missing letter

[Gwen in gozo]

MaxD that would be fantastic thankyou.
and thanks for the info you make a few notes on a piece of paper a complete real life story which I would have never known.
Gwen

[Gwen in gozo]

is there also a research area about a soldier medical notes and his stay at the brook war hospital
or is that not something that is reasearchable
thanks
gwen

[MaxD]

This link http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=15&lat=50.7435&lon=2.7904&layers=101464927&right=BingHyb
takes you to a side by side map showing the trenches in May 1918.  Crucifix Corner is in the centre, look carefully above the large figure 18.  The map on the right is the present day.  If you zoom out a bit, you will see it is almost exactly half way between Bailleul and Neuve Eglise.
If you have Google Earth, search on Bailleul France, then move to the east (right) towards Nieuwkerke (Neuve Eglise in Flemish) just across the yellow line which is the French/Belgian border  and you should be able to find the large farm complex at Crucifix Corner. (The latitude and longitude shown at the bottom of the image will be 50 44 38.06N, 02 47 26.43E).  If you go to street view, you will see Crucifix Hill running across your front.  The crucifix is still there and comes up on Google Earth as Cavalariekruis.
Send me a PM with your direct email if I've made this too complicated and I can send screen grabs which will help.

As to medical notes etc - if they are not in his records (which they aren't) then the answer is no I'm afraid.

maxD

[MaxD]

There is always more!  This link https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheLincolnshireRegiment1914-1918
takes you to the history of the Lincolns in the Great War (click the pages to turn them).  The 2/4th arrive on page 211 and the battle at Crucifix Corner is on page 339, so everything between these pages, where 2/4th is mentioned, is the story of grandfather's war.

maxD

[Gwen in gozo]

maxD
Thankyou again great stuff lots to read
Gwen

[MaxD]

Alfred's detailed record did not survive the second war bombing.  However, from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission info and the Register of Soldiers' Effects we know that he served in the Army Cyclists Corps and 5th Battalion Dorset Regiment and died of wounds on 20 August 1917 and is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery.  His medal record shows he joined some time after the beginning of 1916.

There are three William (or W) Rack's in the medal entries, a Northumberland Fusilier, a Royal Engineer and a Royal Army Medical Corps man.  No detailed records survive for these either - do you have any family info about his regiment?

maxD

[Gwen in gozo]

No unfortunately I have nothing owing to my grand parents dying before I was born and my father dying when I was young. So no memories passed down. I am just looking at records through ancestry.

[Gwen in gozo]

However someone gave me this photo which he thought was William

[MaxD]

Thai is a cavalryman and certainly not one of the three regiments.  Someone cleverer than I may be able to enhance the cap badge to ident the regiment.

maxD