Ancestry although you have to do the usual 'backward' browse to find the medical reports. They include the following note:

Disability

Tuberculosis of Lung

Has suffered from cough since October 1915 at Winchester. Went to the front in Nov. Reported sick 16 Dec; sent home 14/1/16 Cause infection by T.B. contracted while on ordinary military service. Suffers from constant cough ???? purulent expectoration containing T.B.

Med. Board 16/1/16 not attributed to military service aggravated by Active Service. Permanent Totally prevents for 6 months.

His pension was increased by an Invalid Board on 4 May 1916 'under the new warrant for "aggravated" cases'. And he appears to have been seen by a Medical Board on 3 July 1916 from which there is a note 'Prevents 1/2'.

Aled

[Hywyn]

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...sualty=75227770