Pte George Bloomfield

[Easy Rider]

I am looking for my Great Grandfathers details. I am puzzled about his death. He was killed on December 17th 1918, a whole month after the armistice, and I have no idea of how, where.

Can anyone help?

Service 23677, 6th battalion. middlesex regiment. transfered to 431157 labour corps.

I have no idea what all that means!

[John_Hartley]

Welcome to the Forum.

I see, from the War Graves Commission website that he is buried at Chelmsford. If you know for certain that he was killed, then it must an accident in the UK. Alternatively, he may have died from injuries previously received or, indeed, from an illness. You would be able to apply for his death certificate and this will give cause of death.

The information you ask about indicates that his original unit was the the 6th Battalion, Middlesex regimentand his service number was 23677. At some later point he was transferred to the Labour Corps. At a guess this may have been due to his state of health making him unfit for combat duty in the front line. Very few Labour Corps records still exist so it is probably impossible to work out what he was doing at this point in his service. He may have been abroad in the Corps or, perhaps more likely if he was killed, atatched to a Corps Compnay in the UK. Many men worked as, say, agricultural labourers releasing fitter men for the trenches.

You may find it useful to read the "research" section of the Long long Trail (click the link top left of this page)

John

[Boreenatra]

Bloomers...Can you tell me if this is his headstone at Chelmsford.....It's very worn but the name is readable. Regards Steve

[delta]

Welcome to the Forum Bloomers - you bear a well known name in these parts; do not be suprised if one of the old Sweats may confuses you with the redoutable councillor

Stephen

[delta]

It's a wild hope but..

do you have any relatives in Northumberlad; I am seeking to track down Alfred P Bloomfield - ASC and later tank driver from Wallsend

Stephen

[Easy Rider]

Bloomers...Can you tell me if this is his headstone at Chelmsford.....It's very worn but the name is readable. Regards Steve

Hi Steve

yes that is his headstone. That actually helped me a lot. I found out from the headstone that my great grandmother is buried with him. She died in 1936.

I also found out from Chelmsford cemetary that my great grandfather died of wounds in Fusehill War Hospital in Carlisle. He was buried in Chelmsford Cemetary on Christmas eve 1918.

All the best

Bloomers

[Easy Rider]

It's a wild hope but..

do you have any relatives in Northumberlad; I am seeking to track down Alfred P Bloomfield - ASC and later tank driver from Wallsend

Stephen

Hi Stephen,

as far as I know, I do not have 'Bloomfield' relatives from Northumberland.

Regards

Bloomers

[John_Hartley]

Hello again, Bloomers.

Did you manage to sort out how he died from the death certificate?

john

[Easy Rider]

Hello again, Bloomers.

Did you manage to sort out how he died from the death certificate?

john

Hi John.

no I didn't. all it said was 'died from wounds'

Fusehill War Hospital.

Bloomers

[John_Hartley]

Ahha. That takes you on a little a further.

You can be absolutely certain, from the "died of wounds" reference, that he was wounded whilst serving overseas and that it was not an accident.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, records of the Labour Corps are very thin on the ground and you are unlikely to be able to pin down exactly what happened. If I had to make a guess, I'd suggest that his unit was working close to the front line (perhaps road building) and he was injured by enemy shellfire. He'll have been treated in a field hospital near to where he was injured. Once his condition was stable, he would have been evacuated back to the Uk.

The only way forward is for you to visit the national Archives at Kew to see if his service papers still exist (only about 30% do). They may have additional information.

John

[Easy Rider]

Ahha. That takes you on a little a further.

You can be absolutely certain, from the "died of wounds" reference, that he was wounded whilst serving overseas and that it was not an accident.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, records of the Labour Corps are very thin on the ground and you are unlikely to be able to pin down exactly what happened. If I had to make a guess, I'd suggest that his unit was working close to the front line (perhaps road building) and he was injured by enemy shellfire. He'll have been treated in a field hospital near to where he was injured. Once his condition was stable, he would have been evacuated back to the Uk.

The only way forward is for you to visit the national Archives at Kew to see if his service papers still exist (only about 30% do). They may have additional information.

John

Hi again John.

I was thinking of doing one of two things.

1: to go to Kew and do the research. But I wouldn't know where to start.

I have tried reading the introduction stuff but I am useless at absorbing things.

or

2: paying a researcher. I have been quoted £60. But I want to research both my great grandfather, George and my grandfather William. That's £120!

With William, a cousin of mine has his star medal, that's where I got the regiment no. etc from. But he knows nothing.

With George, it is a bit easier, as I have these few details.

I have resigned myself to the fact that I may not find any service records, although I would dearly love to. I really would like to know as a minimum where they both served and with whom. dates etc.

I have no relatived left who know anything of either of them.

People on here are really kind and forthcoming with their knowledge, which I really do appreciate.

I have found out a fair bit today. Just trying to piece it all together.

All the best

Bloomers.

ps. almost a 'blog'!